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

chairs

Your BTSH Team: Jennifer Roth

Meet Jennifer Roth, BTSH’s Professional Home Stager! Jennifer and Shauna Lynn met through the local RESA chapter and found a connection right away. They often met outside of chapter meetings and quickly discovered they worked well together. So well, in fact, that Jennifer often helped out with BTSH vacant staging jobs. They ultimately decided that it made sense to combine their efforts, and Jennifer officially joined the BTSH team in May 2014.

Jennifer was one of the first certified Real Estate Staging Professionals (RESP). With a diploma in Interior Design from Sheridan College, she has been preparing homes for sale since 2011 and was named one of RESA’s Top 10 Rising Star Home Stagers in North America in 2013. Jennifer is also skilled in interior design and decorating, new home construction, real estate, and advertising and marketing. “I just love being able to take a room and transform it into something beautiful,” said Jennifer.

Prior to working at BTSH, Jennifer worked as a deal secretary with RE/MAX, where she processed offers on real estate transactions. She also worked at Peak Realty, where she acted as a personal assistant to a group of six realtors. “Everyone said I should be a realtor. I thought about it, and loved the industry, but wanted to use my creative side more,” said Jennifer. She credits a realtor with bringing home staging to her attention, and as a result, Jennifer started Home Selling Edge in 2011. She worked there until she merged with BTSH in 2014.


QUICK FACTS ABOUT JENNIFER
Favourite part of her job:
    Finding solutions to help sellers live in staged homes, and seeing the reactions of homeowners who see the transformation after a vacant stage.
Favourite TV show:
    House Hunters
    Love It or List It
Favourite stager:
    Karen Otto
    Red Barrinuevo
Favourite upcoming trend:
    Gold is coming back! Especially in fixtures. Furs are also becoming more popular again!

Jennifer loves contemporary designs like light fabrics, soft textures, clean lines, and metallics. She also appreciates all other design styles, and prides herself on being able to visualize different styles in all kinds of homes, whether it’s traditional, rustic, vintage, contemporary, or more!


Contact Beyond The Stage Homes today to find out how to get your property sold!

Phone: +1 (226) 240-0766
Email: info@btshomes.com
www.beyondthestagehomes.com 

Around The House - BTSH Tip Of The Week



Give that drab, out-dated chair a fresh new contemporary style!

Have you fallen victim to second hand, hand-me-down, or simply old and outdated chairs? Perhaps you have stumbled across a great find at a yard sale or flea market, but the upholstery leaves something to be desired. If your chair has good bones, but needs a bit of an update, simply recover the chair. Don’t be scared, it’s actually quite easy!

TOOLS YOU’LL NEED:

Screwdriver (if removing seat)

Measuring Tape

Pencil

Fabric

Staple Gun

I always recommend removing the seat, if possible. This allows for more accurate measuring and placement, and is much less awkward. Use your measuring tape to measure end to end both horizontally, and vertically, making sure to include the depth of the chair seat as well. You will then want to add 2 inches to each measurement and calculate how much material is needed from there.

Next, visit your local fabric store to choose your fabric. If you’re unsure of how the fabric will go with the rest of your decor, you can ask the sales associate to cut you a sample swatch to take home. There is usually no charge for these. Be sure to choose a fabric that is durable and will stand up to the wear.

Once you have selected, measured, and purchased your fabric, cut all the pieces that you will need. You can do this based on your measurements, or by using a pencil to trace the existing cover/seat. Be sure to add a couple of inches to each side before you cut!

Next, place the fabric on a flat surface wrong-side up (I prefer to do this on the floor as it’s the most solid surface you’ll find). Position the seat upside down on your pre-cut fabric, being sure to center it, and staple a straight line, starting from the middle and working your way out. Next, stretch the fabric to the opposite side, and staple in the same manner, being careful to smooth the fabric as you go. For corners, fold in the corner of the fabric and staple, then fold in each side over top to form a pleat, and staple each side. For round chair covers you will need to fold over a little fabric for each staple, pleating it as you go.

Take a hammer to any staples that may not have secured fully. Trim any excess fabric to give a smooth finish.

Return seat cover to the chair, and re-screw. Tip: If the screws have worn out the drilled holes in the chair, stick a couple of toothpicks in the holes and re-screw. This will give them something to catch to.

NOTE: Solid colours are easiest to work with. If using a patterned fabric, you must be sure to keep it straight, and align the edge of the chair with the pattern. If you can’t see through the fabric easily, draw a straight line of the pattern on the back to line up with the edge of the seat.

Now, that wasn’t so hard, was it? Enjoy your newly updated chairs!


Written by Shauna Lynn Simon, Beyond The Stage Homes