INSIDE AN AIRBNB MAKEOVER - DECOR TO BOOST YOUR LISTING
Lauren Graham
The Project:
Airbnb has taken the country by storm, with an estimated 14 000 rooms now available in Cape Town alone, many locals are cashing in on the short term rentals market. In such a competitive market, it’s important to stand out amongst the crowd. A good way to do that? Your décor choices, of course. Not only will better decor give your short term rental listing the edge, a fresh, modern space will enhance your guest experience, resulting in better ratings and better occupancy.
Stuart Graham Fabrics recently partnered with Table Bay Curtains to complete a master bedroom makeover at a city apartment, managed by Airbnb specialists Superhost SA.
The Goal:
To illustrate how to decorate a short term rental/ Airbnb listing for maximum guest comfort, and maximum return, giving away insider tips and tricks on how to get it just right, and on a budget.
Before:
The master bedroom of this 2-bed city apartment was in dire need of some TLC. Oversized, mismatched furniture, combined with badly hung curtains, a stained carpet and an uncoordinated colour palette were making for a dull, messy and uninviting space.
TOP TIP:
We recommend planning a large makeover holistically, ahead of time. Contact suppliers to understand lead times on items you intend to order. Flooring, curtaining, installation, painting etc will all require different timelines to completion. Plan these correctly and you will only need to block out your listing for a week to complete all updates. A quiet week in low season is ideal to minimize the impact on occupancy.
After:
We opted for creating a functional, modern space that was warm and inviting, yet modern and practical to clean.
The starting point for this modern makeover was a fresh coat of white paint to brighten the room and provide an instant refresh. TOP TIP: Remove all old fixtures before poly filling and painting to ensure a smooth finish.
A large, upholstered headboard adds luxury and comfort. This headboard was covered in a dark, poly-linen that is hard wearing and practical, with the look and feel of real linen texture.
FABRIC: SG FABRICS - SIMPLICITY BOUCLE GUNMETAL
UPHOLSTERY SERVICE: TABLE BAY CURTAINS
The bedroom is completed with large, black steel side tables, modern lamps and local-inspired art prints to balance out the roller blind on the right hand side of the bed.
Mixing pattern and texture with printed scatters and throws adds visual interest and warmth.
FABRIC: SG FABRICS, JAVA - LOMBOK ONYX
MAKE UP: TABLE BAY CURTAINS
This long scatter adds a gorgeous finishing touch to the bed. We selected a linen-look plain in a complementary stone colour and finished it off with slick piping, made from leftover fabric from the headboard.
FABRIC: SG FABRICS - OSLO GRANITE
MAKE UP: TABLE BAY CURTAINS
Curtaining:
A ready-made curtain adds some much needed softness to the space. Placing a well-gathered sheer over the roller blind on the main window allows for natural light and added privacy whilst the roller blind is open.
Whilst ready-made curtains are a cost-effective solution, professional installation can make all the difference in achieving the right end result on a budget. The Table Bay Curtains installation team have ensured a perfect finish with a professional installation.
CURTAIN DESIGN: Tranquil Chalk
BRAND: Stuart Graham Ready-Mades Collection
PRODUCT SPEC: 300 X 218, Standard Tape, Unlined.
STOCKIST (Cape Town) : Table Bay Curtains
TIPS FROM THE PROS
We spoke to Brigid Prinsloo, CEO of Superhost SA to gain further insight into where the most value can be added to your listing when it comes to decor.
Q: When decorating on a budget, where should a host focus most of the available budget?
A: Most Airbnb guests in Cape Town are tourists out exploring all day or business people who spend most of the day in meetings. With this in mind we always place an emphasis on those spaces guests will spend the most time in when they are actually at home:
(1) The Bedroom: The majority of the time guests spend in a listing is in bed sleeping. We always make sure the decor is modern, the bedding is crisp, the pillows fluffy and that there is a soft throw for cooler nights.
(2) Kitchen: While the guests certainly do not cook up a storm, the need for a strong cup of coffee first thing in the morning seems to be universal. We always make sure we provide guests with coffee press/ coffee machine as well as some initial supplies (in case they have not yet gone to the shops).
(3) Bathroom: There is absolutely nothing worse that an dirty bathroom. As an Airbnb host this area needs to be 100% spotless. Throw in soft towels, hotel style amenities and definitely a hair dryer for the ladies.