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bethanyandjarad_cannon

How to step up the style in our two Airbnb's on a budget?

Bethany and Jarad Cannon
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago

We're first time home owners who just bought a house in July and turned our two downstairs bedrooms into private guest suites. We started out with the bare minimum to get it up and running but now that we've been booking we're looking for any low budget suggestions on how to spruce it up so it looks cooler and cozier. The Sunroom Suite is a double queen bedroom and bathroom with attached enclosed sunroom/living room. The King Suite is a bedroom and bathroom. You'll see the bedrooms have doors that are bolted which connect to our house.

The stucco sunroom is the most challenging, we want it to look much nicer but it has come a long way since we bought it! (see before pictures with gray stucco). We don't know how to mount anything to the stucco walls or ceilings.

Sunroom Suite:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/25677245?preview_for_ml=true&guests=1&adults=1

King Suite:

https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/26789573?preview_for_ml=true&guests=1&adults=1

Sunroom Before




Comments (3)

  • silviakunst
    5 years ago
    Ok I looked at your Airbnb listing ..it all looks very nice , clean , fresh and inviting ..nothing wrong with it except for the long cord hanging from the tv . I would get an electrician and a line up the wall to put the plug behind the tv .. And paint the sun room white ..it's too dark and depressing looking ...maybe a bench and a poster ..or ..photos of your beaches ..? Otherwise it looks great ..good luck !
  • Mrs Pete
    5 years ago
    last modified: 5 years ago

    Wow, your before and afters are a world apart! That original brown sunroom was just icky.

    Your spaces look basic, but super-clean and plenty of details (a first aid kit? Thoughtful!) to make a comfortable stay. A couple things you could add:

    - I like to read in bed, and those little accent lamps aren't even close to enough lighting. I see you're limited on space, but one night table /one lamp for four people is pretty skimpy. Could you add sconces on the outside walls for the people sleeping on the edges?

    - Do you have any extra pillows or blankets stored in the closets? Show them.

    - What're those box-looking things under the sunroom's sofa? They look messy -- can they go in the closet?

    - The refrigerator topped with a microwave topped with a coffee maker looks like an accident waiting to happen. Can you spread the kitchenette out a bit?

    - How about adding some board games? It'd be inexpensive, and it'd give people an idea of what they might do if rain ruins their beach plans.

    - The beach is your big draw, right? You might provide beach chairs or other things people might want to take to the beach. You have loads of nice towels -- am I allowed to take them to the beach, or do you expect me to bring my own beach towels?

    - How about a notebook with menus from nearby restaurants /take-out places? I don't know your city, so I'd appreciate some help choosing a restaurant. And be sure to include a variety of places. Sure, this stuff is on people's phones, but flipping through a book of places near me is nice too. I'm sure you've already written out instructions on how to access Netflix, etc.

    - Agree with other poster about electrical cords.

    - Finally, you need to spruce up your booking page -- the sunroom space's pix are nicer than the king room's pix. If I were looking to book, I would like to see more, more, more pictures -- and I'd peruse every detail of those pix.

    The writing is, well, dull; as an English teacher, I'd say you've published the first draft. Does the sunroom hold 4 people or 6 people? Both numbers are in the write-up. You've mentioned triva such as Q-tips, but you're fuzzy on how close you are to the beach -- can I walk those few blocks? Can my toddler reasonably walk those few blocks? Is parking available at your house? Is parking available at the nearby beach? You've mentioned noise in two separate places, and now you've got me worried -- consolidate that -- and if nightlife is an asset here, give me some specifics. Is this an appropriate place for kids, or is it more of an adult retreat?

    People have loads of choices -- you have to stand out from the crowd. Paint a picture of your space, sell them on choosing you. Consider hiring a writer -- you only have to do it once.

  • Emily H
    5 years ago

    Did you end up updating the spaces? Would love to hear what you did!