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

Home Staging and Design

The Dos and Don'ts of Hiring a Designer

The Dos and Don'ts of Hiring a Designer

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Provide information regarding your style

  • This may be magazine photos, Pinterest pins, or physical samples – you don’t even have to know what you like about something, but the more information that you can provide to your designer, the better

Provide Samples

  • If you have already selected any renovation materials, be sure to have samples of those items available for your designer

Provide Creative Autonomy

  • This is something that many homeowners struggle with – remember that you hired your designer for their expert, professional opinion, and there may be times where you will need to trust them to take you outside of your comfort zone.

  • Our goal is to integrate your style with our expertise to create a design plan that you will love for years to come. The more autonomy that we have, the easier it is to create this, but we want to ensure that we do so with your trust and understanding – if at any time you do not feel that you are being heard, or are not comfortable with a decision that has been made, be sure to address it as soon as possible to avoid any issues or unnecessary costs.

  • It’s all in our head - we understand that you may not always be able to see what we see! Sometimes, you may simply need to take a leap of faith and trust, but if this is something that you are not capable of, ask, and we will do our best to provide a visual representation of our vision.

Understanding Flooring Options for Selling Your Home

Understanding Flooring Options for Selling Your Home

Many of the decisions made regarding flooring, in terms of what buyers will prefer to see, will be market specific. Often the price-point of the house will dictate the extent of upgrades required for flooring.

Updates and Repairs

  • Replace worn, stained, or outdated carpet

  • Stretch and tack down loose carpet

  • Check grout for condition, and re-grout cracked or recessed grout (clean stained or discoloured grout)

  • Touch-up minor floor scratches

  • Refinish worn hardwood

  • Upgrade as necessary

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Top Designer Picks for Home Decorating "Must-Haves"

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Top Designer Picks for Home Decorating "Must-Haves"

When you’re planning a room, it’s easy to forget the details. In order to complete the look of a room, and make it feel like your own, you need to invest in some of the finishing touch pieces to add that final design layer. This is where we find a lot of our design clients get stumped, unsure of what to get, or how to put it all together, so we’ve put together a list of our best “must-haves” for every home!

Light It Up!

Light It Up!

Light it up, make the switch!

How many times have you noticed those (ahem…) beautiful builders choice old-school ceiling lights in hallways, equally questionable pendants above a kitchen island, and/or an underwhelming dining room chandelier?

I’ve been there, I’ve lived with these lighting selections for a time, but once I settled into my space and got a feel for how I lived and worked in it, I formulated a design plan, and finally upgraded!

Lighting has come a long way in affordability and design in the last few years. The wide assortment of styles and equally attractive price points has made switching out to upgraded lighting an easy choice.

In the past, lighting was viewed as more utilitarian than an integral part of a design plan. For me, lighting is the icing on the cake, the cherry on the sundae… well, you get it! I love great lighting and take joy in selecting the perfect pieces to add that little bit of interest, bling, whimsy, whatever that space is calling for!

While there has always been a wide variety of beautiful selections at your local lighting stores, price points were usually pretty intimidating. If you were looking to add a light as a focal point, it was more likely for a formal dining room where you needed a bit more drama. These days, however, look no further than your local home improvement store for current, and affordably priced selections for all areas of your home, as shown below:

Why Savvy Homeowners Choose Home Staging

Why Savvy Homeowners Choose Home Staging

While home staging is not a new concept (in fact, the industry is actually about 40 years old), it has gained popularity in recent years, thanks to additional exposure through magazines and television shows. There are a number of reasons why home staging works the way that it does, and more and more homeowners are reaping the benefits.

In this week's Vlog, we explain a number of popular reasons why home staging works, and why savvy homeowners are choosing to stage before they list.