Styling an Airbnb property is similar to home staging, but there are some differences as well. Like staging, Airbnb styling needs to highlight the best features of the property. That could mean moving furniture around to create a cozier atmosphere; or investing in new furnishings and home décor. Regardless, the purpose is to improve the guest experience to maximize bookings thus providing the property owners with a better return on their investment. Below are a few tips to get you started.
Choose the Right Furniture
Quality, functional, appropriately scaled furniture is key to a successful styling project. Look around to determine which pieces could use an upgrade. No one wants to vacation on your old dated furniture, and as an Airbnb host it’s imperative to have comfortable, purposeful, stylish pieces. Keep in mind, they can provide a substantial tax incentive as well! It is important to choose furnishings and home accessories to fit the nature of the area and the targeted clientele. A masterfully curated space will help your property stand out from the crowd.
Light it Up
As you style your Airbnb property, focus on creating lots of natural light; it will look great on camera and in person. To achieve this, consider swapping out old heavy curtains for stylish new light filtering blinds or adding a window or skylight to let the sun in. Layering lighting is another important thing to think about when styling an Airbnb property for maximum returns. Your guests will be living in the property, and things like under-cabinet lighting in the kitchen and dimmer switches in the bedroom will give the home extra charm, and extra charm means more positive reviews which lead to more heads in your beds!
Invest in Quality Linens
Speaking of heads in beds, the quality and of your bedding should match the level of clientele you want to attract. This should carry over to the bath towels as well, and don’t forget the robes!
Consider Privacy and Beauty When Choosing Window Treatments
The window treatments need to create a well-lit interior that guests will love while providing those guests with the privacy they need. Upscale blinds and modern window treatments are great choices for an Airbnb property, and there are many different options to choose from. Smart shutters and blinds can provide that little extra that guests love, all while allowing the natural light to shine through.
Neutral Colors for the Broadest Appeal
Since pleasing everyone is impossible, Airbnb styling often means trying to appeal to the widest possible audience. Like in home stage the space needs to be depersonalized so your guests can feel like it’s their personal oasis for the stay. Neutral colors work best in this regard, and styling experts use lots of greiges, browns, beiges, and tans when redesigning their living spaces.
Kitchen Essentials for Convenience
An Airbnb property needs to feel like a home. It’s a home base jumping off point for all kinds of vacation adventures and creating a comfortable place to come home to when the day’s exploring is over will keep your bookings full.
Comfort starts in the kitchen. One of the biggest appeals of Airbnb travel is that it allows guests to cook their own meals avoiding overpriced and unhealthy restaurant fare.
Providing a wide array of cooking utensils and kitchen essentials to welcome your guests in style and make them feel right at home. Work with local shops to showcase their goods and services to give your guests a one of a kind local experience. Utilize professional styling skills to show it all off; from the careful design of the kitchen and cooking space to the spacious dining room where guests can relax, unwind and enjoy a healthy meal after a busy day out and about.
Add a Few Design Elements
A statement wall with a striking color palette or large scale wallpaper adds a focal point while gives an effect of setting walls back to amplify a sense of space. If you’re not feeling so bold, pastel tones will also be impactful. Previously it has been thought that a blanket white paint across the whole room will achieve a bright open feel, however, unless executed extremely well by a trained eye this will look harsh and cold. The impact of a color no matter how subtle will always make a space feel more welcoming and interesting.
Mind the rugs, and it sounds counter-intuitive, but a larger rug will provide the feeling of increased space. This is because the rug is to extend under several furniture pieces and draw the eye across the room, making it seem larger. Alternately, a smaller rug concentrates attention to a shrunken smaller furniture group, giving the illusion of a smaller room footprint.
Draw the eyes up to give a space a sense of height by diverting the sight line up into the less busy areas of a room. Classic favorites are long mirrors opposite windows to help reflect light entering the room, tall skinny lamps that arch over the room and softly dapple light over a larger area, and linear wallpapers or art. You also can’t go wrong with functional storage like leaning ladder shelving which serves also to declutter the room.
Bridge the gap between the outdoors with high quality faux or real plants. If it’s a single large plant, place it against a plain wall to help add character to the wall. If it’s smaller plants, group them in odd numbers and showcase them at different levels to create drama and avoid a cluttered feeling.
Whether your Airbnb is empty or in need of a refresh, professional interior design styling can make a significant difference in your earning potential. Find out how you can get the most value out of your property by scheduling an appointment with us!
That’s all she wrote, cheers until next time!
