holidayhomeinformation.co.uk

Furnishing and decorating a holiday home

The UK Holiday Rental Market has changed substantially over the past few years and holiday home owners must have an up to date attitude to compete. Long gone are the days of a dusty old holiday cottage with old fashioned kitchen, lumpy beds and granny's old lounge suite! 

Visitors today will have travelled abroad and stayed in beautiful properties overseas and expect the same top quality when staying in the UK, and what's more they are willing to pay for quality and comfort. Top prices can be achieved for superior holiday homes.

Forget the idea of making a "home from home"! Today's leisure industry is about pampering and luxury, something different from home.  Guests want that week or two away to spoil themselves and give themselves a retreat from stressful lives.   You cannot put too much detail into your holiday home to entice the discerning visitor.  Luxury counts and anything that equates to "added value" will be viewed positively and mark you out from the crowd - such as the latest in entertainment systems, extra tvs and dvds  in bedrooms, playstation for kids, luxurious beds and fluffy towels, beautiful accessories and pictures, and inviting sun loungers on the terrace with a bottle of wine to hand while enjoying the stunning views. 

When purchasing your holiday home it is important to allow a significant budget to fit out the interior and pay attention to detail.  You will have invested a large amount of money in purchasing the property and it is equally important to invest in the interior presentation to maximise returns.

For best results a professional interior designer is essential, unless you have some experience of interior design yourself.  A colour co-ordinated unique design scheme for the property, in keeping with its age and character, will achieve highly lucrative results and give pride of ownership.  It is good to keep away from the mass churned out holiday home style of large developers and go for a neutral but stylish interior with the "wow" factor - keep away from bland but remember not to overdo bold colours.

A good guide for the basic requirements is available on the Quality In Tourism website http://www.qualityintourism.co.uk/.  This is today's equivalent of English Tourist Board ratings and the guide will show you how to achieve top ratings for your property in terms of the kitchen inventory, flooring and furnishings, sleeping and bathroom arrangements etc.  But once the basic requirements are met it is time to add those extra ingredients of style and design that transform a property into a sought after holiday destination, which quickly builds up a base of returning visitors and repeat bookings.

Some advice by area:

Living Areas

• You should look to provide comfortable seating to accommodate the maximum occupancy of the property. A TV is a must, and a modern flatscreen one if possible. A DVD player is an essential and if you are looking to appeal to the family market then think also about providing a games system such as an Xbox or Playstation.
• You should provide a dining table with seating to accommodate the maximum number of guests. The table should be attractive but remember that it needs to be fairly hardwearing as well!

Bedrooms          

• IF you have a property with two or more bedrooms then look to have a mix a of least one double bed and 2 or more singles to allow flexibility for both couples and families. Depending on space try and make bed sizes generous. For mattresses try to appeal to the widest market so don't buy a soft or hard mattress, go in between. Bedding should be of a good quality and able to withstand high temperature washes. Light coloured bedding is probably best, to avoid fading, but add colour with cushions and throws.

Kitchen

• Good quality appliances, work surfaces and cupboards speak volumes, and last longer. Appliances to include are: oven plus hob with minimum 4 rings, Fridge/Freezer, Dishwasher, Microwave and a washer/dryer. Many people choose self-catering to give the flexibility to cook for family whilst away so make sure you provide enough crockery and cutlery to cover the maximum number of occupants, plus some spares so that guests aren't forced to wash every plate before they can sit down to eat. Enough good quality pans and oven trays to allow for cooking a family meal.

Bathrooms

• A good quality, clean suite is essential - guests do not like stains. Also ensure you provide shelves and storage and a mirror plus the normal toilet essentials such as a towel rail and toll roll holder.

Outside spaces

• When thinking about your outside space, keep maintenance top of mind. You, or your gardener, will have limited time during the season to keep outside space looking good without disturbing guests. You should provide a table and chairs to accommodate the maximum number of guests. These should be of a good quality, not cheap white plastic. A barbecue is also valued by guests but can create a bit of a job on changeover day.

Think about making your property easy to maintain in decoration and furnishing.  Areas of high traffic will need repainting, so emulsion rather than wallpaper is advisable.  For furnishings, go for good quality.  This doesn't come cheap but will stand much more wear and tear than cheap furniture.  It will also look better in photos.  However, your property should hopefully see lots of guests coming through its doors, and accidents can happen, so avoid precious heirlooms and items that are just too expensive to replace if the worst comes to the worst.

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Whether your property needs a complete makeover, or just those final finishing touches, Chrysalis Interior Design specialises in designing and fitting out properties for holiday rentals. We recognize what holidaymakers want and have a reputation for attention to detail. Chrysalis Interior Design can assist to achieve the best possible Quality In Tourism Rating and have experience of working closely with QIT criteria.  We can advise how to achieve the highest yields on your property by presenting it to its best advantage.

We supply the final touch accessories to fully complement and enhance the chosen scheme whether classical or contemporary. We can work to almost any budget to ensure the best possible rating for your property and realise the highest potential yield on your investment.

Chrysalis Design offers you complete peace of mind for all your

Interior design requirements - business or home.
As part of our service we provide:

• Free consultation in your home
• Professional advice
• Unique personalised design
• Complete sourcing of all products and services
• Full Project management through to completion
• Holiday Rental 'Fit-out' specialists
• Furniture packs supplied
• For details and pictures of other holiday properties already completed please call

Call us now on

07765457835 Sue Williams

  07949602093 Sylvia Cutting

or visit our website http://www.chrysalis.co.uk/