You've bought the holiday home, chosen the paint colours and maybe even made a start on the furniture. Then the doubt creeps in. Will it look as good in the listing photos as it does in your head? Will guests pick it over the place down the road? This is usually the moment owners start wondering whether they need an Airbnb stylist, or whether they can do it themselves.
We're Sharon and Dee, and we own and host holiday homes ourselves as well as style them for other owners across the Mornington Peninsula, Melbourne and Daylesford. Here's our honest take on when DIY works, when it pays to get help, and what a holiday home styling consultant actually does.
What does a holiday home styling consultant do?
A good stylist does a lot more than choose cushions. Styling a short-stay property is about how the home works for guests and how it performs online. That means thinking about:
who your ideal guest is and what they want from a stay
a look that suits the property and its location, not just the latest trend
furniture and layouts that are comfortable, practical and easy to clean between stays
the hero shots that will sell your listing
the small touches guests remember and mention in their reviews
That's the real difference between decorating a home and styling a holiday rental: every decision is made with bookings in mind.
When DIY styling works well
Plenty of owners style their own place beautifully. Doing it yourself can work well if:
you have a clear picture of your guest and the style that suits them
you enjoy sourcing and have the time to do it properly
you're happy to test, tweak and refresh after your first few bookings
your budget is tight and you'd rather put it into a few quality pieces
If that sounds like you, start with our guide to the 7 things guests notice first in a holiday home, then grab our free 5 tips guide for a quick checklist to work through.
Signs it's time to call in a stylist
On the other hand, it's worth getting expert eyes on your property if:
bookings are slower than similar properties nearby, and you're not sure why
your photos feel flat, cluttered or just like everyone else's
you're setting up from scratch and feel overwhelmed by how much there is to buy
you live a long way from the property, or simply don't have the time
you've invested a lot in the property and need it to perform from the day it goes live
you keep buying things that don't quite work together
A fresh set of eyes can often spot in an hour what's been holding a listing back for months.
How to choose the right level of help
Styling help doesn't have to be all or nothing. At The Holiday Home Girls we work in stages, so you can choose the level of support that suits your property and your budget:
A complimentary consult. A 30-minute Zoom chat about your property, your goals and what's possible, before you spend a cent.
A styling roadmap. An on-site or virtual walk-through with a written recommendations report, custom mood boards and specific product suggestions you can action yourself.
Full-service styling. We take your property from concept to camera-ready, including sourcing, installation and shoot-day styling.
Styling for photography. Your home is ready, but you want the listing photos to do it justice.
You can see exactly what each option includes on our Work With Us page, and more about shoot days on our Styling for Photography page.
What to ask before you hire an Airbnb stylist
Whoever you work with, a few questions will tell you a lot:
Do they understand short stays, or mostly residential homes? Styling for guests is different from styling for a family home or a sale.
Can they show you properties they've styled, and what owners say about working with them? (Here's what our clients say.)
How do they handle budget, sourcing and installation?
Will they help with photography and your listing, or just the furniture?
What happens after launch if something isn't working?
Our FAQ page answers these questions about how we work.
Not sure yet? Start with a chat
If you're on the fence, a quick conversation is the easiest way to find out whether you need a stylist at all. Book a free consult and we'll tell you honestly where your property stands and what we'd change first. You might have spotted us as guest judges on The Block on Channel 9 this September, and we love talking styling, so don't be shy. Or, if you'd rather start on your own, download our free 5 tips guide.
