Lakeside Lair

Set on the banks of Saluda Lake at Addison Farms, The Hive is the quintessential rural retreat.

Drew and Maddy Dezen were happily living and working in downtown Greenville—Drew running JDPR, his family’s marketing firm, and Maddy working as a criminal defense paralegal—when they were seized by the desire to live on a farm. In 2018, they found the perfect spot on Saluda Lake, a twenty-minute drive from Greenville.

The fourteen-acre property accommodated both Drew’s love of boating and Maddy’s love of horses. Soon after moving to the farm in 2019, they hatched a plan to build a tiny house on the property to rent as an Airbnb. “We wanted to share this special place with others and expose them to life on our hobby farm,” explains Maddy.

Accordingly, they situated an eight- by forty-foot container facing the lake and finished the interior and exterior themselves. The luxe design was a collaborative process. “There are pieces of Drew and pieces of me throughout the house,” Maddy says. She chose the honeycomb-pattern black cement tile in the kitchen and the local artwork, while Drew bumped out one end of the container to create space for a king-size bed.

Four roll-up garage doors across the tiny house’s front provide unobstructed views of the lake. “The theme is to bring the outdoors in,” Maddy notes. “We wanted to keep the design simple and modern and let the view be the entertainment.” Even the shower opens onto a walled deck with two deep soaking tubs.

All the upscale essentials have been thoughtfully provided, such as a fully equipped kitchen, a smart TV, bath amenities, and plush robes—all the things the couple appreciates when they travel. Each set of guests receives two bags of coffee from local Unlocked Coffee Roasters, a loaf of stecca from Swamp Rabbit Grocery, and a jar of honey from the farm’s beehives. “We want to show off the Greenville products we love,” says Drew, who still works full-time while Maddy manages the farm they share with a horse, two donkeys, two dogs, and eight chickens.

Running the length of the container, the spacious deck is equipped with a grill and a propane firepit. When you’re not kicking back enjoying the view, you can launch the complementary kayaks and paddleboards from The Hive’s private dock or consult the tablet in the kitchen for a list of the couple’s favorite restaurants and things to do in the area.

“It’s been a labor of love taking The Hive from a framed shell to what you see now,” Drew shares. “We take pride in the fact that we built all this ourselves.”

The Hive at Addison Farms, 147 Flintlock Dr, Easley. addisonfarmssc.com

Plan Your Addison Farms Retreat 

• Two people maximum
• Two-night minimum stay
• No children or pets permitted
• Self check-in
• Rates range from $229-$279

Added Amenities

• Yeti water bottles for outdoor adventures
• Wood-burning firepit on the patio for chilly nights (Maddy will provide s’mores kits on request)
• In the kitchenette: a refrigerator, microwave, toaster/convection oven, hot plate, coffee maker, and all the cooking equipment, utensils, dishes, and glassware you need
• Private parking pad
• Bath salts and bubble bath for those outdoor soaking tubs