
What’s the best way to ensure you’re starting a design project off right? Selecting the perfect colors and fabrics for your space. In preparation for the holidays, we’ve been painting walls and placing furniture deliveries. Our loft calls for a modern, industrial design that pays homage to the character of our historic building. Between the color palette and fabric selections, I couldn’t be more excited to show you what we’ve put together and give you a few tips on how to create a similar design for your own listing.
Selecting the color palette was a delicate balance between the appeal of a modern space but honoring the history of our building. While we wanted guests to recognize the updates, we also carefully tied in elements from the lobby, elevator, and hallways they would enter through. This way, walking into our unit doesn’t feel like a shock of modern design after checking in, in a lobby from the 1930’s.
The design foundation had to be neutral to avoid overwhelming our future guests. How many times have you walked into an AirBnb and looked at some of the decorations only to think, “what the hell is this?” Exactly. Keep the wall color, cabinets, and flooring all basic. We already had hardwood floors and white cabinets, so we opted for an extremely light gray wall color. Not only does it make the space feel larger, but it also looks more appealing in the photos for the listing.
To be honest, I was terrified to select a paint color for the walls. There are so many options, and working in an open concept space like our loft, I was afraid of not doing the tall ceilings and large windows justice. If you’re renovating a space similar to ours, keep this in mind when you’re searching for a wall color. I’m in love with the Eider White we selected.
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Fabric selection for an AirBnB should focus on one thing. . . layers, layers, and more layers. While we focused on durability to ensure our design could endure future turnovers, we wanted the space to feel like a home. Adding different textures instantly gives guests that cozy feel you’ll want them to have.
We purchased our leather couch from IKEA and couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. For longevity of your space, I’d highly recommend selecting leather over any other couch fabrics. Liquids or odors don’t soak in as easily, and we even include “cleaning” the couch as one of the steps in our turnovers. It doesn’t take much time to wipe everything down, and keeps our small space fresher than if a large down couch would.
Velvet and fur throw pillows are perfect for creating layers that make guests feel at home, but they are not the easiest to clean. I highly recommend adding a few items like this to accomplish a welcoming feel, but make these budget items. Our velvet pillow cases are from IKEA and cost about $7 while our fur throw pillow was about $15 at Target. If they ever need to be replaced for any reason, it won’t be a huge cost. So many small improvements may need to be made on a transient property in the future, the last thing you need to worry about it dropping a few hundred dollars on replacing expensive throw pillows.