Last weekend my sister, cousin, their significant others, and Mike and I rented a house in Santa Fe —the central location between our homes in L.A., Denver, and Hoboken —for a little reunion. We could have checked into a hotel for our three-day getaway but to truly catch-up, we needed a place we could settle in. Rather than meeting each morning in a lobby for breakfast, we’d brew coffee and sit on the sofa in our pajamas. After exploring town all day, we’d return to our patio for wine and cheese. Under one roof, the constant coordinating between multiple hotel rooms went away and everyone could finally hang out like family again.

I’m sure we would have been happy just about anywhere, but this house was a gem. My sister found it on the stellar site VRBO.com (Vacation Rental By Owner) and it was in a great location, spacious, reasonably priced and surprisingly well decorated.

I loved the open plan of the house. The living room, dining room, and kitchen all had their own distinct spaces but with an easy flow between areas. The furniture choices were contemporary but the architecture was distinctly Santa Fe.

The dining area was set off from the living room with smart lighting choices. A chandelier hung above the table and the rice paper lanterns warmed the space.

Though we didn’t use this deluxe kitchen to its fullest potential, the get-together would have never been the same without the fridge, coffee maker, and wine opener.

The bathrooms may have been my favorite part of the house. The tile work in this powder room was decidedly uneven but in varying neutral colors, it gave the space great texture. 

In the bedrooms, the owner spared guests bad filler art and made strong decorative choices with architectural headboards and graphic rugs.

The good news is that there are plenty of well-designed house rentals like this on VRBO; I’m already looking for next year’s getaway.

Anne E. Collins
Executive Editor, PointClickHome