Earlier this year I started working with a client based in the UAE on their one bedroom apartment in South Yarra. It was a standard one bedroom apartment off Chapel Street. My clients wanted to renovate to list the apartment on Airbnb. So let’s take a close up look at this colourful Melbourne Airbnb.
Airbnb interior design brief
All interior design or interior styling projects begin with the brief. For an accommodation design project this conversation also covered the business side of the space.
That is how much will it cost guests to stay in the Airbnb p/night? What’s the average occupancy rate? And any add ons that the guests can buy during their stay in the space, for example wine or beer?
Once the client was comfortable with the business side of this project, we talked about the interior design strategy. What was the overall look and feel for the Airbnb the client wanted to achieve.
Part of this discussion involved understanding the target audience, the local attractions such as high end fashion shopping, Prahran Market, the Jam Factory and a vibrant food scene.
In the end the interior design strategy encompassed the following, a place that is an extension of guests’ stay in Melbourne. The space should be fun and exciting. Full of art, colour and interesting vignettes. Hospitable, and a comfortable space for travellers to get ready in the morning to see touristic sights or work and then relax in the evening with a drink. Finally, a space that is exciting, has wow factor and is Instagrammable.
Art, colour and pattern
The first task for this project was to select a colour to paint the walls. My client wanted blue walls, but which blue? I started my search for the perfect blue colour by looking at powder blue colours. But eventually landed on a colour called Blue Destiny by Dulux. This colour was warm, welcoming, dynamic but not too dark and moody.
Then the art was selected. Throughout the apartment art features heavily, in the hallway, bedroom and opening living, dining and reading nook.
A range of pieces were selected by the client and I had to choose the right pieces that best met the brief, budget and wall. Feature pieces are found in the bedroom and dining zone.
Final styling for impact
Styling this apartment was also carefully considered. The styling had to be stunning for the photographs as a vital marketing tool but also aspirational and easy to recreate for the cleaner after each stay.
Décor included organic sculptural pieces, foliage, colour and pattern as well texture. You can see the texture such as the rattan in the plant pots, and place mats. Waffle pattern in the throw and cushions.
Life imitating art was also part of the styling direction which we see with the black jug acting as a vase on the dining table, replicating what we see in the art above. Look closely and you can see the patterns in the art in the reading nook repeated in the cushions on the armchairs underneath.
Attention to detail was key to this colourful Melbourne Airbnb, which you can now book to stay in for your next visit.
