Historic River Road Gaffney House in Louisville KY Renovated and Now Accepting Applications for Short-Term and Hourly Rentals, Weddings, and Corporate Retreats

The Gaffney House, which was designed and constructed by James J. Gaffney, a Louisville-born architect who is credited with having helped design and construct the Waverly Hills Sanatorium, has been restored and renovated into a short-term rental house and event venue. Rental opportunities include:

Short-Term Rentals

Hourly Rentals

Weddings

Corporate Retreats

Boat and Boat Slip Rentals

The house features four renovated bedrooms with updated bathrooms and amenities but still retains the unique architectural design and original details of the house. Guests can rent out the whole house with all bedrooms or a single floor, each of which includes two bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a living area, and a kitchenette. The first floor hosts the Gaffney Room and the Bourbon Room, and the second floor is home to the Derby Room and the Colonel Sanders Room.

The restoration and renovation efforts attempted to save as much as the original property as was safe to preserve the personality of the house. Now that the restorations are finished, Gaffney Historic River, LLC and Louisville Luxury Rentals are excited to offer the property as an event venue and rental house for overnight stays.

The house is located at 4515 Upper River Road, Louisville, KY on the Ohio River, and is conveniently close to the major interstates that will take you to Downtown Louisville, Cincinnati, Lexington, Nashville, or Indiana without any noise pollution. The owners state that the Gaffney House would be a great rental for visitors in town heading to the Kentucky Derby or Louisville's music festivals, such as Bourbon and Beyond, Forecastle Festival, or Louder Than Life.

You can book your stay or submit any inquiries on Luxury Rentals Louisville or learn more about the property by filling out the contact form on Gaffney House's website.

The Restoration of the Gaffney House
Sitting abandoned and deteriorating since 1979, when the last residents moved out, those who drove by the Gaffney House likely did not recognize that the historic property was one of James J. Gaffney's last and most unique architectural designs. Combining elements of Mannerist, Pre-Columbian, and Arts and Crafts-style architecture, the Gaffney House, which was built between 1910 and 1928, reflects much more than the century that it has existed.

When Gaffney Historic River, LLC purchased the property in 2020 and employed WorK Architecture + Design and Wilkinson Builders Inc. to restore the house, the company had big visions in mind that included the original architecture and interior design details. Now, as a restored property, the Gaffney House has integrated history into the modern-day rental and event venue business.

Honeywick: Branding the History of the Gaffney House
Part of the process of modernizing certain aspects of this historic private residence-turned-rental involved updating the property's presence in Louisville. As the house was renovated, Gaffney Historic River, LLC was working with local website design and development firm, Honeywick, to create a brand and an online presence for the property.

"Every creative decision in the Gaffney House's new brand was made to honor the history of the house," Cat Louis, Honeywick's Creative Director, says. She goes on to explain how the physical features of the Gaffney were tied into the branding process, from taking brand colors straight from the property's soil, tiles, brick, and marble to using the shapes of the unique, arched openings inside the house within the logo.

According to Louis, the logo was one of the first steps that the marketing and web design agency took. It was created in collaboration with Honeywick illustrator, Ryan Thornton, and features a line drawing of the Gaffney House along with the name, which was made using a combination of pre-existing font and modified lettering.

Honeywick led the charge with the entirety of the Gaffney House's brand guide and branded materials, including the logo, business cards, and other print materials, a brochure that is available for online download, and elements like colors and fonts that would eventually be featured on the custom-made website. The Honeywick team also designed and developed the Gaffney House website, providing a full-service concept-to-creation website experience that included:

Consultation with in-person visits to the pre-restoration Gaffney House

Website design mockups

Full site development

Custom content written by their in-house copywriter

Photography of the featured details captured by their creative team

An unwavering commitment to retaining the "whispers of the past" and timeless elegance of the Gaffney House as it was branded and restored

Contact:
If you are interested in renting the Gaffney House for an overnight stay or for your event, please contact the property manager at one of the options below.
Email: ellen@luxuryrentalslouisville.com
Phone Number: (502) 509-9299
Address: 4515 River Road, Louisville, KY 40222
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