Inspired by our love for ice cream, we embarked on a delightful journey to transform our home into an ice cream-themed rental house. What began as a simple idea to infuse our home with the joy of ice cream has blossomed into a sweet sanctuary for guests seeking a playful yet cozy retreat. Join us as we share the story of how this deliciously fun idea became a reality, blending creativity with hospitality to create a unique and out-of-this-world getaway experience.
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All About Our Ice Cream House
ame up with after traveling all over Texas, during which we’ve stayed at dozens of short-term rentals and hotels. We found things we liked, as well as things we didn’t. With these things in mind, we created a sweet retreat with a combination of all the best parts of our experiences.
Of course, we added our own unique twist, which is how we came up with the Waco ice cream house! We wanted something colorful and vibrant that would bring joy when you walked in. As people who love color, we were kind of tired of all the beiges and plain aesthetics and wanted to create something that countered that. At first, we weren’t really sure how we were going to do it, but we knew whatever we created was going to be fun.
We started off with naming our property (a property we hadn’t bought yet), while touring homes. We came up with “Casa Kumwesu,” which merged our Latino and Zambian/Congolese roots, to create a place with a deeper meaning. Essentially, “Casa Kumwesu” means “our home,” “our house,” “our community,” “our village.” However, the translation still doesn’t hold up to its direct meaning and, more so, what Casa Kumwesu means to us.
How We Got Started
As a couple, we went through a lot of difficulties. We both came from low income, first-generation households and, while we met in college, post-college life became a whole different challenge. Despite prestigious degrees and attempts at gaining all the experience necessary before that coveted graduation date, post-college job searching became a nightmare.
We couldn’t find jobs. We struggled in those first few years, spending time without a home or even a bed to call our own. It was hard not to give up, but we persevered and overcame. We finally found okay jobs and slowly we moved up in those jobs. Then, we started a side-hustle, a travel blog where we also traveled on a budget. Years later, that side-hustle turned into a full time job and we were able to travel all over!
Considering the struggle with housing we had, a home meant a lot to us. It was the progression of where we had come from. At the same time, because we traveled so much, we wanted something we could share. We started looking for homes until the housing market skyrocketed and we had to take a step back. Rather than becoming discouraged, we worked to save more and more, and the following year, we came back again ready for this new venture.
Starting the Search
After some trips to Waco and realizing how much time we spent driving between Dallas and Austin, we started falling in love with the area. Waco has so much to do and it is constantly growing. We saw so much potential to not only grow with Waco, but to use our platform to help promote the businesses in Waco.
We started looking at properties and ended up finding the perfect one! A beautiful, five-acre property with a gorgeous three-bedroom home on it. It had big open windows, perfect for letting in natural light, a giant soaking tub, high ceilings, and a unique spiral staircase that was such a cool centerpiece. It was kind of boring, but we knew we could spice it up!
Even better, it sat on 5 acres, which meant that we could add homes to it in the future and get creative in multiple ways! We managed to close on the home and immediately got started on making it into the rental property of our dreams!
Transforming Our Home into an Ice Cream House
Before we could even think of designing, we had to deal with a lot of not-so-fun stuff. Despite being fairly new, the house had a lot of issues we had to fix. They were all fixable (thank goodness), but it was a process.
While working on all the not-so-fun stuff, we started dreaming of what we would create. We had lots of ideas and wanted to go big. Ice cream as a theme kind of came by accident. We were just talking about it and soon started finding fun ice cream themed furniture. We realized there might be something there and there was no other ice cream themed rental anywhere else so ours would be the first of its kind!
Each room was a process of scouring for unique ice cream items and slowly putting them together with the help of our team and other vendors. We enjoyed working with swirls of color and making the house truly unique!
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One thing that may not be apparent, if you weren’t looking, but was important to us was supporting artisans, especially Texas ones, and creating a diverse and inclusive space. Traveling to so many hotels and rentals, we often noticed a lack of representation in both the artwork we saw and the people involved in those places.
As we searched for pieces, we tried to make sure we had diverse artists and vendors as well as inclusive representation. There’s still a lot we can do, but we hope to use this as a stepping stone to get better and better each time.
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We hope as you go through our house, you’ll find different artisans and small companies you’d love to support personally.
Some things we couldn’t get exact replicas of, but we tried to get as close as possible when we couldn’t be exact. If you have any questions, leave a comment and we will try our best to answer!
Our Ice Cream House Design Room-by-Room
The Outside of the House
The outside of the house has so much going on, but is also one of the simpler areas. We painted the pillars, door, and window sills so that people driving in would immediately know they were in the right place and feel joy before they’d even stepped inside.
There is a custom built ice cream cart that we wrapped with fake flowers and added little ice cream ornaments to. We even built some swings!
There is a nice little patio setup with ice cream shop style stools that you can sit on with your cup of coffee in the morning.
We were lucky that the previous owners had some fruit trees, including a pear tree, that you may catch blooming during your stay.
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The Entryway
Although small, we love our little entry nook! Every part of the house has personality, including here! Above the door, there’s a wooden sign covered in fake sprinkles and Mod Podge to make it more unique. You can hang your keys on the cloud keyholder by the door and there’s a rainbow ice cream sign with “Casa Kumwesu” above it!
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Living Room
The living room is quite a big space with different areas incorporated into it, so we will try to break it down in a way that makes sense.
The actual living area has so much soft seating! We wanted to play with color and funky patterns as well while making sure it’s comfortable. The couches with the rainbow rug immediately draw the eye in.
We have little ice cream stools and a blue dog side table that, while unrelated to ice cream, adds a unique touch to the space. Additionally, we incorporated an iridescent side table. We opted for a nice blue pouf instead of a traditional coffee table in order to create additional seating if needed.
And of course, there are lots of pillows! I love that we found these ice cream shaped pillows and this pink lip couch!
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The windows have multi-colored pastel curtains that coincide with our desired ice cream shop feel. There are even little sun catcher crystals that reflect a rainbow into the house depending on the time and position of the sun.
Of course, we made sure to have a large TV surrounded by ice cream cones! These mirrors are so fun! We also sprinkled ice cream decor and prints from local vendors around the entertainment center. I’m a huge fan of the ice cream cone planters that hold trees with bright blooming flowers. The effect is a pop of vibrant colors perfect for photo shoots, whether for birthday parties, bachelorettes or even just social media.
Inside, we’re collecting books from all over Texas, including our Texas Travel guide (click here to purchase your own copy), so that there are lots of fun reads and hopefully guests can discover new, Texas authors!
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Ice Cream Parlor
Our ice cream parlor is supposed to feel like an ice cream shop with fun decor while acting as an additional place to sit! We found a lot of great vendors who create realistic ice cream items that make for great photo props. The record player is more for decor, but we thought it was a fun touch!
To the side, we have one of the coolest items we’ve ever bought! Ice cream cone seating and a table with lots of fun props, including more fake ice cream and a pink vintage telephone. This fun seating is perfect for photoshoots. Of course there’s lot of ice cream art work! I’m particularly proud of the “abstract” ice cream piece I made from a studio in Grandscape. We also want to encourage freedom and self-expression so we added the Buddha board to let you ink your thoughts and doodle your dreams!
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We also created these hanging ice cream cones with empty bubble containers! We purchased so many ice cream bubbles, emptied them out for the ultimate bubble party, and then poked a hole in them and tied them up with fishing line.
The Stairs
I really wanted rainbow pastel stairs, but every time I had seen it done, it was with paint and we couldn’t paint the stairs! We ended up getting pastel vinyl and were able to create a template of the stair shape, cut it and then apply. We accidentally cut a few wrong sometimes, but overall, we’re so happy with how it turned out!
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Coffee Bar
The fully-stocked coffee bar was a passion project of mine! As coffee lovers, we visit so many places that have a coffee machine I don’t enjoy (I won’t share names since many people love them). I know coffee people all have their preferred coffee brewing method and so we really tried to provide them all. Of course we have the Keurig, but we also have a Nespresso machine, a traditional coffee pot, and a French press. We even have the Chemex and the coffee machine they use in Europe!
We’ve also got different syrup types. For non-coffee drinkers, we’ve got an electric kettle, hot cocoa, and a variety of tea! Any coffee fan is going to take comfort here!
We wanted the design to feel like you’re sitting at an ice cream counter so we found this table that we applied pink and white vinyl to (I will say this was a pain! If you’re not a pro at putting on vinyl, seek help! Otherwise, it will get bubbly fast). We found this pink brick vinyl as well, which made such a big difference! The sign was custom made by painting dowels and a sign we found at the craft store. We purchased the letters online and arranged them into ice cream flavors. Towards the end, we were running low on letters and really had to get creative to fill it up!
We even added fake toppings in jars on the shelves. Overall, it came out so cool that people often ask, “Why not have ice cream here?” Well, we’re going to have ice cream in the house soon!
And of course, we can’t forget the ice cream chair decor!
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The Dining Area
Because this house is meant to accommodate a lot of people, we knew we needed a large dining space! The table expands, which is so convenient. The multi-colored chairs somehow go with the multi-colored carpet. We topped it off with a sprinkle table runner, a cute pink dog holding an ice cream sandwich (just because), and this hand holding an ice cream cone! Sometimes, I’m amazed at all the random ice cream stuff we managed to find!
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Casa Kumwesu has the perfect vibe for girls weekends/bachelorette parties, so we wanted to make sure we had lots of mirrors in the house for people to get ready! We have this custom painted, geometrical pattern on the wall behind the stairs that matched the colors on the dining room chairs and the full-body mirror that tied into the dining space.
The Kitchen
We switched out the black drawer pulls for these ice cream ones! We also have a friend who is a fabulous watercolor artist, Volta Voloshin of @colorsnack, and so we asked if she could design them!
Painting an arch ended up being so much easier than expected! There are so many tutorials online! In fact, it ended up being one of the easiest things to paint! We added some little pieces and cups on top, although most of our kitchen items and plates are in the cabinets in the pantry area.
I found these nostalgic, vintage kitchen appliances in mint and they really helped add a special touch!
We wanted to keep the natural light so we did shelves with plants to add some greenery.
And of course, the star of the show: the ice cream drips! We actually tried to paint these ourselves the first time. It failed, so we enlisted a talented artist!
Even with the dining area, we still needed extra seating, and so the island was perfect, but painting the other side with a pop of color made such a difference! The stools mix in well and then the overhead ice cream lights really tie it all together!
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The Primary Bedroom
Of course, the whole house is ice cream themed, but we wanted it to be a little more subtle in the primary bedroom, which we wanted to feel bright and comfortable with fun features in the artwork and lamps. I had to go with a super trendy flower wall and a big plush, king bed! I went very pink and Ismail helped balance it out with some teal touches. Overall, I love the pink, red, and teal color scheme!
Even our tissue holders are fun! Greenery was also really important, which is why we have the fake plants.
We had this little nook that we wanted to be a place to read a book or snap a cute photo. The flowers in the cones are also removable for another photo prop.
A vanity can be important for getting ready in the morning and we spent weeks trying to find the perfect one until we finally found this one! It was the right size and shape and makes for a great photo spot as well!
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The Primary Bathroom
We already knew this bathroom was going to be a winner because of the free-standing tub. It was one of the first decisions we made! We found this bold, floral wallpaper that made the perfect backdrop and added photo touches like a pink table with a pink phone. Practical? No, but it sure is a lot of fun!
The ice cream scoop wallpaper was so cool and we didn’t really know where to put it at first, but then ended up loving it here. We changed the mirrors to these antique-like, gold mirrors that made it look more refined. We even managed to find ice cream soap dispensers!
Of course, we had to hold to our dedication to Texas products! If you’re from Texas, then you know that H-E-B isn’t just a grocery store. It’s a culinary wonderland that has expanded beyond that including beauty products, Texas goods, and more. Not only are all of their products amazing, but they heavily invest in the communities surrounding them and work to regularly bring in small business products with a focus on POC products. So yes, here is my love letter to H-E-B.
One of the products that we have at Casa Kumwesu, and that we love to use personally, are from H-E-B’s Field & Future line. Not only are they clean, but they’re high quality, so we stocked the bathrooms with their lotion, hand soap, body wash, conditioner, and shampoo!
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The Laundry Room
I love that our house has a laundry room! When traveling, having the convenience of a washer and dryer makes a huge difference. The house originally came with a set, but it was old with issues so we made sure to purchase a new one!
Entry Way to Other Two Rooms
No wall space was safe from a photo opp and we used every nook and cranny to make it special! We found this fringe wall from a local Texas vendor and then added in a neon sign!
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The Pink, Twin Bedroom
This bedroom might just be the bedroom of my childhood dreams and it was probably one of the most fun to put together. We found this pastel striped wallpaper that reminded us of an ice cream shop and then went even crazier with these ice cream wall stickers!
Instead of a traditional nightstand, we found this luggage set (another photo prop) that added so much character. We found some small shelves that we mounted to hold your phone and any other things you may want to have handy by your bedside.
We were sometimes hard-pressed to find ice cream items in wintertime so we got creative! This ice cream purse ended up being perfect to hang on the wall as a prop and art piece.
Even the shelves have fun little items people can pick up and use!
One of the silly little things that I like is how the mirror reflects the wallpaper. It adds a little more color without additional work and it makes for a great selfie spot or area to get the perfect shot of your outfit of the day.
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The Blue/Green Bedroom
Ice cream and pink just go so well together and it was hard for me to not just throw pink up everywhere (Chief was my voice of reason). So the queen bedroom was an attempt to tone down the pink.
Of course, there were still touches of pink in the pillows and these irresistible feather lamps!
The highlight of the room is definitely the wallpaper though: a whole wall that looks like a melting ice cream cone!
On the edges of the bed, we have some cool stools that can be used for sitting or propping up your feet.
Just like every room, this one had to have a mirror. This green, plush stool also comes with storage for blankets and other items. Then, we added these small ice cream stickers as a border for a little color that we had originally planned to use in another room.
One day, we think it would be fun to cover the whole wall in ice cream artwork, but for now, we started with as much ice cream art as we could fit.
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The Shared Bathroom
Sprinkles were the central theme of this room, starting with the wallpaper. At some point, we also want to paint the cabinets, but that’s for another time. Some people have called the spray foam mirrors tacky, but I think in our situation, it works out so well because they look like the fluffy whipped cream on a sundae!
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Add a little cherry on top with the cherry floor mats, plus more ice cream art work, and we’re solid! We had an extra ice cream cone planter and we found those trendy moon lights that we stuck on it so now there’s a little night light while still playing into our theme!
The Upstairs Loft
Of course, last but not least is our fun little loft area! I feel like this is where the fun can happen! There’s board games, a Mrs. Pac-Man arcade game, and lots of color.
We found a scallop stencil online to create perfect half circle shapes on the wall.
I spent a long time looking for chairs like these. The cool thing about them is they can fold out to lay flat, which means extra sleeping space! I think this would make such a fun bachelorette or birthday party slumber pad!
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We sectioned off the space to better manage its large size. The area included three huge bean bags, but their gray covers, which were difficult to remove, did not fit the theme whatsoever. We worked with a place in Texas called Cush Living to create these colorful cushions that look so much more vibrant AND they are so easy to take off. That’s such a big deal, so we can wash them easily in between guests.
Whether you’re furnishing a new space or looking to refresh your existing decor, Cush Living will help you bring your ideas to life. Schedule a design consultation with them today at 214-557-8978 or info@cush-living.com and use the code “ICE CREAM” to enjoy an incredible 20% off deal on all of their products and services!
Our Ice Cream Themed Rental: Final Thoughts
We want every visit to our Ice Cream House to be an unforgettable adventure, bringing smiles to faces and creating beautiful memories. Whether you’re a child or simply young at heart, our vibrant and whimsical haven will ignite your imagination, creating a one-of-a-kind experience like no other. It’s the perfect place to stay for kids of all ages, as well as adults, and you will absolutely love the quiet acreage and instagrammy design details.
So, get ready for your next stay and book your trip today for the candy-themed house and embark on a delightful journey that will leave you with a sprinkle of happiness and a taste for life’s sweetest moments. Everywhere you look, you’ll find bursts of colors and enchanting decor that will transport you to a world where anything is possible.
And, prepare yourself for more whimsical adventures with our full list of best things to do in Waco.
Last Updated 6 months ago by Jessica Serna | Published: August 11, 2023
