6 Data-driven Interior Design Tips for a Remarkably More Successful and Profitable Airbnb
Did you know that well-designed vacation home can lead to an increased return on investment (ROI) of over 20%?
After 5 years as a lead interior designer for the largest vacation property management company in the country, I have a ton of insider tips I am excited to share with you! Appealing to the most potential renters as possible is important and the majority of vacation home renters are looking for the comfort of home balanced with the unique, clean, lux experience of a hotel. These are the interior design strategies I use to create widely successful vacation rentals and airbnbs that maximize revenue through stand out photos, increased nightly rates, more consistent bookings, and positive reviews.
Why hiring an interior designer for your vacation rental property is a worthy investment:
stand out in photos- professional interior design, staging, and photography will make your property stand out and be more appealing to potential guests, which can lead to higher rates and more revenue.
press and exposure- Some of the especially stunning vacation rentals on Airbnb and VRBO have even gone viral on social media channels and booked features with worldwide publications such as Dwell, Architectural Digest, and ApartmentTherapy.
increased nightly rates- strategic interior design planning will increase nightly rates through standout photos, positive reviews, recurrent renters and an amazing guest experience.
more consistent bookings- gorgeous photos and positive reviews are the two biggest drivers for bookings. By constantly drawing in new vacationers and bringing back repeat guests, your property will build more consistent bookings even in off seasons.
positive reviews - Positive reviews help attract more guests, which leads to higher occupancy rates and increased revenue. In addition, good reviews can also help to improve your ranking in Airbnb's search results, making it more likely for potential guests to find and book your vacation rental property.
Make it an experience
Think about it less about furnishing a house and more about creating experiences. Maybe its a hammock on the deck overlooking a view or a cozy reading nook in an egg chair- something that is unique to staying at your property in that location that you couldn't just do at home or a motel or anywhere else. (Like say... sit on the sofa and watch TV.)
What you can offer that most folks don't have at home? How can you create a unique experience?
Design with guest experience in mind. Positive reviews are STR gold while (negative reviews can be detrimental bc they are hard to come back from especially if the complaint is about a hot ticket item like customer service, cleanliness, or comfort sleeping.
How to elevate interior design to enhance the guest experience :
Stage the unit for each guest with a unique welcome sign or gift like a bottle of wine from a local vineyard or a locally made bag of toffee. Even a small gesture, like decorating a small chalkboard welcoming each guest by name, goes a long way. It doesn't have to be extravagant- it's the thought that counts.
Frame the wifi password and other relevant info and leave it in the entryway or somewhere easy to find. Type a booklet of your favorite places to visit and order food from.
Invest in comfortable furniture especially sofas, beds and bedding- remember renters willing to pay top dollar are still looking for the luxury amenities of a hotel- and a clean and comfortable bed is at the top of the list. Folks are usually on vacation to relax and rest so losing sleep on an uncomfortable mattress is probably going to put a solid damper on their vacay- and subsequently on your ratings and reviews.
Really imagine the space as it would feel to a guest who has never been there or to the area. Think down to details like can you move through easily through the entry with a lot of luggage. Are there easy to find light switches or fixtures at the entry to each room or section of the home?
Include board games and things that bring people together that they may not have at home... Pool tables are a hot search filter. Dart boards and shuffleboard are other ideas to consider.
People are usually on vacation to spend time together - whether with kids, friends, family, team building etc. so make sure spaces like the living room / main room/ and dining room can comfortably fit the number of guests listed in the occupancy and are designed to bring everyone together.
Example: Think how would you feel if 10 of your family members got together at a beautiful vacation rental but the dining table and living room only have seating for 6 so there is nowhere everyone can actually be together. This leads straight into my second tip.
2. Maximize occupancy with comfort at the forefront
Occupancy plays a big role in revenue from a vacation rental property. Typically the more bedrooms/guests a property can house the higher the nightly rate.
Consider Sleeper sofas/daybeds for common areas - and trundle or bunk beds in bedrooms, especially those directed at kids. Staging should include the the beds made - each space should have a purpose.If the space is multipurpose like a den or office room that includes a sleeper sofa get photos of the space staged both ways if possible! If your multi-use space has an actual bed and not a hideaway, it is best just to stage it as a bedroom.
The majority of folks renting vacay homes are there to enjoy time off with family and or friends so its important to have spaces where everyone can gather. Consider the experience of staying in the property with said number of people.
For example, if your property has 8 bedrooms with only 2 full bathrooms so you are considering an occupancy of 20 guests we can imagine that could quickly get uncomfortable. It could be worth adding an additional bathroom or two or dropping occupancy appropriately. (Non design related but you should also make sure things like the septic system can handle that number of people!) Do your best to idiot proof your listing - don’t assume the person booking for his extended family reunion is taking the time to consider what 2 bathrooms means. Even though it’s ultimately on him it will ultimately become your problem when he decides to leave a bad review and bumps your score down for something that really isn’t a reflection on you or your property.
There are probably local codes or restrictions so make sure to do your due diligence. (for example some markets require a door and a closet to be considered a "bedroom" which would prevent open or loft spaces from being included. Many markets restrict occupancy by 2 people per bedroom + 2 people per living room/additional space but this varies location to location.
3. Add a feature or statement element to each room.
When designing for airbnbs you can and should take more risks and consider going with a defined, bolder, brighter design style unlike one would might approach the interior design of a full time residence.
Why add a feature element to your airbnb?:
Helps stand out in photos - as discussed earlier this is one of the most important parts of your listing and it's success. Think of it like your listing’s headshots.
Consider a dramatic focal point such as a fireplace, unique hanging chair, a painted or wallpapered accent wall
Consider hiring an artist to paint a mural on pool fencing or basement/ game room/ lounge space.
Try to think of creating social media moments: aka "selfie" settings
Example: use a fun print wallpaper the headboard wall of a bedroom
Social media can be a HUGE and FREE form of marketing for beautifully designed airbnbs and VRBOs. More and more even have their own instagram accounts and have become destinations in their own right (a few examples include: links are in show notes)
Social media exposure not only drives bookings but can lead to additional features on other travel accounts and even catch the attention of major publications/magazines including the New York Times, Dwell and Domino. Especially if your looking to invest in multiple properties this is a great way to potentially develop brand partnerships for furniture, materials and decor for future projects.
4. Incorporate Local
Folks who will be staying at your place are in a new destination - help emerge them in the local vibes. The decorative interior style should lean into location type.
For example, a cabin should lean more rustic modern while a Palm Springs ranch style would be best suited for a colorful mid-century modern aesthetic.
Consider ways to incorporate local materials into the build
Another example is a project we did in the Redwoods - we had live edge coffee and dining table made from wood from the local trees as well as the fireplace mantle
Incorporate local references in the decorative objects and art
Examples: one airbnb project in Nashville we used black and white photos of historic Broadway while another in Scottsdale we had a local muralist decorate the brick wall surrounding the deck and pool
Be careful getting too themey or too literal - Successful Interior Designs should be subtle and intentional not cliche and obvious.
For example, in a Florida beach condo- lets not cover it in mismatched pictures and prints of lobsters and whales. (Can you tell I have design trauma in this area?!)
Instead maybe we take colors from the sunsets for our accent colors in decor and coastal texture into our decor such as rope lamps and rattan chairs.
You could also explore partnerships with local artisans or retailers where they would give you product for your renters to then purchase. (You'll need to be on top of replacing things as they sell or are damaged but if your a hands on renter looking to save on upfront design costs this could be a good option.) This also creates a unique and memorable experience for the guest, benefits the community, and can potentially save you upfront costs.
For example, a local artist might loan you a few paintings hang in the property with a small price displayed.
5. Plants
The psychological benefits of plants in a space are huge -(check out Episode 2 of the Nomadic Spaces Podcast about design psychology for more on this.)
Additionally plants really pop in photos and help a space feel fresh and intentional.
Use faux plants if you can’t maintain real ones which is common in short term rentals. Remember the importance of photos for vacation rentals- a pop of greenery will do a world of good in photos - think of it as staging props if you're one of those "I can't do the fake plant thing" person. Also keep in mind there is a huge range in the quality of faux plants and I don't recommend going with one that looks especially unnatural - plants should be accents, enhancing the interior design, not distract from it.
6. Attention to outdoor spaces
Do considering adding decks, gazebos, outdoor spaces with comfortable furniture and lighting to enjoy day and night.
Definitely include a BBQ grill and if you can a fire pit area , horseshoe or bocci court, a or another unique outdoor feature (check with the local code before considering fire pits as some areas have restrictions like areas of California and Oregon where it's especially dry)
Add a hot tub if possible. According to a study by Airbnb, Airbnb listings with a hot tub can charge an average of $46 more per night than those without. That means a hot tub can increase revenue by almost 40%.
7. Include a workspace
While it may seem counterintuitive to provide someone a place to work while they are on vacation, it has become an increasingly popular amenity in vacation rentals in the last few years with the rise of remote workers and employees.
This doesn't meant to prioritize an office over a bedroom (although each property is different you'd generally be better off with an additional bedroom.) Instead consider a smaller desk in a quiet nook or corner of a bedroom or in a multi-use room with a desk and a sleeper sofa so it can be converted to a bedroom or office depending on the guests needs.
Example, I'll often include a design for a table/chairs or stools within in the den or game room that could be a game or puzzle table but also function well as a mini office for someone to work or make zoom calls.
8. Invest in Quality and Durability
Too often I see folks going as cheap as possible for their vacation rental property under the assumption it's going to get f'ed up anyways. This is just NOT a good strategy for ROI.
*quick caveat that you CAN find quality items on Wayfair and Ikea etc but it’s important to know what details to look out for the materials and design of each piece. These companies also carry a lot of cheap furniture that won’t hold up in a vacation rental property so you have to spend the time sifting for the right pieces - or hire a design professional like myself who will do all of that for you;)
There are TONS of budget friendly ways to furnish and decorate a property but durability and longevity have to be a top consideration. Here's why:
If things break or are uncomfortable you open the gate for negative reviews which you want to avoid.
Not cost effective to fill the place with stuff that will break and need to be replaced.
It will affect revenue if you have to block rentals for replacements to arrive.
For example, the cheap Amazon bed frame you ordered breaks during a guest stay - maybe your thought process is 2 cheaper Amazon bed frames are still less than a quality piece from Article or West Elm but you have to factor in the cost of the replacement not just just the product - you will likely be losing earnings blocking the unit from rentals until the bed is replaced (that's assuming you don't have renters already booked in which case you are in a time crunch).
If you are working through a property management company you'll probably have to pay for the staff to accept the delivery and assemble the item. The guest staying when the bed broke will likely leave a negative review.
So in short, cheaping out on quality in the wrong places is ultimately setting yourself for more work, potentially negative ratings, replacement costs, not to mention unnecessary waste.
Things WILL happen but it’s best to set yourself up for success by spending money on quality in the right places.
Design professionals like myself can help you invest and save in the right places.
I always incorporate a high-low mix in my airbnb interior design projects.
For example if we look at furnishing a bedroom , I'll prioritize the budget for a quality bed frame , mattress, bedding and drawers while I'll find less costly options (often from thrift stores or chain retailers such as Ikea, Homegoods, Target, Wayfair) for the rugs, light fixtures, wall hangings, throw pillows, and decorative objects.
The Design Project Jumpstart - my signature service where we will set up a game plan for your project complete with professional recommendations based on your unique goals, property, budget and timeline. This is a perfect "jumpstart" for those who can shop and install on their own and a perfect springboard for folks looking to work together on larger projects. You can learn more here.
I hope this post has given you inspiration and direction for designing your airbnb rental property! I am a seasoned pro when it comes to interior design for airbnbs and vacation rental properties that drive bookings and ROI so if you are investing in an STR/ vacation rental or know someone who is - let’s connect!
