An Airbnb designed to showcase local art brings an immersive, cozy experience to Denton

Guests can book their stay at the property, located at 1721 W. Oak St., through Airbnb or online. The space was also recently used as a production set for B22 Films, a Texas-based film production company.

Retired Denton ISD librarian Margarete Neale wanted to showcase local artists and give guests a better experience staying at the Art Haven.

“I’m trying to make it not just a stay but truly an experience,” Neale said.

The space is midcentury modern-inspired, with vintage touches that highlight Denton's culture and history. The home sleeps seven, with three bedrooms and two bathrooms.

She said the gallery view isn’t just for short-term guests. Anyone can view it by appointment via email or website when the gallery isn’t booked.

The Art Haven Gallery opened in October 2023 after being announced the previous August. The opening exhibition, featuring local and North Texas artists, occurred in February of this year.

The art pieces will be rotated to showcase more local art.

“I have several friends that are artists and know artists in the community and I thought, you know, it’d be kind of incredible to merge the two [short-term rental and gallery],” Neale said.

Opening the short-term rental and galley was special to Neale because she collaborated with her former student Beth Brown, now an interior designer, to design the home.

Neale taught Brown during a studio art class at Hebron High School in the early 2000s.

They reconnected after Neale placed a bid on a 1970s furniture piece Brown was selling.

“That felt incredibly awesome [collaborating with Brown],” Neale said. “She would say things [about art techniques], and I was, ‘Oh my gosh, did you learn that in my class?”’

Neale wanted to ensure the home interior had good aesthetics and purchased vintage furniture to accommodate her vision.

Every piece of furniture she purchased had a background story. Neale said she would be willing to share the story to those who booked a gallery visit.

Even the home has a history since Neale and her family resided in it from 2000-04, after which it essentially became a long-term rental property.

A long-term plan is to convert the backyard into a sculpture garden and have an outside public library in the front yard.

“We can put up a piece of art, take one away, or you can replace it,” Neale said. “It’s very interactive.”

B22 Films

Neale said she received a message from the film production company asking if she would allow it to film inside the short-term rental.

The Texas-based company filmed Lone Star Shark 2, a movie about a kayaker stalked by a shark on a Texas lake.

The production filmed in late June and is expected to return in late July to shoot Lone Star Shark 3, a movie about the FBI being called to a lake in Texas to investigate shark attacks.

“We enjoyed filming the interior for Lone Star Shark 2,” the production company wrote in a guest book. “Coming soon in a 3-pack DVD set.”