Art:
It’s imperative to have great art to make a space look complete, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. One of my favorite tricks of the trade is using public domain art. “Public domain” means that intellectual property rights no longer apply to it, usually because of its age, so it can be downloaded for free and printed either at home or by the printing company of your choice. You might be surprised how many of the classics are now public domain- Mona Lisa (da Vinci), Starry Night (Van Gogh), and Girl With a Pearl Earring (Vermeer) just to name a few. I like to go for some of the lesser known works, though, just to be unique. I typically download from rawpixel.com but there are many public archive websites that also have high resolution downloads. I have used easycanvasprints.com several times for printing because they offer really affordable gallery wraps, but there are tons of online resources for printing.
Throw pillow covers:
Pro tip: Most times you don’t even need to replace your throw pillows. You can just buy a new cover for them to update the look, which is usually more affordable. Obviously budget is always a factor for short term rentals, so my typical go-to’s are H&M (yes, they have housewares!) and Amazon. A good rule of thumb is to order a cover that is an inch or two smaller than your insert so that they look really full. Flat pillows just don’t look inviting.
Lighting:
There are few things that can change the feel of a room more than a good statement light fixture. While it is obviously imperative to use SAFE light fixtures, I find that this is an area where you can skimp on quality of finishes and materials. This may not be a popular opinion, but my thought is that if it’s not going to be touched and/or seen up close then I don’t care if the gold finish would rub off if it was handled frequently (because it’s not going to be), or if the linen on the fabric shade looks cheap up close (because again, nobody is going to see it up close). Again, Amazon is one of the best sources. Is it cheap crap from China? Yes, and I’m not proud of recommending it, but realistically most STR owners are not shopping at high end lighting stores for their property. Etsy is also a great source. Kudos if you can find independent designers on there, but sadly most of the fixtures on there now are also cheap Chinese imports. Sigh…
Armed with these tips, I promise you that you can update the look of your short term rental without spending a ton of money. Now go forth and conquer! (Or call me, and I’ll do so on your behalf…)
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