why the bathroom & kitchen can exist in the same space
issue 74 ♡ design inspiration from film scenes & learning to read between the grout lines
dear host. why is there no clear demarcation of space between the bathing & cooking area? cordially, airbnb guest
dearest guest
this week in part I i outline the review system on airbnb and deep dive into the 3-star review from an guest with a fine tooth comb. on part II i share unconventional design decisions made for our studio renovation inspired by a film scene. in part III some notes downloaded from my higher self on how to manage and move on from a bad review.
part I.
it took me while to write this one— like months, even a year to get over this and even now i get a little apprehensive after a guest has left, that we might garner anything less than a 5-star review. cos’ you see the way airbnb works is this— anything less than a 5-star is kinda not awesome, not great, bit average even.
i’ve been airbnb host for two years now and we gained superhost status in our first season with our studio listing. currently kawa heart studio has a 4.93☆ rating from 80 reviews and is a guest favourite— which translates in airbnb speak as being in the top 10% of eligible listings based on ratings, reviews and reliability.
while peanuts or pettifog to some, this is something i deeply care about— as it allows me to do the work i do here. i don’t get paid (much) to write here. currently i have 30 paid subscribers which is equivalent to around 2k per annum— or 50 bucks a week. the income i receive from airbnb affords me to spend three days a week creating these newsletters and write my second book.
i am in deep gratitude to how the studio and how a space can provide the means for my creative freedom. or as my son says, when asked what his mum does for a living in his kindy class— “she cleans the studio and meditates”. he’s not wrong.
the way this coveted superhost status works is this— you must retain a 4.8+ star rating in order to keep your badge of honour. any 3 or two 4 star reviews can quickly knock your ratings down and you can lose priority in the way the listings are shown in searches. so while it’s imperative to be a good host and human, i believe there is a unsaid mutual agreement to be a good guest and let the host know if there are any dramas— behind the scenes or discreetly in a private message. however this is not always the case.
this three star review from felt like a three star review of my heart. i digress. so kindly lend an open ear and allow me to share and plead my unconventional case to why where is no demarcation between the bathroom and the kitchen.
part II.
there’s a meet-cute again scene from the 80’s movie beaches that’s permanently etched in my mind. the barbara hershey character, the blue blood hillary is visiting her struggling artist friend c.c bloom, who she hasn’t seen since childhood— played by bette midler. it’s the late 70’s in new york city and c.c lives in a apartment, where the bathroom and kitchen and bedroom are pretty much in the same space.
at first, the upper-class mate is aghast by the lack of walls and spacial boundaries however as the film progresses, you see her transition from bougie brat to burgeoning bohemian, beholden to the friendship and the leaky roof over her head.
in the following scenes, the arty mate is cooking with camaraderie while the formerly fancy one is showering and — they are chatting about their plans for the night— right next to each other. the friends are removed of their social status that no longer defines them, in a rhythm and ease in sharing space that only comes from living in extremely tight quarters while pursuing your dreams.
i wrote about these design decision motivated by relationships in the design files.
in the studio, where a nook was converted into a bathroom/kitchen inspired by a specific beaches film (1988). dee explains, ‘the fancy friend is visiting the struggling artist bette midler character in new york, and she lives in this tiny shoebox of an apartment where the bathroom and kitchen are in the same space. they are conversing while one is making tea in the kitchen and the other is having a shower.
i loved the intimacy of this scene, and it served as the main source of inspiration for the studio renovation. i felt that anyone who stayed in this space would have that kind of relationship.’
i was affected by the camaraderie, the comedy and the communication of this scene. thus, it served as the source of inspiration for our studio renovation— opting for intimacy over joy(less) division. we drew up a design for an oval ring that would hang the shower curtain that our plumber welded together and a linen curtain was sewn and hung outside of it, lending a thin veil of privacy and perimeter.
i was also told this week by a friend who has a german partner that this design arrangement was very common in east germany. when i learnt of this, i began a search of this and have come to the conclusion that if our studio kitchen/bathroom were to be a political party it would potentially be erring on socialist in nature and the sharing is caring vibes— and i am ja ok with that.
part III.
for folks who receive bad reviews & wanna learn from it & do other stuff good too
always try your best, and life will do the rest.
behest, the guest with so many requests. attest to their (in)vest-ment.
don’t fret my pet, you are a vet-eran of so-called-bad reviews.
do not react, sit-back and fine-tune your response— teach where possible.
be kind, rewind and define your humility and hospitality by the highest raves not the lowest lows.
thank you for being here.
love d(oris) xx
ps. related posts on home you might dig. the one on how do i even begin creating a home. or the one on feng shui and how do to integrate it into the home. or the one on whites for interiors.
Loved this weeks drop ♥️