Today we’re going to talk about something that a lot of people overlook when turning their place into an Airbnb—design, the aesthetics. It may be easier to buy the cheapest cookie-cutter furniture and décor you can find in Walmart, but you’d be surprised at how a pleasing aesthetic influences a guest choosing your place over others. This advice applies whether your rental falls on the economical end of the spectrum or if it goes for a higher-than-average nightly rate. Travelers are looking for something that stands out and gets them excited about their home away from home. In this article, I go over three steps that I follow and collaborate with a homeowner on when onboarding a new property.
Choose a design aesthetic. First, you’re going to want to think about your ideal customer—and remember, the aesthetic you’re choosing is for them, not you. There are interior countless design styles—to name some: contemporary, Spanish-style, bohemian, modern, rustic, coastal, Mediterranean; the list goes on. Also, interior design styles can be blended to create a special look (for example, modern farmhouse). Try to step into the shoes of your ideal target market to determine what kind of aesthetic would draw them in.
Get inspired. Once you have a specific aesthetic you’d like to achieve, it’s time to seek out inspiration for your project. You need ideas for all of the individual elements that will come together to create that look; thinking about the house as a whole will make you crazy. Make this part of the process fun—you can look at interior design books, magazines, TV shows, and of course Pinterest. Pinterest allows you to create mood boards right on your phone, and it’s constantly supplying you with new images and ideas from all over the web. Once you have this clear vision and a logical breakdown of the pieces you’ll need, it’s time for the really fun part.
Go shopping. Where you go to find all the elements you need will largely depend on the
area you’re based in. When I am furnishing and decorating a new property, I try to find as many thrifted pieces as possible, depending on the amount of time I’m working with. There are so many benefits to thrifting—you can find really unique, sometimes vintage, pieces, you’re acting sustainably and helping our planet anytime you buy something that isn’t new, and you can often get good deals. Anything I can’t find thrifting, I head to my local furniture stores here in Cabo San Lucas to find. Like I said, depending on your location, you may have larger stores that have tons of options. The store itself doesn’t matter as much as your ability and intuition to spot those pieces that make sense with your aesthetic and flow with the other items you’re finding.
I hope this article helps you see the importance of not just furnishing and setting up your Airbnb but designing it, and how doing so can be rewarding and a fun process. If you want advice on your Airbnb and/or are interested in investing in the Los Cabos area, feel free to reach out to us. Happy renting!
This article was written by Isabel Rowe, co-owner of Baja BnB, a property management company based in Los Cabos specializing in short-term vacation rentals, servicing areas in Cabo San Lucas, San Jose Del Cabo, Todos Santos, and the East Cape.
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