- Stylish holiday homes can command higher rents (Alexander James Interior Design)
- Owners need to focus on practicality as well as style
- Fabulous photographs are key to attracting higher paying holidaymakers
Holidaymakers are more likely to rent a property if it looks good, so it’s important to take care when furnishing and styling a holiday home in order to maximize its rental income potential.
However, the experts at Alexander James Interior Design point out that practicality is a key consideration too:
“When considering the décor of your holiday let, you need to think not only of the appeal of the interior décor but also the practicalities of it. It needs to be easy to maintain. Paint is much easier to clean and touch up than wallpaper, wood/laminate/tiled floors rather than carpet.”
Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design
According to the Alexander James team, there are 10 things that holidaymakers are looking for from a rental property:
- Are dogs are allowed? There are plenty of people with dogs in the UK who want to take their furry friend away with them.
- Nice linen. The White Company bed linen and towels, with wool throws and cushions is ideal.
- Tech. That includes iPod docs, Sonos sound systems and TVs with freeview and Netflix.
- Wi-Fi. This is a non-negotiable in this day and age.
- Kitchen comforts. Holidays should be about relaxation and doing as little as possible, so dishwashers, Nespresso machines and the like are rapidly becoming essential.
- Good quality china and glassware. Chipped and scratched Ikea white plates won’t cut it!
- Parking
- Outside space. This should ideally include a BBQ area with plentiful seating.
- Comfy mattresses.
- A welcome hamper. These are becoming increasingly common, with guests expecting a few essentials upon arrival (wine, bread, milk and butter as a bare minimum).
Owners who can tick off all ten of these are onto a winning combination, but their work still isn’t done.
“Think about your furniture layouts. Is it a two bedroom cottage that sleeps four? Then make sure you have enough seating in the lounge for four people without it being overcrowded.
“Bedrooms that you can change from two single beds that can be zipped together to create a double are very appealing to potential renters, as this provides greater flexibility. And certainly don’t just use old bits of missed matched furniture left over from you home that you would otherwise throw out!”
Stacey Sibley, Creative Director, Alexander James Interior Design
Styling a holiday let as a boutique-style retreat that looks amazing in photographs will set it apart from the competition and enable its owners to charge a higher rent.
Therefore, when taking photographs of a holiday property, it’s important to use props to stage it. For example, don’t just take a picture of the bathroom – first light candles around a bubble-filled bath, add a few designer beauty products and place a stack of big, fluffy white towels in the shot. In the kitchen, dress the table with cream teas. Beds are a quick win here too – use plush-looking linen, throws and cushions, then add a breakfast tray complete with croissants, jam and fresh orange juice.
The key is for owners to ensure that anyone viewing the photographs will instantly be able to imagine themselves in the property. Those lacking in inspiration can look at holiday let websites like Unique Homestays and Boutique Retreats for ideas on how to style their photographs. The Alexander James Interior Design team would also be happy to help!
For more information, visit Alexander James Interior Design at www.aji.co.uk, email info@aji.co.uk or call 020 7887 7604.