How to Furnish your Vacation Rental for the Best Short-term Rental Photos 

Did you know that many travelers look for short-term rental properties over hotels because of the conveniences that a home has as well as its short-term rental photos? It can be more relaxing and comfortable than a hotel and of course, has more space for more guests!

But many people choose a short-term vacation rental based on how it is furnished and is portrayed online. This means you want to make sure your Airbnb or VRBO listing is up to par so you can get the most out of your short-term rental photos!

Here are a couple of tips to get you started!   

Make sure it’s spic and span! 

Before the shoot, everything must be clean! You’ll want to clean and style your place beforehand because the short-term rental photos you’ll be giving to your guests are an indication of what they are going to expect when they stay at your property! 

Make sure to do a double take! Look at your walls and countertops, are there any fingerprints or dust bunnies? Look at all the beds in the rental property, are they made, and are the covers and pillows straight and upright? It’s all in the details and you’d be surprised at what photography can pick up! 

As a photographer, we will be focusing on capturing the perfect lighting and composition while we are photographing your short-term vacation rental so you’ll want everything spic and span so we can capture the best possible interior design photos!!

Declutter! 

Not only is being clean of huge importance when styling your vacation rental for professional Airbnb photography but so is making sure that everything is decluttered! Although there are necessary items such as a dustbin, vacuum, or ironing board there’s no need to keep them out in plain sight. These aren’t the most exciting things to photograph and have your potential guests see. 

Aesthetics are important!

Aesthetics are another important part of furnishing your home! It’s all about how the property is going to look through photos! You’ll want to construct a room with colors, accents, and decor that will make the room look amazing from a couple of different angles. The photos need to be eye-catching which means so does your short-term vacation rental!

Try adding some homely touches to your short-term vacation rental! When you look at homes it’s never empty, is it? There’s always some sort of decor or item laying around giving the home some personality! Think about putting in some fresh flowers, plants, magazines, or books on the coffee table or next to the bed. Adding these in strategic places will provide the photos with more personality and allow the guests to feel more at home when looking through your listing. 

Just take a look at my client Meredith’s Sweet Clementine Airbnb below. See how there are books on the coffee table as well as plants all around the home? Can you feel the homeliness that it gives you and the personality it portrays? This is what you need!

Not only did Meredith style her Airbnb like this she also had an interior stylist, Kelcie Anton. She helped with styling during the session and create little moment vignettes with the charcuterie board and champagne to really give the guests a glimpse of the possible moments! 

Keep updated photographs!

Last but not least! It’s so important to keep your Interior design photographs up to date! You may forget that you are adding new items or upgrades to your short-term vacation rental every so often and not have these in your photos. So make sure you invest in a professional interior design photographer like me, who can help you get photos that will portray your most recent vacation rental and attract your ideal clients! 

Remember professional interior photographers know how to portray your property that will guide the viewer’s eyes to certain points and details. Always accentuating your listing and property’s best features through color, contrasts, and angles. So that you can get more bookings and the return on investment you are looking for! 

Unsure if professional interior photography is worth it? Check out my blog “Luxury Farm Vacation Rental Interior Photography in Round Top Texas” to see what your vacation rental photography could look like! 

If you’ve been thinking about investing in interior photography for your short-term vacation rental and this has inspired you to go for it, reach out to me here to book with a Houston interior design photographer!