Last week I was in Austin for my brother's wedding, sharing a VRBO with my whole family. It was a great trip, and the house had great bones: a pool, two porches, and plenty of room for all of us. But I'm a designer, so of course I spent the week mentally redecorating. Here's what I'd change to take it from "nice rental" to "never want to leave."
The Living Room
Before
After
Lighting first: the room needs a bigger floor lamp, plus a pair of lamps on a console table, so you can light the room at night without turning on (gasp) the overhead light. I'd put that console behind the sectional and style it with plants, objects, and books about Texas, a small touch that gives guests a real sense of place. Add a lounge chair so more than one group can hang out comfortably, plus drapes, plants, and a larger rug. For the walls, a gallery of fun little vintage paintings would give the room personality and a sense of place.
And yes, I know it's Texas, but with the AC running, I still got chilly. A few cozy blankets on the sectional is a must.
The Dining Room
Before
After
I'd go for taller chairs with a little color, a light fixture with more personality, and drapes and a runner to warm up all that slate. And a small note from a large family: more coffee mugs. When ten people wake up at once, you need more than six mugs.
The Bedrooms
Before
Primary Bedroom After
The biggest opportunity was here. Every bed needs a nightstand on each side, because nobody wants their water glass on the floor. In the primary bedroom, I'd go bigger: larger nightstands with drawers, larger lamps, a bench at the foot of the bed, and a full-length mirror, because every guest wants a final outfit check. Upstairs, I'd add reading sconces above the beds. Downstairs in the bunk room, task sconces give everyone their own light.
Every room gets drapes, rugs, down bedding, more pillows, a throw blanket at the end of each bed, and art so the rooms feel finished instead of temporary. The dormer windows let the sun in at the crack of dawn, so motorized shades would be ideal. If that's not in the budget, a basket of sleep masks works as a charming backup. And add nightlights in every room, because stumbling around an unfamiliar house at 2 a.m. is nobody's idea of a vacation.
The Bathrooms
Towel hooks in every bathroom, please. And let's talk towels: the small ones have to go. Big, generous bath sheets are the kind of detail guests remember and mention in reviews.
The Outdoor Spaces
An outdoor shower by the pool, with hooks for towels, and a few side tables so drinks aren't balanced on the pavers. On the front porch, I'd add a loveseat with pillows, two more rocking chairs, and side tables. That porch was made for morning coffee and deserves to be used. The back porch needs a side table and pillows, too.
The Little Luxuries
Is it too much to put big, fluffy robes in every closet, with plenty of hangers? I don't think so. These small touches cost relatively little, and they're what turn a one-time stay into a five-star review and a repeat booking.
A Note for Every Airbnb and VRBO
Guests shouldn't have to figure out a house by trial and error. Laminated instruction cards for anything that isn't obvious, like how to turn on the pool waterfall or run the jacuzzi, save guests the guesswork and save hosts the "how does this work?" texts.
And please label the light switches. When there are three banks of switches on every wall, small, discreet labels save guests from flipping every switch in the house just to turn on one lamp. Nobody's memorizing which one does what in a single weekend.
Then take it one step further with a guest guidebook. Include the WiFi password, plus your favorite local restaurants, the closest grocery store, shopping spots, and things to do nearby. It's simple to put together, and it spares guests from Googling everything on arrival. It also makes the stay feel personal, like staying with a friend who knows all the good spots.
Own a Short-Term Rental? Let's Walk Through It.
I put a lot of thought into this while I was staying there, and it hit me: this is a service I could offer in an hour or two. We walk through your rental together, I point out everything that would make it more comfortable, functional, and memorable, and you take notes. If you want help choosing the right pieces afterward, I can do that too.
But trust me when I say this: hire me for an hour or two, do everything I recommend, and you'll be booked out for months. 😉
