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Woman in Portsmouth goes viral for DIY-ing an all-pink Airbnb

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PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (WOUB) — A once abandoned and run-down Portsmouth home is being turned into an all-pink Airbnb – and it’s a big hit on Instagram.

Katelyn Hanes bought the house for $10,000 in December 2021 and started documenting the renovation on Instagram. She began with a goal of 10,000 followers by the time she completed renovations, but Pink Dreams Cottage has over 30 times that at over 300,000 followers — and she says she’s only halfway done.

Hanes says people get invested because of the DIY process of the renovation.

“I feel like people feel like they’re a part of the process, rather than just watching it,” said Hanes. “It’s so shocking to me that people are following along with the project, but I’m excited for everyone to be a part of it.”

Katelyn Hanes paints a door pink
Hanes finishes the first coat of the pink front door. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
So, why pink?

Hanes found her inspiration in Florida, where she visited the all-pink Rose Cafe in Sunny Isles Beach. After seeing the pink paradise and staying in a number of unique Airbnbs, she decided to open one of her own.

“In that moment, I knew that those two things together could make something really amazing and really unique,” she said.

A wooden beam inside the house with the words "Anything is possible with sunshine and a little pink" written in hot pink Sharpie.
Before the house can become Pink Dreams Cottage, it has to be completely gutted. All that stands inside now are wooden beams separating the rooms. [Ahmed Hamed | WOUB]
Renovating an entire house is no small feat for even the most seasoned contractor, and especially so for Hanes, who has zero prior experience. What she does have is her dad, a former contractor. He makes quite a few appearances on the Instagram account, helping Hanes with several major projects.

“We’ve really made some great memories together. I think it’s been a learning process for both of us because I’ve never renovated a house before,” said Hanes. “He’s taught me so much about renovation, and I think I taught him so much about patience.”

Hanes’ biggest takeaway from this project is not her newfound virality — nor the fact that she’s achieving her dreams.

“The biggest thing for me is spending time with my dad and for us to do this together,” said Hanes. “Twenty years down the road, I’m gonna remember the memories that we made together.”