Summer is the busiest season for vacation rentals, and a beautifully decorated space can be the difference between getting rented out or not. Yes, where the property is located and what amenities it offers matter, but ultimately, your goal is to create a unique experience for your guests through the space they inhabit. Regardless of whether you’re renting a beach house, lake cottage, or mountain cabin, thoughtful home decor can make your property stand out and enhance your rental experience. Here are five summer vacation rental decor ideas to make you shine this season:
Embrace a Light and Airy Aesthetic
Summer necessitates vacation rentals that embody brightness and warmth. Maximize natural light by utilizing sheer curtains or linen drapes in white or cream colour. Keep a light colour palette. Combine colours like sandy beige, pale blue, and fresh white to establish an airy, lightened-up feel. Place mirrors in specific spots to reflect sunlight and further create the illusion of space. Refrain from using unnecessary stuffing and heavy materials during the hot season. Light materials and furnishings that allow air to flow freely can be used to create a clean, breezy environment.
Infuse Local Charm Through Decor
If you can connect your rental property to the local area where you live, then incorporate any local materials or products produced in the area into the interiors. A beach house may have a driftwood sculpture, some wicker baskets, or a couple of nautical charts defining the local area. A cabin in the mountains may have a lot of local stone, rough-hewn wood details, or some ceramics made by hand. Such touches not only enhance beauty but also offer visitors a deeper, more authentic experience. Use regionally inspired patterns and accents subtly, without using themes that are contrived or overly touristy. Authenticity, and not kitsch, is the goal.
Design a Comfortable and Inviting Bedroom
The bedroom is most often the sanctuary for visitors after a long day of summer activities. For comfort, highlight softness, light materials, and calming colours. White or pale-coloured bed linen with a high thread count creates a hotel-like ambiance without making the room feel too hot. Incorporate layers of lightweight throws and decorative pillows for a touch of elegance. Most importantly, invest in soft and cozy bed heads that not only offer visual comfort but also encourage guests to unwind with a book or a late-night movie. Leave nightstands free of clutter with the essentials: a charging station, a reading lamp, and perhaps a small vase of fresh flowers.
Optimize Outdoor Living Spaces
Summer rentals often come with great outdoor spaces, whether it’s a large deck, a small balcony, or a splendid garden area. Comfortable seating, shade options such as umbrellas or a pergola, and sun-protective materials are essential. Lighting is also important; adding some ambient space with string lights, or even solar classic lanterns, LED tea lights, and candles, makes for a magical evening. Some simple potted plants, herbs, or succulents provide a touch of greenery with minimal maintenance. It’s nice to have a grill, or even a fire pit, for bringing the most enjoyment out of the space. Simply having a dining area set up for a casual meal extends the time spent outside and encourages a genuine dinner experience outdoors.
Provide Thoughtful, Seasonal Accents
Thoughtful, seasonal accents can update your rental without requiring a do-over. Use the space to your advantage with some lemon-scented taper candles, nautical-printed dishware, or lightweight linen napkins with summery colours. You may want to use flatweave rugs instead of traditional rugs, which can be harder to clean or less suitable for summer. You may also want to change out art prints or wall hangings to echo a summer motif look. Sunsets, flower photography, or happy sun colours in abstract work would help ease your setting into summer. All of these small things not only add an element of interest to the space and decor, but they also convey an overall sense of concern and care that guests truly appreciate.
Designing a summer rental reaches beyond aesthetic choices. You want to build a vibe that complements your guests’ overall experience, one that’s sunlit and colourful, with a local flavour and touchstones. This includes cozy bedrooms, functional and stylish outdoor spaces, and more, each piece contributing to a larger vision. You can make your rental a prime hot spot with the right touches and seasonal adjustments, and then you can impress for all the right reasons.
Peter is an LGBT travel and lifestyle writer at Queer Voices magazine, living between Australia and Europe. Besides writing, he also worked as a freelance fashion stylist for many magazines. A true craft beer and soy latte aficionado, he loves spending his days at the beach and visiting second-hand stores on a daily basis. Follow Peter on Twitter below for more tips.
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