How To Make Your Garden Room Airbnb Friendly

31st October 2017

With Airbnb being an incredibly popular choice for tourists, it offers the opportunity to live like a local and experience the spatial and exterior architecture of your chosen destination – giving you an authentic experience. The most popular reason for choosing Airbnb is its value for money compared to a hotel (and sometimes even a hostel!) – So it’s no wonder hosts are becoming more creative with their properties and turning their extra space into additional income.

There are more than a million Airbnb’s available to book, with some properties ranging from canal boats to tree houses – cool, right? But maybe you’ve been wondering what you can do with your garden room, empty shed or all that extra space tucked away. Not only would it be a great project to invest in but the extra income means you’ll end up making some return in investment!

Here’s how you can decorate and turn your garden room into an Airbnb-friendly stay for your guests:

Use space wisely

Garden rooms are notoriously small – however this shouldn’t be a limiting factor when you get round to furnishing your garden room space. As you’d like your garden room to fit the purpose for an AirBnb traveller – think about how you can make the most of your space:

Build up instead of down

• Got a number of books and ornaments you’d like to fill the space with? Why not stack shelves on top of each other to further maximise your wall space (which in turn will allow room for other bits and pieces).
• Hang plants instead of placing them on the floor or every flat surface in your room. You can even use any sills for placing small decorative features to add a sense of interest to your garden room.

Multifunctional/purposeful decor

Your new Airbnb-friendly garden room is a haven for all sorts of possibilities:

A study

• Invest in a small study area within your comfortable guesthouse. It can be used as a unique selling point to target those digital nomads or businessmen on foreign business.

A mini spa

• Although we don’t recommend trying to cram in a hot-tub, but even a small area with a shelf containing essential oils, candles and self-care products, towels and a comfortable, luxurious space to sit or relax in can work wonders for travellers after a little relaxation.

A mini gym

• A few decent sized weights and a yoga mat would work great for travellers who like to keep fit on their travels. Stack some home-exercise books and towels into a dedicated shelf to make your garden room into a guest house with a mini-gym

Consider low-maintenance plants as a decorative feature

The colour and decorative features of a plant can make any space feel more imbued with nature, however if you’re away from your home for good lengths of time then real plants might not last long enough for your guests to fully appreciate. Here are a few plant decorating tips to get you started:

Invest in succulents

• Succulents are perfect for forgetful gardeners or those who are away for long periods of time as they retain water very well. Think Aloe Vera, Cactuses and Plush Plants.

Or if you’re really forgetful…

• Invest in fake plants. This opens you up to a variety of different species that you won’t have to maintain – just ensure you dust your plants after every guest checks out!

Blend your outdoor space seamlessly

Room decor ideas can be challenging for some – however a simple solution would be integrating your outdoor decor into your Airbnb garden room to create a seamless visual flow between the two.

Use similar materials

• One of the best ways to do this is to identify the materials used in your outdoor space – do you use wooden decking? Why not furnish your garden room with a wooden bedside table or chairs.

Lighting

• If you use solar-powered lighting in your garden then why not incorporate suspended ambient lighting or fairy lights around your garden room to add some warmth and ambience?

add warmth to your airbnb garden room

“Garden rooms can be kept just as warm as a cosy living room with a portable electric stove. Portable electric stoves are easy to use, effectively heat rooms and also create a great focal point. At the flick of a switch users will experience a warm and inviting glow making the room one that can be used all year round. Electric stoves have really developed over the last two decades and there is a number of stylish units on the market which appeal to a range of ages, tastes and different interior décor schemes.”

Ben Upham, Creative Designer Focal Point Fires

Make your guest bed inviting

It’s no doubt that by keeping your bed looking comfortable and inviting you’ll promote a sense of relaxation and comfort for your guest.

Appletrees’ Head of Design Jackie McLoughlin advises “four pillows to cater for everyone’s comfort preference, offering two synthetic and two natural fill (feather & down) pillows to give guests an option”.

• Adding a couple of small cushions will give your garden Airbnb lodge a homey feel whilst adding little accents to its décor.
  • You can’t go wrong with mixing different patterns and styles. Buy a few that will compliment the garden rooms’ intended décor to give the whole room a unique look.

Use DIY techniques for a homey touch

A garden room for some is a large investment, especially as it needs to be furnished so decor ideas might be the last thing on your mind. However you might have some materials and spare parts lying around that could be used to make some functional and decorative pieces for your garden room. Not only is this cost-effective but your garden room will have a unique, decorative feel that’s economical:

Lighting

• Collect old jam jars that can be used to make mini lamps – simply wash/dry them out and wind in some small fairly lights.
  • Bonus if it’s a coloured jar for added ambience!

Wire basket end-table

• If you’ve got an old bedside table or big slab of wood lying around – simply turn an old wire basket upside down to create a unique bedside table for your garden room.

Stack wooden palettes for extra storage and aesthetic

• These functional objects make great, rustic pieces of decor! They can be used in place of a shed or cupboard and customised to your hearts’ content

Tin can lanterns

• Hang your own lanterns by using old tin cans and a Stanley knife to carve out your own designs – place a candle or a bundle of fairy lights into them and watch your designs become decorate shadows on the wall.

Get inspired by key design trends

Home and garden design trends are both ever-changing and timeless. We’ve collated some trends that are here to stay and can inspire your own:

Nordic cool

• You may be well acquainted with the Scandinavian trends Hygge and Lagom which can be integrated into all aspects of interior design. These trends are perfect for Airbnb travellers looking for a cosy, minimalistic vibe that detracts from all the outside chaos.

Be bold

• Bold colour and pattern blocking is also a popular hit and is a common trend that seems to pop up in most seasons. We recommend sticking to a set palette of colours as to not overwhelm the space you’re furnishing

Rustic and natural

• We believe a garden room should be an extension of your home, so why not add features of your current decor into your Airbnb garden room? Think natural, untreated wood, stone and colours from nature for a rustic vibe that connects your guest to the wonders of nature.