Welcome to the first official Quill Edit Feature!
Over the past few years, I’ve featured a smattering of well-done rentals on my website, and I called this small collection The Quill List.
The Quill Edit is the same thing, but a bit more grown-up, and with a regular cadence. I will be featuring a new property each week on this growing list of outstanding rentals doing it right. The idea for The Quill Edit was born as I traveled around the world for a year with my family, staying in what added up to approximately 24 Airbnb’s. The total property count was 52 with some of those being hotels, a few friends’ and family’s houses, and the large majority being short-term rentals.
Here’s the secret you know if you own a good rental, or even if you don’t, but you stay in them often. Most of them are not great on every level. Even the ones that appear really excellent on the listing will have random things missing because the host just couldn’t be bothered.
For example, one Airbnb property we paid a premium price for in Sweden had no hairdryer. Not a big deal, but really annoying if you have bangs, which I do. When I messaged the host, he said, “Well, Valerie, this is my home. I only rent it out half of the year, and I’m bald.”
Okay, Johan, but I’m not your distant cousin who’s come to squat in your house for free. I paid a high nightly rate to stay here with my family. Whether you like it or not, YOU are a host running a hospitality business. If you’re uninterested in the guest experience, perhaps you should make that very clear on your listing. “Disclaimer: I do not care if you have hair, or generally have a stupid time in my home. You must treat it with respect, though, and also don’t stain my marble countertops.” The listing did say something with a threatening tone about the marble counters and not messing them up.
Honestly, I was so annoyed with this guy that it really did affect the rest of the time we spent in the house after this interaction. And that’s a shame because, by and large, it was a gorgeous stay.
I am by all accounts a highly sensitive person. It wasn’t until I was in my 30s that I realized how much more aware of details I am than most people I know. And although, of course, there are negatives about this, one positive is that I’m really good at creating excellent experiences for my guests.
While we traveled the world for a year, we listed our home as an Airbnb property. My experience with our property managers was so bad that I won’t go into the details in this post to keep things positive. Suffice it to say they did NOT share my attention to detail, and they certainly didn’t treat the guests who stayed in my home with the tender love and care I wanted them to have.
This really pained me, but I was stuck in a contract. Luckily the home I left behind did a lot of the hosting all on it’s own, even though the property managers took away my stack of 12 nice new dish towels for the kitchen and replaced it with one threadbare cheap one. When I asked about this after having noticed when my friend went by to check the house between bookings, they said “we just provide one dishtowel per stay.” *sigh*
Hospitality is an art. Caring for people is a craft that doesn’t just have to do with the bottom line, although I would argue that when you focus on excellent hospitality, you cannot lose in business.
When we stayed in amazing rentals on our year abroad, I found myself wanting to shout from the rooftops about how these hosts were doing it right. Equally, when there was an experience like Johan above who didn’t give two flips about my bangs, or when a well-photographed bed was lumpy and creaky in person and we had a horrible sleep, or the pillows were old and smelly in an expensive rental, or when there was only bright overhead lighting, I wanted to also shout from the rooftops that everyone can and should strive to be better than this. It’s really simple.
Put yourself in your guests’ shoes. Anticipate needs. Be generous and appear to care. Always offer plenty of lamp lighting; this is a hill I will die on. When you do that, your property shines, and you ultimately make the world a slightly better place.
A touch dramatic, I’ll admit. But that’s me. A touch dramatic and highly sensitive to my surroundings.
So pour a cuppa and snuggle up next to your favorite eye-level lighting. We’re going to embark on an adventure together to feature the best rentals the world has to share. And this is my attempt to shout from the rooftops what we can all learn from their excellence.
Welcome to The Quill Edit.
The Seventh Ray House
I first came across Michael and Kristen on their very entertaining and popular YouTube channel a couple of years ago. I remember being instantly pulled into their Joshua Tree rental project. They’re immediately likable, these two, and I’m delighted to feature their rental, The Seventh Ray House on The Quill Edit!
Meet The Couple
Michael and Kristen were a young couple living and working in Southern California during Covid. When they decided to buy their first home, they knew that to find something they could afford, they’d have to look further afield than Los Angeles.
Joshua Tree was somewhere they both loved and, importantly, somewhere they could afford. They bought The Seventh Ray House in July 2021 with the idea that it might eventually bring in some extra income as a rental if they fixed it up well. When Kristen unexpectedly lost her job, the timeline sped up considerably, and four months later, they were welcoming their first guests.
Luckily for us, they started filming the renovation, originally just to share it with family who couldn’t be there in person. Those videos have grown into an excellent YouTube channel and a whole community following their DIY projects and short-term rental journey.
One thing I love most about this couple is how personal The Seventh Ray House still feels to them. They’re currently living in an RV on the property next door as they work on their latest project fixing up an abandoned cabin. They occasionally stay in The Seventh Ray House during the renovation process of the cabin, which you can learn more about here. I must say, there’s nothing like staying in your rental to get you up to speed on how dusty the baseboards are or that the shower needs some Drain-O.
And then there’s the name. The Seventh Ray House. Michael and Kristen were doing a lot of soul-searching, meditating, reading, and getting more interested in spirituality during Covid. They landed on the idea of the seven rays of creation, reflected in things like the seven colors of the rainbow, the seven notes in a musical scale, and the seven chakras in the body.
This was the first thing they had really created together, and they wanted a name that felt meaningful and completely their own. Kristen said they wanted “a brand that we could build on that felt like us authentically.” Love the name, guys, and how meaningful it is to you. Let’s dive into what you did right with this amazing rental property, so others can learn from your success.
About the Design
(Photos of The Seventh Ray House completed by Picture Stay.)
Kristen and Michael have done a beautiful job of creating a peaceful desert vibe in the home, layering textures and neutral colors around the main living room. The existing tile floors blend seamlessly with this aesthetic, and I love the white fire burner on top of the painted white brick hearth.
The lack of a traditional TV was intentional. Rather than assuming every rental must have one, they positioned the huge windows, changing sky, sunrise and sunset as part of the entertainment and encouraged guests to unplug. After a while up and running, they added a projector so when guests want to watch a movie they have the option.
Over the last several years as a rental, Michael and Kristen have paid close attention to the wear and tear of the furniture and rugs, replacing what was needed along the way. Because they still stay in the house regularly, they are on top of property upkeep before it becomes a problem.
Shop The House Here:
The couple installed this beautiful zellige tile themselves one particularly scorching day in the desert with no working air conditioning in the house. Talk about a test of your marriage! It turned out great, and they’re still happily married.
This is Michael’s own piano, a fitting piece to find in the house considering his former life as a songwriter and music producer. They’ve had a number of musicians book The Seventh Ray House specifically to come out to Joshua Tree and write.
The guitar in this bedroom is from Kristen’s childhood, and the hat is from a trip Michael took to Nashville.
About the Hospitality
Kristen and Michael take care of their guests at The Seventh Ray. Here’s what I love most about their hospitality touches:
- They do not nickel-and-dime over early check-ins or tiny breakages. If the house is ready, they just say yes. Michael says they approve early check-in about 98% of the time for free.
- There are snacks and cold Poppis waiting when you arrive, and they make sure to cool down the house before check-in. After hours on the road in the desert heat, this makes a real difference.
- The kitchen is set up for proper cooking. Pots, pans, dishes, spices, oils, all the basics. Kristen goes through it regularly so guests can actually make a full meal if they choose.
- The Moon Garden is one of my favorite features of this house. People have used it for stargazing with astronomers, sound baths, massages, even an elopement.
- Coffee options! They provide organic, non-plastic Keurig pods, their favorite local beans and a French press. If your morning depends on a decent cup (like me!) you have many options to choose from.
Kristen and Michael are clear about the kind of stay they want to offer. This is a home for rest and retreat, not a party house. Michael thinks the design, the photography and the way the listing is written all help draw guests who appreciate the peaceful vibes the house provides.
🗝️ Key Quill Facts:
- Location: Southern California desert, near Joshua Tree National Park
- The Vibe: Soulful desert retreat with collected, personal layers
- Why it made The Quill Edit: Because this house feels cared for. Kristen and Michael have continued investing, tinkering, and improving their home, plus actually living in the space themselves sometimes, and you can feel the difference.
- Our top hospitality takeaway: Stay in your own rental. Use the shower. Make coffee. Cook dinner. Notice the loose handle and the dusty baseboards. Experiencing the house as a guest may be one of the simplest ways to become a better host.
- Our favorite thing about the design: It’s hard to beat the Moon Garden, but the layers of personal pieces throughout the house are what make the interiors feel especially lovely.
In conclusion…
Thank you, Kristen and Michael, for being featured on The Quill Edit! It’s been lovely diving into your special way of offering the world great hospitality, and seeing your newest project unfold in real time on your YouTube channel. I’m so excited to be along on this journey with you as you continue on the cabin project.
To book a stay at The Seventh Ray House, check out their beautiful website. And to follow along on their latest project, check out their YouTube Channel. Photos of The Seventh Ray House in in this post completed by Picture Stay.
Do you have a home that is distinguished by remarkable design and outstanding hospitality? OR have you stayed in a home that does? Click here to apply to be featured on The Quill Edit.
