Design Tips, Investment Properties
Shauna Lynn Simon
Expert Advice for Your Vacation Rental Property

If you own a vacation rental property (or are looking to invest in one), you know that designing a short-term rental cottage that stands out from the competition is key to attracting renters and earning repeat business. With the growing popularity of short-term rentals and Airbnb properties, it's important to create a space that not only looks beautiful but is also functional and comfortable for guests.

In this article, we'll provide you with expert tips and insights on how to design a short-term rental cottage that will have guests raving and coming back year after year. Whether you're starting from scratch or looking to update an existing space, this guide will provide you with the inspiration you need to create a truly exceptional vacation home.


Start with the Basics

Before you start decorating, make sure you have all the basics in place. This includes…

Expert Advice for Your Vacation Rental Property

Everyday Living Tips

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Master the Art of Shelf Styling

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Master the Art of Shelf Styling

Every decorating or design professional will tell you that there is one aspect or technique that they love above the rest. For me, hands down, it’s shelf styling. Whether it’s in a home for selling or dwelling, I get giddy at the thought of arranging and showcasing these creative features.

Shelf styling is a true art form that takes practice to perfect, but with these master techniques, you will be a pro in no time!

 

Mix Books and Decor

Utilize a mix of books with a variety of decorative items, staggering the books and décor to create a balanced look from shelf to shelf. Décor can even play double-duty when positioned as a bookend. Along with decorative items, baskets, plants, and small artwork are a great way to style shelves for added variety and interest.

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Living Through Renovations

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Living Through Renovations

It can be easy in our busy, everyday lives to ignore the overdue updates needed in our homes. That is until we are forced to spend a whole lot of time there. Enter 2020, the year we stayed home. If you are like most people, you probably found that things that were once a mere annoyance (the kitchen cabinets that don’t quite close right, the bathroom tiles that are from 1970, or the open-concept office space you’ve set up) were now in desperate need of attending to.

Whether you plan to live in your home for a few more years or several decades still, taking care of these much-needed updates can be a great investment into your future, and there has never been a better time to renovate your home. Planning a renovation is exciting, and the end results are always worth it, but the road to transformation is not always a smooth one. Here are a few tips to assist you with planning for your upcoming renovation project.

The Mudroom Revival

The Mudroom Revival

Mudroom: noun

~ a small area where people leave their dirty or wet clothing and shoes when they enter a house

As she entered her house through the side door from the garage, she carefully removed her face mask, placing it on the console table. Having rolled the gloves off her hands - the left then the right - she turned and tossed them into the wastebasket under the table. Turning, she sat down on the cool, smooth wood of the bench, leaning back against the wall and let out a great sigh. Now for my shoes, she thought. It had been an extremely long day.

As we continue to manoeuvre through our new normal – the result of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – entering our homes has now become a process for so many of us.

Summer Doesn’t Have To Be A Bummer During COVID-19

Summer Doesn’t Have To Be A Bummer During COVID-19

Where has the time gone?! It’s hard to believe that the summer season is now upon us and that we are still living under a continuing COVID-19 pandemic.

While we continue to slowly and steadily reopen parks and businesses, those activities that traditionally represent summer to us - summer vacations, outdoor concerts, fireworks, and kids going off to summer camp – look much different this summer. While we continue to practise social distancing, and while it may take a bit of extra planning, we are all itching to get out of the house, and with a little creativity, we can find ways to safely enjoy the pleasures of the season and warm-weather activities. Need some ideas? Here are a few to get you started.

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Window Treatments and Selling Your Home

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Window Treatments and Selling Your Home

“Are window treatments necessary?”

This question is asked frequently by our clients when they are preparing their houses for sale.

Bright spaces and well-lit rooms provide an inviting atmosphere, appealing to potential buyers for your home. Natural light brightens a room, making it look and feel bigger, and bringing positive energy to the space.

For living in a home, we rely on window coverings to help to filter light and provide privacy. When selling your house, however, window coverings are often removed and/or minimized throughout the home to enhance the lighting and draw the buyer’s focus to the view or outdoor space beyond the window outside.

Creating a Silver Lining at Your Home During COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders

Creating a Silver Lining at Your Home During COVID-19 Stay-at-Home Orders

For most of us, being at home and quarantined is not something that we ever imagined happening to us, and those we care about. With the signs of spring and increasingly warmer temperatures, the temptation to be outside and surrounded by friends is increasing every day. Spring is also a time that traditionally produces the greatest amount of activity in the real estate market, and as Home Stagers and Redesigners, the BTSH team is itching to get to work.

Since we must stay the course, for the time being, we have found ways to make good use of our time and get a great start on some spring tasks.

Whether you were planning on listing your home and have been delayed in doing so or are at home and looking for productive ways to utilize your time and create a more organized and welcoming space, here are a few of our best tips.