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

colour trends

Colour Trends 2010 - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

Touched on briefly in last week’s ATH, 2010’s colours are expected to add lots of excitement to our homes. Big and bold is where we’re headed. Be fearless with colour, and break all the rules. Here are some hot colours to watch for:

Green
We started to see the emergence of “green” in 2009 in both colour and eco-awareness. This will continue for 2010, “Olive Green”, the traditional colour for peace, taking center stage as this year’s hottest hue, giving a kickback to the 70’s and keeping with the return of retro. Remember the green and gold appliances we saw in the 70’s? Find these colours returning in furniture and accent pieces! Combine the retro with modern by pairing green with a fresh pink. Choose a lime green and a soft pink for a bold statement, such as Fussy Pink and Clean Green from Sherwin Williams. Did you know? Green is considered the most restful colour for the eyes.

Yellow
Bright and bold, look for yellow as a room feature or as an accent colour. Classic white contemporary will be warmed with a touch of yellow. Also see yellow take centre stage in kitchens, as it is often associated with food. Yellow produces a warming effect, arouses cheerfulness and stimulates mental activity. Use this colour in any room in your house, from kitchen to bath, office, or child’s room. Did you know? Yellow is the first colour that kids will tend to reach for! Yellow is the color of sunshine. It's associated with joy, happiness, intellect, and energy. Brighten up a room in your home is my favourite yellow, Lemon Meringue by Benjamin Moore.

Artisan Inspiration
Earth inspired colours from around the globe, especially Asia and India, will emerge as hot colours. Invoke some old world charm to your home with a blend of teal, orange, and gold. Orange combines the energy of red and the happiness of yellow and is associated with joy, sunshine, and the tropics. Whether you have traveled the world, or just dream of reaching a foreign land, the bold colours will transform any room into a great escape. Indian Maize from PPG Pittsburgh Paints is a nice gold, pair with Opulent Orange from Behr Paints.

Neutrals No Longer Boring!
Not sure about the big and bold, but still want to update the boring beige? Consider using neutrals that step away from the standard grays and taupes. Instead look to spruce up a neutral room with soft hues of lemon yellow and pale blue. Mauve is another peace inspiring colour that will help to brighten up the neutrals. Look for Studio Mauve from Sherwin Williams to break away from traditional.

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com

The GREEN Movement - BTSH Around The House Tip of the Week

Choosing paint that’s right for you, and for the environment

2009 Colour Trends

If there is one colour we simply can’t get enough of in 2009, it’s gotta be GREEN!! That’s right, not just an eco-friendly idea, but top paint companies like ICI Dulux, and Benjamin Moore, agree that green is the new beige. Green is a very serene and calming colour, and reminds us of natural elements and what our environment has to offer us.

One thing I cannot stress enough in decorating is that neutral does not have to mean builders beige. I am often caught reciting this to my clients. Don’t get me wrong, there are some wonderful neutrals in the taupe/beige family, but neutral does not have mean dull, lack-lustre, and boring. Feel free to add a touch of colour to your neutral.

In Home Staging especially, you will hear various ideas about the best way to show your home in order to maximize your profits. Decluttering and depersonalising are two that are undoubtedly and consistently true in every home. Depersonalising refers to taking down the family photos and knick-knack souvenirs from family vacations in an effort to allow potential buyers to envision themselves in your home. You’re essentially selling a product. Often this also can mean covering up the brightly painted walls as well. While you may want to live in a rainbow of colours, as I mentioned you are selling a product, and therefore it’s often a good idea to tone down the colours in your home to something more neutral. That being said, it’s unlikely that potential buyers will want to live in builder’s beige. Feel free to explore colours outside the beige family, provided it is a nice soft hue, such as a lemon yellow, or a light olive green.


What makes a paint an environmentally friendly “green” paint?

Paint has been given a bad rap for years, due to the fumes and chemicals that are put into the air from it, otherwise referred to as VOCs (Volatile Organic Chemicals). So how do you know if you’re choosing a green product? While many paint manufacturers claim to be green, very few actually are. Part of the inaccuracy of their claims stems from the vast number of certification organizations with a variety of standards. According to TerraChoice, an environmental marketing company that manages the EcoLogo program, organizations that can be trusted include EcoLogo, the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Green-e and Greenguard. If you’re unsure about a paint, look for the certification from one of these companies. Look for natural paints, or at the very least, zero to low VOC paints. The standards are continually evolving, and new methods are continually introduced for creating an environmentally friendly paint that will adhere easily, and is durable enough to stand the test of time. If you’re still unsure, ask your local paint professionals.

Written by Shauna Lynn, Beyond The Stage Homes
www.beyondthestagehomes.com