Search Go
   Home       Travelers       Homeowners       Property Managers       Travel Deals   
   
Search Community
Go
Browse
Top 10 Articles
Services & Tools
HomeAway Sites
Quick Reference Links
Sample Forms
FAQs
  Amenities & Furnishings , Top 10 Decorating Styles to Avoid in Your Vacation Rental  
 
     
Top 10 Decorating Styles to Avoid in Your Vacation Rental

While “Shabby Chic” may be increasingly popular, these decorating movements are never in style.
 

1) Dingy chic. If a piece of furniture was once in your husband's dorm room, it's probably not ideal for your vacation home. Renters expect the furnishings at your property to be as nice as or nicer than their furniture at home.

2) Hodgepodge chic. This often goes hand in hand with the style above. It's likely that the red leather couch that you just moved out of the rec room at your primary home doesn't go with the beach-inspired pastels currently residing in the living room of your vacation rental.

3) Fraternity chic. Unless your vacation rental is a $15/night property, $59 futons and sheet-covered couches are never acceptable. Also, avoid bringing outdoor furniture indoors. It is rarely comfortable for long-term vegging and quickly makes a nice property seem like a frat house.

4) Partisan chic. Avoid political décor. Not everyone will share your views and you don't want to risk alienating potential travelers on the basis on politics. This also applies to overly risqué or religious décor.

 

5) Kitschy chic. Be wary of over-decorating. Too many trinkets, quilts, kitten photos, and natural artifacts can make your home feel cluttered and crowded. There's no need to keep every seashell that your kids have ever picked up on the beach. A few decorative items in each room can go a long way.

6) Creepy chic. Avoid too personal décor. While it's fine to display a few family photos, think twice before constructing a shrine to your late grandmother, complete with her ashes.

7) Museum chic. Vacation rental homes are made to be lived in and especially when you have renters with children—accidents do happen. If you have a valuable art collection or priceless family heirlooms, perhaps you should display them at your primary home instead.

8) Spartan chic. There's definite merit to less-is-more; however, your vacation home shouldn't resemble a military barracks. Add a little bit of color and softness to your home by adding a throw pillow or two and some wall art.

9) Storage room chic. Avoid cramming too much furniture into a room. While this may increase your sleep number, it can make your home feel small and claustrophobic.

10) Non sequitur chic. Renters are often leery of out-of-place themes and decorating touches. Typically renters want a beach condo to feel bright and beachy and a mountain cabin to feel to rustic and cozy. It may not be the best idea to have a Hawaiian-themed living room in the Rockies or an homage to trophy hunting in the Caribbean.