5 interior design tips to boost your Airbnb income

One of the many challenges of preparing your property for an Airbnb listing is transforming it from a deeply personal home just for you, to a home that welcomes a diverse audience of travelers, home comforts, and structured hospitality.

The initial appraisal of a property by a potential tenant is an assessment of five key factors:

Our internal research has shown that the emotional nature of the attractiveness of the space is about 35% for the formation of the decision-making process. Given the importance of the design phase, here are five tips from top designers to help you optimize your property and make the most of your guest experience.

Especially if you’re looking to remodel a smaller room, a bold wall with a vibrant color palette adds focus and heightens the sense of space. If you feel that this is too bold for you, then pastel colors look no less impressive. A common misconception is that white paint throughout a room will achieve the same effect, however, it only gives your apartment a cold, soulless feeling, and the vibrancy of color always makes the space more dynamic and welcoming.

It sounds counterintuitive, but a larger rug will create the feeling of more space. This is achieved due to the fact that the rug can reach several pieces of furniture and draw the eye towards the room, making it wider. Conversely, a small carpet concentrates attention, creating the illusion of a smaller space. A large rug doesn’t have to be bold in terms of color; we often find that properly positioned soft rugs have a positive effect.

This is the simplest, and perhaps one of the most important, tips that give the space a sense of height by tilting the line of sight upward into less congested areas of the room. Our personal favorites are long mirrors in front of the windows to enhance the light entering the room, floor lamps on a thin base that curve around the room and gently diffuse the lighting over most of the area. We’re also big fans of functional storage like a shelving unit with a sloping staircase as it serves the dual purpose of decoration and storage functionality.

Houseplants are in vogue now. If you prefer one large plant, mount it on a simpler wall for added accent. If you are a fan of small plants, group them into odd numbers – ideally 3 or 5 – and set them at different levels so they don’t look massive. If you can’t get to your facility regularly to water them, there are some fantastic artificial plant suppliers out there, so you can still achieve the same effect, simply and without the hassle.

Typically, the more floor space is left in the field of view, the brighter the room looks. When furniture is upholstered or designed to the floor, it takes up that space, so choose sofas and armchairs with thin legs for an airy feel – you have to mix and match the style of the legs (e.g. straight and flared) to your personal taste. There is also practical value – being able to clean underneath this space without having to move heavy pieces of furniture!

Whether your property is empty or in need of renovation, design can make a significant difference to your Airbnb income potential. Find out how to get the most out of your property by scheduling a call with our hosting experts.