As a key speaker at an annual global Airbnb Open Festival, interior designer and Designbx co-founder Kerena Berry presented to over 300 Airbnb hosts, to help hosts increase occupancy, guest ratings and daily rates. We share some of the best tips in our blog below, plus a link to ‘The Designbx Airbnb host guide’.

There was a time when Australians denied having a distinct culture, but our popularity as a tourist destination is solid proof that foreign visitors believe we’re a unique and beautiful part of the world. As Airbnb hosts, it’s our job to reinforce our unique culture and provide the setting for our customers’ travel fantasies. 

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Travelling is one of the best things that you can do for your health. It helps your physical and mental health, and can be excellent for the soul according to Positive Health Wellness. So what type of experience does an Airbnb customer expect? At Designbx, we can help by providing a few design tips to make your home attract five star reviews.

Firstly, imagine your target demographic. What interiors do they expect from a seaside getaway, a few days in our unique inner city suburbs, or a tranquil stay in the Hunter Valley? Put yourself in the shoes of your potential customer as you complete the free Designbx Style Quiz, which will provide a visual style board.

Once you have a clear vision, let’s get to work on the foundations: walls and floors. A fresh lick of silk or satin paint, or a sugar soap scrub will provide the most common basic necessity: a visually clean and hygienic space. Choose flooring that’s easy to clean and works with your style.

Next, make sure there’s enough furniture for your guests in each area, and always assume they’ll move as an entire group between rooms. Ensure they have a wonderful sleep by using latex covers, which have memory for extra comfort.

Designbx Airbnb Project in Curl Curl, NSW

Temperature is critical, and don’t just assume air-conditioning is the one solution; think about your floor coverings, window treatments, materials and props. Feel free to overcompensate with extra blankets, feather doonas, rugs, heated towel racks, blinds & curtains. Don’t forget fly screens!

Tantalise the senses. Have soft, relaxed music playing on arrival. Spotify is a very cheap option, and you can set up playlists to enhance the atmosphere. Timer lights and heating are always appreciated. Ensure the house smells fresh and homely on arrival by using vaporisers.

Plush slippers by the door spoil guests and encourage them to take their shoes off. We even put gumboots on the veranda of a rural getaway and provided baskets labelled with the name of each chicken so guests could start their day with a little egg-hunting adventure.

Add a guestbook with tips and quirks you may be used to but could become frustrations for people in a new environment. How does every appliance operate, where do they find supplies, what are the cultural attractions? Again, imagine you are the guest.

A little guest basket champions local produce and shows pride in the community; or in situations where the house is isolated, it could provide goods impossible to find locally. These little touches remind people that you are welcoming them into your home.

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Let’s have a little fun with aesthetics. Refer to your Style Board when making any purchases. Enhancing architectural features is a good place to start. High ceilings scream for oversized artwork, and feature pendant lights look great on large kitchen island benches.

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Ensure your styling stays similar from one room to the next. Use a harmonised colour scheme, and experiment with texture to add character. Layout is crucial. Interior designers use spatial planning to place items in a room. This ensures you have a fluid path from one space to another. At Designbx we use Floor Plans to help designers and clients collaborate on layout decisions, which saves time and money.

Designbx Airbnb Project in Hunter Valley, NSW

Double the amount of dinner and kitchenware, pillows and towels you expect will be required. Make sure you provide ways to block out the sun. Use durable finishes, aged timbers, non absorbent bench tops, commercial fabrics on sofas or ever-reliable leather. Opt for poly blend or natural fibre rugs, which are easily cleaned with a damp cloth.

For more organic touches, indoor plants purify the air and add aroma while flowers use visuals and unique perfumes for a sense of wellbeing. While a bedside table is a prime position for a vase, make sure you choose a flower that doesn’t have a powerful fragrance that might inhibit the ability to sleep.

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Don’t forget to entertain your guests. In any home you would expect to find books, music, games, DVDs or a hard drive with movies, and even musical instruments. There are times when we simply want to relax and have a quiet night in. 

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Never ignore safety. Even the most minor injury to a child will infuriate your adult guests. Place everyday items in easily accessible spots: don’t store heavy ceramic bowls on high shelves, and place linen in heavy lidded chests.

Underlay under rugs not only present better but also won’t curl up on the ends and create trip hazards. Place slip treads on all your stairs, especially in wet areas. Blind cords must have winding hooks (especially in children’s rooms). Also ensure you keep up to date with pool, spa and fire rules & regulations.

Add a touch of luxe. Ikea offers feather inserts for cushions that start at $5, so why risk looking cheap? Feather or duck duvets might cost more but feel beautiful and encourage guests to turn off heating, saving you money in the long-term.

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Feature toiletries in every wet room. The feel and smell of quality toiletries are lasting in the mind. Tea and coffee are common vices, so have a tea box (T2) and a POD coffee machine. With linen, opt for quality 300-plus thread count (no polyester), which wash well and last longer.

Designbx Airbnb Project in Twin Waters, QLD

Once you’ve created the perfect Airbnb home, capture your beautiful spaces on camera. Go professional, preferably with an interior or real estate specialist. Select a hero shot that captures your key feature. If the feature is exterior, like ocean views, remind browsers that it’s a home by taking the shot from inside. Soft lighting like a cloudy day is perfect, and avoid filters so people can see the real space and finishes.

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We’ve given you a few DIY tips but forecast the positive effect a professionally designed and decorated space may have on price and occupancy, and spend accordingly. From commercial interior design to personally designing your home, Designbx is an online interior design solution that is both affordable and collaborative. Unlike most freelancers out there, we offer set priced packages and access to a wider network of designers.

If you don’t know where to start you can always reach out to the expert Designbx Team for a FREE Interiors Design consultation.

 “Designbx   |   “Top interior design tips for Airbnb hosts”    |  designbx.com

The post Airbnb Hosts – Top tips to become the best Airbnb hosts appeared first on Designbx.

When you’re starting the process, we get it can be daunting to see all the costs adding up.  But our experience has been on almost all projects where the designer has been engaged early, not only are the cost savings significant, but the client’s vision is brought to life without that sigh of frustration or disappointment that it’s “not quite what you wanted”.  So in short, our answer is engage an interior designer as soon as possible!  

If you’re using an Architect, you should engage the designer at the same time so that they can collaborate early in the piece, and make sure interiors specific aspects are not overlooked.  Every professional that works on your project wears a different hat and will be pushing a different agenda, but it’s important to remember whilst each has a very different skillset, the designer has your end vision in mind at all times. 

They have the ability, when engaged at the get go, to pepper your design style and lifestyle needs throughout your home design in a considered and creative way.  A designer will ask all the right questions upfront so they have a seal tight brief that will encompass all the knowledge they need to know to make the correct design decision that most importantly aligns to your budget guidelines. That’s not to say you are going to need to think about sofas, wall colours and cushions at the beginning – so don’t stress!!  It’s more around all parties being on the same page and having the same end vision, let the experts do what they do best and the whole design process becomes a free flowing and enjoyable one. 

Below we have broken the process down into 3 phases.  

Phase 1 – Pre-Construction/Planning Phase –  Review Proposed Architectural Drawings

Once preliminary Architectural Drawings are completed, your designer should review and provide recommendations.  Some of the key items are listed below. Reviewing these items early will save both time and money.

• Overall spatial planning including review of storage options (wardrobes, laundry, built ins etc)
• Doorways and access points
• Kitchen and Bathroom function and layout
• Ensure correct specifications for Windows and Doors.  i.e – fixed v sliding or stacking etc)
• Review of specific furniture requirements from the client.  i.e – large dining areas or special room requirements. In some instances, structural plans might change to facilitate larger/smaller area requirements.

1. Drawing Review Example . Engage an interior designer at this point of the design process.

Phase 2 – Construction Phase –  Review Functional Requirements

This phase is based on the specific user needs.  Here we delve more into how many people are living in the home and family and functional requirements for each space.

• Lighting Plan 
• Colour Scheme 
• Finishes and Specifications (i.e – tapware, flooring)
• Window Treatments
• Custom Joinery Requirements
• Scaled floor plans with furniture placement and the flow consideration 
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CUSTOMIZED IN-BUILT JOINERY SOLUTIONS  

2. Open plan and oversized rooms often benefit from integrating built in cabinetry. It also adds value to your home.

Phase 3 – The Interior Design Phase – Finishing Touches

This phase encompasses the remaining key elements to bring the home to life and is largely focused around the Interior Design including furniture selection and layout.  Within this phase, your designer will present to you the following key components for each space, working within your budget

• Style Boards 
• Furniture and Product Selection
• Floor Plans
• Detailed perspective drawings (using product selections)
• Personal Shopper Service with trade discounts
• Installation and set-up can be included if required.
• Project Management for interiors components can be included if required.
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 INTERIOR DESIGN PHASE

3. A little peek of some elements included in your Designbx Design Folio; Style Board, Perspective drawings, Product Boards, Floor plan – everything you need  to create your personalised space – See some finished projects

Designbx have completed similar projects across Australia and Internationally.  We offer architectural drawing review packages that start from as little as $499.00.  If you have started your project or currently in the planning phase and it’s time to engage an interior designer – reach out to the Designbx team via for a chat – we would love to help you with your project. 

Would you like to know more about Designbx and who’s behind it, a more personal read about the Co founders Kerena & Kylie – Enjoy! 

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