Columbia Cottage

Walking into this house feels like stepping back to 1955, in the best way. Guests have told us it reminds them of their grandparents' home, with the comforts you'd expect today.

The living room
Warm original wood paneling, a sofa that pulls out to a double bed, two leather chairs, reading lamps and a 65-inch smart TV with Roku guest mode for your own streaming apps. Board games are on hand for evenings in.

The kitchen
A full kitchen with a retro red-and-white dinette that seats four. You'll find an electric stove and oven, a microwave, a refrigerator with freezer, a Keurig and a drip coffee maker, an electric kettle, a toaster, pots, pans, a baking sheet, cooking basics, dishes and wine glasses. There's no dishwasher.

The bedrooms
Bedroom one has a queen bed, a closet, a dresser and a desk with a chair, so you can work behind a closed door. Bedroom two has a double bed, a closet and a dresser.

The bathroom
A tub with a shower, fresh towels, shampoo, conditioner, body soap and a hair dryer.

Laundry
A full-size washer and dryer in the house, free to use, which makes longer stays and trips with kids much easier. Detergent is provided.

Comfort
Central heat and air, ceiling fans, 300 Mbps Wi-Fi and an ethernet connection if you need a wired line for work.

Single-level living
Everything is on one floor, with just a few steps at each entrance.

Outside
The cottage sits on 1.33 acres. A big backyard with a patio, an outdoor table and chairs, room for kids to run, and fireflies on summer evenings. The yard isn't fully fenced.

Where you are
A quiet, established neighborhood one mile from the courthouse square. Woodland Park is a 3-minute walk, the James K. Polk Home is about a 15-minute walk, and the square is a 2-minute drive or a 20-minute walk.

The whole house and yard are yours. Check-in is self-service with a lockbox, so you can arrive any time between 3 and 10 p.m., and we'll send directions and your code before you arrive.

The driveway fits four normal-sized cars. A stone wall at the entrance means large moving trucks, RVs, campers and trailers can't turn in, and street parking isn't allowed.

The storage shed in the carport and the white detached building in the yard are for our use only.

We live in Franklin, so we're not on site, but we're available any time through the Airbnb app. Send us a message and we'll answer quickly during waking hours. If something needs attention at the house, we'll take care of it. We're happy to share our favorite Columbia spots too, from coffee on the square to the best parks for kids, and our guidebook has our local favorites.

The house sits on a quiet street in one of Columbia's established neighborhoods, one mile from the historic courthouse square.

Woodland Park is a 3-minute walk from the front door. The Athenaeum is about an 11-minute walk, and the James K. Polk Home, the only surviving home of the 11th president other than the White House, is about 15.

Downtown Columbia is a 2-minute drive or a 20-minute walk. Around the square you'll find local restaurants, coffee shops, antique and vintage stores and live music. Bleu 32 Vintage Marketplace is 3 minutes away and fits right in with the house, and Asgard Brewing is 4.

For families, the aMuse'um children's museum is 3 minutes away. Maury County Park is 8 minutes and Chickasaw Trace Park is 12, both good for trails and room to roam, and the Columbia Riverwalk runs along the Duck River near downtown.

Columbia calls itself Muletown, and Mule Day each spring is the biggest weekend of the year, so book early. Maury Regional Medical Center is about 4 minutes away for anyone visiting family or working nearby.

All times are driving times unless noted as walking.

A car is the easiest way to get around, and the driveway holds four. Woodland Park and the Polk Home are within walking distance, and the square is a 20-minute walk or a 2-minute drive. Uber and Lyft are available in Columbia, though wait times can run longer than in Nashville. Franklin is about 35 minutes north and downtown Nashville about an hour.

A few things to know
The driveway fits four normal-sized cars. Large trucks, RVs and trailers can't get past the stone wall at the entrance, and street parking isn't allowed.

Two Ring floodlight cameras record video and audio outside: one on the carport facing the road and one on the white storage building facing the backyard. Neither points toward the patio, so your time outside stays private. There are no cameras inside.

The backyard isn't fully fenced, so keep an eye on little ones outside.

There's no dishwasher.

Our lawn service comes weekly in mowing season, usually Monday or Tuesday, and pest control is exterior only. No service provider will enter the house during your stay.

No pets and no smoking or vaping inside, with a $250 fee for either. We check for smoke and odor after every stay.

No parties. Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

Longer stays are welcome, and the washer, dryer and full kitchen make them easy.