The Property Owner’s Guide To Furnishing A Rental Home
When you make the decision to rent out your property, there are many things you’ll need to consider. From determining where you want to list your property to get top dollar to decorating in a way that will appeal to guests, there are plenty of decisions that will need to be made. We want to share our expertise with you so we can help craft the perfect rental home for your guests.
Who Do You Want To Rent Your Home To?
Before doing anything, you want to figure out who your ideal tenant is. Having a clear idea of who your rental property should attract is going to be paramount to crafting a space that they’ll vye for when vacationing. You want to know what kinds of things they love in their own homes, how they like to spend their time on vacation, who they’ll be bringing with them on vacation, and more so that your designs accommodate their needs.
If your rental property is the perfect place for family vacations, you’re going to plan, furnish, and style it very differently than if you’re renting out a romantic loft that makes the perfect destination for an anniversary trip.
Space Planning
Form and functionality of a space is important for the look and feel that will have your guests wanting to come back on their next trip. If the furniture in your rental home does not comfortably accommodate all the activities your guests want to enjoy they're not likely to enjoy the experience. Space planning is the first step to ensuring a positive vacation that warrants the five-star reviews that will appeal to your ideal guest.
Colors and Textures
Whether you’re crafting a space for yourself or your future renters, less is often more. When you’re making decisions about flooring and walls, neutral colors are often the safest choice. This gives you the flexibility to be more creative with your decorations and furnishings without overwhelming potential renters with overly bold choices in paint or wallpaper.
Flooring
When it comes to flooring in a rental property, you want to consider how it will be used by your tenants. Sleeping and other quiet quarters should generally feature carpet, while higher traffic areas may have high-quality hardwood flooring. Regardless of what materials you chose to use for flooring, you want to invest in the best quality. One element that rental properties require (that our primary homes do not) is more frequent, industrial cleaning. Cheap flooring will not be able to handle the traffic or the cleaning brought on by a rental for long. It’s best to work with an expert who can make recommendations based on experience with the materials so you don’t end up making an expensive mistake.
Furniture
The first thing you want to do is define a style - even if that style is entirely different from your own home! For many property owners, a rental home gives you the opportunity to experiment with styles that you didn’t explore in your own home.
Guests that are willing to pay top-dollar for a vacation property are expecting their vacation home to be well put together and furnished with high-quality items. If they have high-quality, luxury furnishings at home, you really need to step up to their level. Here are a few things you want to keep in mind when furnishing a rental property:
The Amount Of Guests
As access to large rental properties becomes easier and easier, many of your guests are expecting single properties that can accommodate a group of guests. You’ll want to consider the size of the average party that will rent your property and furnish accordingly. If your rental accommodates 14 guests, a four-top dining table isn’t going to make much sense and will diminish the guest experience at your property.
The Necessary Accessories
Storage is a very essential part of decorating a rental property. Consider how your guests will be using this space and provide them the storage and accessories they might need for a convenient stay. Having additional hanging space and extra storage are elements you wouldn’t necessarily consider in your primary home, but can really add to the experience of a guest visiting your rental property. You also want to consider adding the maximum number of comfortable beds in your space as possible.
The Importance Of Lighting
Often, vacation means multiple people sharing a space and adjusting to various different schedules. Having multiple layers of lighting, such as an overhead light, and table lamps, can enhance the guest experience at your property. Soft lighting in common areas like the kitchen or bathroom is highly beneficial, especially in the middle of the night, because your guests are unfamiliar with the property and may need assistance getting around in the dark without waking other guests.
The Finishing Touches
Finally, the details that bring your rental home together. Well-chosen and properly placed photos or artwork can take your rental home to the next level, creating your property in the luxurious feel your renters are expecting. You can read my other post about properly hanging your artwork here.
Interior Designers Can Transform Your Rental Home
The expectations from guests are high in today’s market. Designing a functional and beautiful space should be the first priority of property owners who are going to be renting out their space. Often, though, owning multiple properties means you don’t have the time to handle these details yourself. Hiring an interior designer can save you time and boost the prestige of your rental home, helping you get top dollar and five-star reviews on the market!
If you have a rental home in Colorado, AK Interiors can offer the design expertise that can make your rental properties the most popular listings on Airbnb or VRBO. Contact us today to learn more about how having an interior designer select furniture, fixtures, and finishes can take your rental home to the next level.
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