Getting your place ready to list on Airbnb is something you should take time to do properly. The photos and description you share online could be the difference between someone clicking ‘reserve’ or scrolling past.
I have been an Airbnb host for just about six months now, but I can already say it has fast become one of the most enjoyable and rewarding parts of my company! I enjoy creating a welcoming, uniquely designed area for my guests. Some of my friends are also grabbing the Airbnb insect, and lately, I helped my buddy point her newly listed Airbnb!
Found in the Winona Park area near Decatur Square [if you are not familiar with Atlanta and Decatur, Decatur Square has plenty of fantastic restaurants and pubs!], her carriage house feels cozy and diverse. I will go through some of my styling and staging strategies for a great Airbnb space. These are my personal opinions, but I have discovered these small touches have made an impact with my Airbnb and now hers!
Hint 1: Incorporate at least one ‘conversation piece.’
A couple of months ago,Michelle sent me a photograph of the floral sofa she discovered at a yard sale and wanted to know my ideas. Being the owner of a chic’ mid-century couch, the response was quite apparent… Her family was indeed sceptical about the decision, but I still feel confident she made the right choice!
If you can find something a little outside the box to your Airbnb, while it is a couch or a headboard, or a coffee table which makes for a fantastic conversation piece, your list will undoubtedly stick out from all of the rest. Also look for inspiration online via social media for decor and design ideas.
Hint 2: If a room is lacking in architectural interest, bring into a bold paint!
We had this fantastic couch to work with, pulling together the colour palette for the room was simple. Space began in most beige: beige walls, beige carpeting, and felt rather one dimensional. By painting the wall the couch sits on a bold blue, your eyes are immediately drawn to the vignette plus it makes for a very striking, beautiful sitting area.
Since the tufted headboard she’s can also be beige, it made sense to also paint the wall behind it at the exact contrasting accent colour, so the luxurious feeling headboard would stand out instead of blend into the wall behind it.
Tip 3: Keep the colour narrative easy
Again, with all the floral couch being the grounding bit for the carriage home, we all needed to do was pull colours out of it for the rest of the space. The print also includes hits of yellow and green, colours also found from the couch.
When styling the space, I grabbed objects almost entirely from the blue, green and yellow family to keep things smooth. This way, as your eye moves from every area of the room, the whole space feels cohesive.
When in an Airbnb, I like to visit a couple of neighborhoods in the place I am staying in. In the entrance, we piled the woodcut from Georgia, along with a drawing Michelle did of the courthouse in Decatur Square. On the coffee table, there are a couple of copies of Atlanta Magazine, which is always full of excellent recommendations for restaurants and places to go to in the Atlanta region.
What sets an Airbnb besides a traditional hotel setting is the way they often feel as though you’re staying at home away from home. Adding in small touches that you may not find in a resort are always an excellent way to place your space apart.
I like the oversize coffee table in the area, and with the tiled flooring, it feels like the perfect place for all to play games! I placed a choice of games in a basket under the coffee table so the guest may have the same idea.
Having fresh flowers in a room is yet another lovely touch, whether it’s just for the photographs or to your guests when they visit. I can not always keep up with having new flowers, but having a great succulent or a couple of cuttings in my eucalyptus tree is something I try to keep within my own Airbnb.
If you ever get stuck, contact a local interior stylist to help you identify what could be improved.
