Mount Martha is one of those places guests fall for quickly. Calm bay beaches, colourful beach boxes, hillside streets with water views and a village that's made for a slow coffee. If you own a holiday home or Airbnb in Mount Martha, your styling should make guests feel that easy, bayside pace from the moment they walk in.
We're Sharon and Dee, The Holiday Home Girls, and the Mornington Peninsula is our home base. Here's how we'd approach styling a Mount Martha holiday home so it stands out in the listings and keeps booking all year, not just over summer.
Know who's booking a Mount Martha stay
Mount Martha's calm bay beaches make it a favourite with young families, grandparents booking for the whole clan and couples wanting a quiet weekend close to Melbourne. Each group looks for slightly different things, so decide who your main guest is before you buy anything.
Families want durable sofas, plenty of beds and somewhere to stash scooters and beach bags. Multi-generational groups need a dining table big enough for everyone and a comfortable chair for the grandparents. Couples are booking for a feeling: a beautiful bed, good coffee and a spot to watch the bay. Style for your main guest first, then add a few touches for everyone else.
Let the bay set your palette
Mount Martha sits on the calmer bay side of the Peninsula, so your styling can feel softer and more relaxed than a surf-coast beach house. Think sandy neutrals, soft whites, warm timber and gentle blues and greens taken straight from the water and the bush on the hills.
Skip the anchors and "beach life" signs. Instead, bring the bay in through texture: linen, rattan, woven baskets, stoneware and natural timber. It feels coastal without the cliché, and it photographs beautifully. Our guide to Airbnb styling on the Mornington Peninsula has more ideas on getting this balance right.
Make the most of the view
Many Mount Martha homes sit on sloping blocks with glimpses of the bay. If yours has a view, arrange the living room around it. Turn a sofa or a pair of chairs towards the window, keep window furnishings light and simple, and don't block the outlook with bulky furniture or clutter on the sill.
Plan for beach days and busy families
Bay beaches mean sandy feet, wet towels and a lot of coming and going. Good styling makes that easy:
a hook rail or bench at the entry for hats, towels and beach bags
an outdoor shower or tap to rinse off sand before coming inside
washable slipcovers and performance fabrics on sofas and dining chairs
a basket of beach towels kept separate from the bath towels
a high chair, portacot and a few kids' books for families
Make outdoor living the hero
Guests choose a Mount Martha stay for long lunches and sunset drinks. Give your deck, courtyard or garden the same attention as the living room: a generous outdoor dining setting, comfortable lounge seating, an umbrella or shade sail, outdoor rugs and festoon lights. A well-styled outdoor space is often the hero shot of the listing.
Style for every season
Summer will look after itself, but the Peninsula's cooler months are where good styling earns its keep. Layer throws and cushions you can swap with the seasons, add warm lamps for winter evenings, and make sure there's a cosy spot to read or play a board game when the weather turns. Our pre-season styling refresh is a good checklist for getting ready each year.
Give your photos something to say
Your listing photos do the selling before anyone reads a word. Style each room with one clear story, such as coffee on the deck with a bay view or a family breakfast at the big table. Edit back surfaces, make beds properly and shoot in good natural light. Read our tips on getting ready for a listing photo shoot, or let us look after it with our styling for photography service.
Mount Martha holiday home styling FAQs
Do you style holiday homes in Mount Martha?
Yes. The Mornington Peninsula is our home base, and we style holiday homes across the Peninsula, including Mount Martha (as well as Melbourne and across Australia).
Can you work with the furniture I already have?
Absolutely. Often the biggest change comes from editing and rearranging what's already there, then adding a few key pieces. Our guide to furnishing a holiday home explains where it's worth spending.
Where should I start?
Start by deciding who your guest is, then work room by room with our holiday home styling checklist.
Ready to style your Mount Martha holiday home?
Whether you're setting up a new holiday home or refreshing one that's been booking for years, we'd love to help. Take a look at our Airbnb styling on the Mornington Peninsula services and book a free consult with Sharon and Dee. You might have spotted us as guest judges on The Block on Channel 9 this September, and we love talking styling.
Not ready to chat yet? Grab our free guide, 5 tips for your holiday home, and start making changes this weekend. Heading further down the Peninsula? Read our guide to Airbnb styling in Sorrento.
Sharon & Dee, The Holiday Home Girls
