Furnishing Tips For A Holiday Home
If you’re fortunate enough to be the owner of a holiday home then the problem you might encounter is how to furnish it. The type of furniture you buy will depend on the properties function; will you be using it throughout the year on various occasions, renting it out on a regular basis, or letting friends use it when they want?
What makes it difficult is that you want to put your own stamp on it, after all it is your home, but if it’s to be rented out then the furniture you choose also needs to be practical and solid if it’s to last and not be broken or marked easily by those who stay there on holiday. It also has to be comfortable and affordable of course.
Plan for a casual look but think of an atmosphere that says cosy and comfortable when deciding on the dcor and fixtures, such as dressing table mirrors; after all you want your guests to have a good time, right? And as you’ll also be spending time there you want to be relaxed and feel at home too. Do away with being formal and delicate and instead go for warmth, practicality and functional, without forgoing good taste of course! Solid oak furniture makes a lot more sense than elegant but delicate objects and fine furniture, particularly when you have lots of guests or renters in and out of your home on a regular basis.
Solid hardwood oak floors are a good investment for a rental home as they are very easy to clean and highly resilient to wear and tear, and you won’t need to pay to have the carpets cleaned regularly or replace them every few years. If the property is close to the beach or countryside where people like to walk then the floor has to be able to resist sand, mud, soil, and anything else that gets brought inside after a day out enjoying themselves. A hardwood floor is a lot more durable than carpet, and if something should get spilt or ground into the floor then it’s very easy to clean off. The more worn a wood floor is the better it looks! And you can always throw a few rugs down for colour and extra protection in well-used areas.
See your second home as the perfect chance to decorate in whatever style you fancy, have as much fun with the colour scheme and furnishings as you like and be funky and original. If you didn’t do everything you wanted with your main home then do it now. Be daring and unique and the renters will love it! Remember though that it’s also a home that needs to be relaxing and comfortable so go for lots of space for kids to run around, lots of big mirrors, large easy sofas for the family to watch TV on together, and oak dining tables for family dinners.
Bedroom furniture can be bought all in one go so it matches and fits perfectly in the surroundings. Ensure the bedrooms have plenty of storage space for holidaymakers to pack all their things away, choose beds with drawers underneath.
If the rooms are a little on the small side then headboards tend to take up too much space and you don’t really need them so do without if you can. It’s simple enough to make the area look bigger than it is actually is, just add a few strategically placed mirrors, in the hallway, bedrooms and at the tops of stairs are popular places and they come in all kinds of ranges from free-standing to wall mounted and for dressing tables.
Some vacation homes also have a garden and outdoor patio to make use of, if this is so in your case then consider adding a barbeque with table and chairs for a great outdoor living space. Everyone loves to sit outside in the evenings when it’s cool and pleasant weather.