There are so many things to consider when you’re setting up a hotel room or an STR property and interior design has never been so important. Following last week's episode, where we talked photography, this week we talk about how the impact of stunning interior design is often not well understood and is one of those things that can stop people scrolling and start booking. We in an Instagram, Facebook and TikTok era. Inteterior design has never been so important to get right. Your guests will be impressed as it fantastic interior design creates a positive first impression and improves their experience. Interior design is so much more than just dashing lines and luxury pieces of furniture and accessories. It is not enough to fill a room with nice decor and seating options. With careful curation of furniture, fixtures, and equipment, you can create a unique and authentic atmosphere that keeps guests coming back for more. So, we did this insightful episode of The Accommodaiton Show to give you expert tips about interior design. This week I had the pleasure of interviewing Valerie Malone, founder of Quill Decor, who after designing eye-catching interiors for nearly 20 years, Valerie has secrets to share. We talk about how to combine eye-catching design, lighting with high levels of functionality. Where to splurge and how to save. During our conversation, Valerie outlines several helpful frameworks for how to think about the design style of your room and shares advice on how to effectively and efficiently craft a memorable experience that compels a 5-star rating. What we cover in this episode: What are the most important design elements of a room? What styling choices will appeal to your target guest? How to use your space to maximize comfort, ambiance, and flow. Why you should invest in high-quality furniture. How to pick and where to get inspiration to style/theme your property. How you can use art to make a space more meaningful. How to create magic using lighting. Valerie has a bachelor’s degree in interior design plus 16 years of experience practicing both commercial and residential design in the U.S. and abroad. In 2018 Valerie focused her firm, Quill Decor, on the art of short-term rental design. Valerie now runs a design consulting business helping others all around the globe perfect the decor in their short-term rentals so that they may attract the best guests and earn higher nightly rates. She wrote and produced a unique online course, Design Your BNB, to give hosts a complete step-by-step guide to designing and decorating a rental themselves from start to finish. So many useful tips in this podcast. It is a must watch/listen! 📋 Chapters! 00:00 How Smart Interior Design Will Get You More Bookings 01:40 Intro and background to Valerie and Quill Decor 06:05 Common mistakes to avoid when decorating a room for your guests 07:36 How to find hospitality-grade furniture? 09:23 Should you get an interior design consultant? 10:41 How to make a room feel warm, relaxing, and comforting? 11:50 How do you decorate a space to appeal to certain guest types? 13:21 How to select great art, lighting, and wallpaper? 14:37 Where can you get inspiration for interior designs? 18:57 How to think about decor from a guest's perspective? 21:25 Why you should try staying at your property yourself? 28:42 How to avoid making fundamental mistakes if you don’t have a design background

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