The Inspiration . . .

WE’VE OPENED OUR FIRST AIRBNB!! This has been a dream of mine ever since we purchased our property (six years ago). For those of you who don’t know me. . . I’m obsessed with Airbnb. I’ve traveled to many states and countries using Airbnb for the majority of our trips. Why do I use it over a hotel? I travel to experience life from another perspective. Using a platform like Airbnb gives you the opportunity to really feel like a local. Plus, I’m obsessed with houses and it’s a fun way to soak up inspiration from other people’s personal styles.

From a design stand point, I love designing vacation rentals. It’s usually a more creative and daring endeavor than residential design. For some folks, it can be quite intimidating to get started. Don’t stress!

Here are some things to think bout for beginning a conceptual design:

Narrative - Whose story is being told? Your own? Or perhaps if you live in an old house (like mine) the story of the people who built it. Maybe your house has a really interesting history? If none of these ideas work for you, than maybe you draw inspiration from the town you live in.
Color Palette - This is always one of the most difficult aspects of design. Don’t just select your favorite colors. Start with existing architectural elements of the house. Think about working WITH what’s already there. If you are able to start from scratch, maybe let your environment influence you (are you surrounded by a lot of trees? Or perhaps you’re in an urban setting?) One of my other favorite ways to begin a color palette is to work off of a piece of art that I love and know I’m going to use for the project.
Flow - Contemplate the flow of your space before you purchase anything. This is a common mistake most people make. I say the easiest way to approach flow is to think about “Sleep, Eat, Work, Play” When you break it down into these simple functions it’s a little easier to navigate the furniture department. Having a clear idea of spaces and what may need to go into them can help dictate size and scale of future purchases.

Before we began any design work on our Airbnb, I created a mood board via Canva to help guide me:

For decorating, I re-used several pieces from our house and shopped locally at antique malls like The Antique Tobacco Barn and, my favorite place on Earth to score a deal, Home Goods. I sometimes feel disappointed when searching for Airbnb’s because a lot of folks put zero effort into decorating. I guess they think it’s safe to stay neutral but why bother? Know your audience! If someone wanted to stay in a hotel then they would choose to stay in a hotel, not an Airbnb. I can’t express enough how important it is to make your place stick out. Of course, if you’re in a killer location you figure you don’t have to try as hard but I say GO THE EXTRA MILE. You may even be able to charge more a night when your place goes from being a destination to a experience.

I wanted The White Smith House to have a masculine edge to honor the original owner, Odd White, who used the apartment as his violin making workshop. I had fun fantasizing about him down there in his 1920’s workshop with all his tools and violin parts!

The other aspect hugely important to me was modern comfort (hence why I skipped having an old claw foot tub and opted for a nice walk in shower) with an authentic antique aesthetic. The home was built in the 1920’s and I very much wanted it to echo the era.

The other huge factor I took into consideration when coming up with the design was location. We are in the mountains of Asheville, NC. I wanted the place to have a hint of our Appalachian roots without feeling kitschy and to give guests an authentic experience of being in the mountains. If you are working on a new build that lacks history of it’s own, use the town/city you’re in as inspiration! If that doesn’t help and you’re feeling stuck, MAKE UP A STORY! I’m telling you places that have a strong narrative will not only get more bookings, but you will see repeat guests and referrals from those guests. You’re building a “cult” following.

5 Quick Tips to Decorating an Airbnb :

People often feel intimidated when it comes to decorating something from scratch.

I admit, it helps being a visual person and having a certain skill set but really anyone can do it as long as you’re willing to tap into your creativity (which we all have).

Here are some tips for starting your concept and carrying out a vision:

Repeat Patterns - If you’re going with a bold print in one room, try and find a way to incorporate it somewhere else in the space. It could be as small of a detail as the pattern on some cloth napkins to the tile in your bathroom (that’s what I did). It will help the space feel cohesive without things being matchy matchy,
Name it - Naming the Airbnb/VRBO is an excellent creative exercise to help conjure up some imagery. I knew I wanted to name our Airbnb, The White Smith House, after the two original owners who built the property. Giving the place a name before it’s creation is sort of a self fulfilling prophecy.
Color Scheme - Again, I’m not a fan of everything matching all the time. But take a look at the art you have, the furniture you’ve selected, or the natural elements of the space. Use these things as inspiration for your color palette. It can help you pick a wall and accessory color that really flow and compliment one another.
Shop First - I always suggest “window shopping” before being committed to a design. What often happens is you find one extraordinary thing that suddenly dictates the entire project. Then, whallla!!! You automatically have a story board to start bouncing ideas off of.
Local Art - Nothing adds local flare like hiring a local artist to either create a mural, chalkboard, logo or framing their work to create a gallery wall. Art is what makes cities unique. Embrace the artists in your area whether they’re a visual, textile, or ceramic artist. True, art can be a bit pricy and maybe risky to have in a rental. I commissioned a local artist to create our logo and had them paint it on a drop cloth so it was mobile.