Recently, I helped someone turn their mountain cabin into a vacation rental, and it was so fun! I love how it turned out and I’d love to hear what you think.
First of all, I spent about a month studying pictures and floor plans with all the dimensions. I took the personality of the owners into account, as well as the demographic of their potential vacation guests. Then I got to work picking out pieces I knew would fit and making a list for the owners to purchase. I gave them options for everything from towels and couches, to bedspreads and throw pillows. It was super fun and AI helped with the long distance aspect.
When the order had arrived and all the furniture was assembled, I scheduled a day in person to put all the finishing touches together. As I approached the cabin, I saw that the outdoor furniture I had recommended looked great, and the firepit area had just the cozy vibe I was going for. I’ve been doing this for a decade, but there can still be some problem pieces that don’t fit, etc.
Next came the moment of truth—did everything I ordered look as good in the rooms as I thought it would? I had done the designing, sight unseen. Hurrah, it was all perfect, although the rooms also looked like an Amazon delivery truck had exploded and left our accessories in piles. We got busy unpacking and unwrapping and placing the accents where they would make the most impact.
Outside of the necessary items like dishes, linens, towels, and coffee, we had the extra touches to put in place. From experience with our own vacation rentals, I know what a difference these added touches of beauty make for guests AND for 5-star ratings. We got busy creating vignettes throughout the house and it turned out beautifully. Don’t be afraid to get more than you think in the way of decor, you can always return what you don’t use (or keep it for a different property). More STUFF is not better, but more OPTIONS are!
