Holidays during my childhood largely consisted of squeezing everything and everybody into a car and heading either up or down to Cornwall or the Lake District for a week. Holiday rentals to me seemed to be places that were stuck in time, a perfectly preserved overload of twee-ness, with excessive amounts of ruffles and dusty fake flowers, and while some managed to maintain the endearing nature of the property, others were unfortunately interior design disaster zones.
With so many holiday rentals around in Britain, and with the ever-rising popularity of Airbnb, we thought it rather fitting to give a little guide on how to make your holiday home that extra bit special, and making it an appealing, exciting place to be that will make people want to fight for the chance to stay there instead of running for the hills!
There are some wonderfully simple ways to turn a holiday home into a small haven. The high season for holiday goers is always summer and spring, therefore making the most out of your outdoor space is a sure fire way to bring smile to your renters face. Creating large, comfy communal areas is vital, and spaces that easily convert from day to night even more so. Making sure there is enough lighting, be it in the form of candles, lanterns or even making an investment in some chic permanent outdoor lighting will create the perfect relaxing vibe your holiday home needs, and will go hand-in-hand with some amazing outdoor furniture.
‘Luccombe Outdoor Set’ from Oka Direct
Whether you have a beautiful garden or a spectacular view, an outdoor space is enhanced a hundred times over with the addition of fantastic outdoor furniture. If you tend to cater to big groups, purchasing a set that can be used as a large all-in-one or broken up into smaller arrangements is the best seating solution. This set from Oka is a lovely modern rattan alternative to the dated wicker conservatory furniture that tends to be a staple in holiday homes.
For more intimate seating areas there are some adorable ideas that can really give an extra added touch, this loveseat from Oka is so stunning and if you have a small cottage, perfect for a romantic getaway, items like this are the icing on the cake.
‘Tendril Metal Garden Loveseat’ from Oka Direct
If you don’t want to have to re-mortgage your actual home in order to kit out your holiday rental, there are some charming, inexpensive ways to do so, I actually rather like this Bistro set from Homebase, which would make a sweet addition on a patio, perfect for a enjoying a glass of wine as you watch the sun go down.
‘Folding Metal Bistro Set’ from Homebase
When it comes to holiday rentals, it’s the extra added touches that make a renter a returning customer. Making them smile, whether they realise it or not, from simple home accessory additions will mean that they only think positively about your letting and will want to come back year after year. A beautiful parasol like this one from Hen and Hammock inserts individuality and character into an interior, so even if the rest of your furniture is simple and understated one extra added touch will make all the difference.
‘Indonesian Parasol’ from Hen and Hammock
Another insertion of charm could come in the form of a creative and wonderfully designed plant pot. Adding a little greenery to a garden is a great way to give a little oomph, and sourcing a lovely pot is an added bonus.
‘Wafture Planter’ from Anthropologie
Flowers will automatically brighten up any interior, the added spurt of colour adds excitement and vitality. However, holiday homes in my experience tend to replace with fresh with fake, while this is a much more viable option for a holiday home, the flowers always seem to be dusty and ever so rubbery looking. Throwing out your old fake flowers and purchasing some new ones will guarantee to make your holiday homes look ten times more modern and ten times less stuffy! For high quality florals that won’t break the bank head to Funky Bunch or An Angel At My Table, but ditch the typical gerbera flower and opt for something more sophisticated and elegant like peonies or hydrangeas or some wild flowers.
‘Short Pink Blossom’ from Funky Bunch
‘Soft Pink and Blush Hydrangeas’ from An Angel At My Table
A few small changes to the foundations of the house are a great way to modernise an older property and give character to a new one. Switching some unexciting door knobs for some interesting ones is an easy way to reinvent the look or theme of a house with minimal effort. These door handles from Rockett St George are super stylish and will look amazing with multiple design schemes.
‘Talia Ceramic Door Handle’ from Rockett St George
For an even quicker transformation, upgrading a dated and probably slightly mouldy doormat will instil your guests comfort and style right from the get-go, and a simple yet stunning design like this one will please almost any taste.
‘Black and Natural Simple Door Mat’ from Rockett St George
Finally, inserting some your town’s charm into your home is the perfect way to separate a holiday home from a regular one. As long as you don’t go too overboard with a theme (we know we’re by the sea no need for the nautical paraphernalia reminders), then a little small town charm can be quite lovely. A few antiques from a local shop or some paintings or prints of the local landscape, landmark or by a local artist can really do the trick.
‘Cambridge’ by Glynn Thomas from Cambridge Contemporary Art
So with a little spruce and just the right amount of whimsy a beautiful holiday home is just around the corner, just in time for summer!
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