Short Term Rental Interior Design

Hello! If you don’t already know me, my name is Quinn Coats and I taught art for 15 years before pursuing an interior design business full time. I own one full time short-term rental (STR) with my husband, Keegan. It was our first home and we loved it so much that when we decided to move to a quieter street for our young boys, we kept our first house to rent out. I've added a few photos of that sweet little house. It sits in the heart of Kansas City, is more than 120 years old and deserves to reflect its history. Kansas City art and books are everywhere, and antique pieces are peppered throughout.

My start in interior design came before our first rental, when a friend started his first STR. I mentioned that if he wanted any help with decor and making the spaces look a certain way, I welcomed the opportunity to work with him. At the time I had over ten years of Art Education experience (read: hearing others' visions and helping them become a reality) and I had watched every interior design show possible, so I felt like I could learn on my feet.

Now more that 6 years later, one of my favorite parts of being a designer is partnering with homeowners to prep their home to become a short-term rental. Two key elements to a great STR are a cohesive style and clean and crisp hotel elements. Here is a list of a few things that everyone should consider when starting a short-term rental.

1. Budget

There are several items that you want to purchase new and find good quality: mattresses, bed linens, towels, throw pillows and blankets are at the top of this list. Fabric items, such as couches, chairs, headboards should be new as well, but don't need to break the bank. However, when looking for wood items you can shop second hand, estate sales, garage sales, or antique stores. Wood furniture pieces have distinct time periods, so try to keep them all to a cohesive style (antique, mid-century, traditional).

2. Style

Try to work with the orginal style of your home instead of against it. For example, if you have a mid-century house, embrace the mid-century modern aesthetic and lean into the charm. It will also help you feel like you don't have to update every detail of the house. Suddenly colored tiles in the bathroom make sense when the rest of the house feels like it is enjoying the style too.

3. Insurance

Don't forget to adjust your homeowner's insurance to cover STR - many homeowner insurance plans don’t and will drop your coverage if they find out you have a STR in your home. It’s not extremely expensive to get STR insurance but you might need to switch providers.

4. Repairs

Take a hard look around the space and make any repairs that visitors would frown upon, such as replacing light bulbs, fixing slow drains, or anything else that isn’t working properly.

5. Cleanliness

Do a deep clean before guests arrive to ensure five-star cleaning reviews. Establish who will do your cleanings between guests. Cleanliness is one of the top things guests are looking for and will rate STRs on.

6. Safety

Install a smart lock on your door so check-ins and check-outs are easy. Consider installing a ring camera to help know when guests arrive and leave.

7. Location Details

Consider the location when adding finishing touches. What are the top reasons someone might choose to stay in your area? This STR was one minute from an extensive trail system that runs through our city, so I chose to embrace that nature theme. Above the entry table is a piece of art that showcases all of the parks and trails in the city. And throughout the rest of the home are Kansas City art and touches that bring the outdoors in.

Something I wish I would have known when I started:

When renting short-term rentals, you will make more than you can with a regular rental, however, I suggest trying medium-term rental websites first. There are several who cater to travel nurses, long term travelers, or homeowners that are dealing with an insurance claim. The upside to medium-term rentals is that you can charge slightly more than a rental, but you won't need to clean the space as often. The downside is that people can treat your home like their home, possibly being messier. Consider asking them to pay for a cleaner every two weeks to help with upkeep and keep the renters accountable for taking care of the space.

Try medium-rentals first, because once your calendar starts to fill with short term rentals, you won't be able to try medium-term rentals unless you purposely block your calendar off.

Enjoy the process and if you need, I am here to help.

Quinn Coats Designs is a Kansas City based Interior Design Consultant and can work with clients anywhere through online consultations. Focusing on your style and your budget to curate a custom home design that will help you feel happy in your home. If you are interested in design services or have a potential project, you can find all contact details on quinncoatsdesigns.com