Choosing the decor and furnishing your vacation rental can feel like a daunting task! You want to make sure your guests feel at home and will appreciate the home decor added at your vacation rental home. And, if you’re a savvy short term rental investor, you’re looking to maximize your returns as well.
You probably already know that having just the right decorating touches can make all the difference between a property that sits empty and one that books exceptionally well. Studies show that a well-decorated unit combined with high-quality photography can generate up to 40% more income than competing properties.
Read along as we share our top 10 vacation rental decorating tips for those looking to take their current vacation home decor to the next level:
1. Start with Reading Through Your Reviews
If you’re currently renting your home, then you probably have a fair amount of guest reviews! These will give you firsthand insights into what your guests love about your home, along with what you may need to consider updating.
Are your guests frequently mentioning an uncomfortable mattress, or maybe they didn’t have enough towels during their stay? If so, we’ve found it’s always a good idea to start by tackling these areas before moving on to the rest of your vacation home. This will make sure you’re making changes where it’s truly going to impact your guest’s experience for the better.
2. Cozy Bedrooms for Rest & Relaxation
Comfortable and inviting bedrooms are essential for your rental guests! It should be a space they look forward to relaxing and recharging after a fun-filled day adventuring around town. We recommend taking a look at each bedroom and seeing what might need to either be replaced or enhanced — this includes the mattress, pillows, sheets, blankets, bed frame, other furnishings, and decor.
Feel like your bedroom basics are covered, but that everything looks a bit outdated or drab? It’s impressive how simple changes can revamp and bring a bedroom back to life! Think of a new comforter, strategically placed throw pillows, or a decorative blanket for snuggling up with to watch a movie. If you can only focus on one bedroom to start with, we suggest starting with the master bedroom.
As a bonus tip, when was the last time you replaced the mattresses at your vacation rental? According to Sleep Foundation, standard mattresses have an average lifespan of 7 and 10 years — depending on the type, it may even be advised to replace them more frequently.
3. Create Fun & Engaging Bedrooms for the Kids
While all of the bedrooms at your home should be comfortable, what’s better than having your favorite Disney or Universal characters on the walls? It’s all about the theme parks for most guests that visit Orlando — especially for groups with children! When they go to search for the perfect place to stay they have options like these Disney themed properties or this home with a Harry Potter themed bedroom.
Providing them with a fun, interactive space also allows them to extend the feeling of being at the parks to where they are staying. Check out these fun themed vacation home bedrooms for some vacation rental decorating inspiration:
4. Keep the Living Spaces Fresh and Modern
Your living spaces will be enjoyed by everyone who stays at your home — from grandparents, adults, teenagers, and children. It’s an area where the group will come together to create memories and unwind after their day.
We’ve found that clean and modern design elements are appreciated by most. Our biggest suggestion for these areas is to make sure the decor is cohesive, and there isn’t a lot of clutter. Most homeowners want to have their own touches throughout the home, which we love and can ultimately elevate your guest’s experience (see number 10 on the list).
5. Make it Easy to Prepare a Meal in the Kitchen
Your guests are looking for a fully furnished rental home, and this includes a fully equipped kitchen! Modern appliances and a well-designed kitchen can help your vacation home stand out from the crowd. If you have an open floor plan coordinating everything across all spaces is a must.
Aside from the aesthetics, no one wants to pull out broken dishes from a cabinet or run to the store to purchase a pan or while on vacation. To help make sure this doesn’t happen, we suggest taking an inventory of all the items in your kitchen once a year. Doing this will allow you to see if anything needs to be restocked or replaced — like dishware, silverware, glasses, pots, pans, kitchen utensils, small appliances, coffee makers, etc.
Also, you’ll want to have enough of the basics for everyone staying at your vacation rental property. The rule of thumb for vacation rentals is to take the occupancy and multiply it by 1.5. So, let’s say your rental sleeps 10 guests. You’ll want to have dishes, silverware, and glassware for 15 people.
6. Always Have Enough Seating
Just like making sure you have enough dishware, you’ll also want to provide enough seating for everyone staying at your home. Ample and comfortable seating, whether in the dining or living spaces, is crucial!
For instance, it will create a problem if your home sleeps 8 and you only have seating in the dining room for 4 people. This thought also applies to any space intended for gathering — outdoor areas designed for entertaining included.
7. Let There be Light
Take advantage of the fact that most travelers love to chat with each other, play games, and read during their “downtime” on vacation! A small change like adding a lamp to the right spot can genuinely make a massive impact for your guests (and the reviews they leave). Think near the armchair in the living room, on the nightstand by the bed, and in the kitchen.
Also, take a look at your overhead light fixtures. Do they need updating? It’s relatively easy to swap your current fixtures out, which can drastically modernize an outdated area.
8. Refresh the Entire Place with Paint
Do all of your walls look like a manilla envelope, or maybe you can see a few scratch marks here and there? This can make a space feel lifeless and dull, no matter the furnishings you add (or update). What you need in this case is a fresh coat of paint in a strategically planned color to give your entire property a completely new feeling!
There are also a ton of tricks with painting that can enhance your space as well! If you have a smaller room, you could consider an accent wall in a different color to create a focal point and make the area appear larger than it really is.
9. Get Creative with Your Garage or Bonus Spaces
Garage to game room conversion? Yes, please! Guests absolutely LOVE a game room, especially those visiting Orlando. It gives the kids and the young at heart a special hangout place to have fun and play! Think pool tables, air hockey, indoor basketball hoop, and TVs with video games.
Other bonus areas that don’t have a defined purpose can also be turned into a game room! These are rarer to find in our area, which puts you above the competition and can help increase bookings.
10. Don’t Forget Special Touches
Last but certainly not least, even smaller yet thoughtful purchases can also improve your guest’s experience! From a collection of board games and books to an interactive lightsaber or wizard wand, these are the items your guests will notice that you went above and beyond to take care of them. Even something as simple as having extra clothes hangers can make all the difference in the world.
However, we do caution against too much “clutter” or personal items — think tacky ornaments, a refrigerator filled with magnets, or an entire wall of family portraits. The goal here is to make your guests feel like they’re in a customized getaway retreat that’s been made just for them.
Need assistance with your vacation rental makeover?
Our team would love to discuss your needs and goals! We have over 19 years of property management experience in the Orlando market and we’re here to help you craft an interior through vacation rental decorating to impress your future guests and earn more rental income.
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