Strategic Design for Short-Term Rentals
Discover how Bri and Jordan turned their passion project into a thriving business, designing STR properties that stand out from the competition and generate more revenue.
In this episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast, we are excited to welcome Jordan McDonough and Bri West, Co-Founders of Somerled Designs, an interior design and furnishing company specializing in short-term rentals and operating nationwide. With strong backgrounds in interior design, marketing, and real estate investing, Jordan and Bri treat each design project as an opportunity to drive a higher ROI for STR investors.
In the insightful conversation, Jordan and Bri share their concept of designing cash-flowing short-term rentals based on market research. They share that analyzing the target audience and studying the data enable them to develop effective strategies to improve property performance, select optimal amenities, and create designs that provide an immersive experience for guests that is different from home.
Press Play now to find out how Bri and Jordan turned their passion project into a thriving business, designing STR properties that stand out from the competition and generate more revenue.
Do you prefer to read the highlights? We’ve got a summary of the key takeaways below.
How It All Started
Bri says their interior design business “came about pretty organically.” Five years ago, Bri started investing in short-term rentals. Since she had a background in marketing, she approached her STR business with a marketing mindset, creating a strategy for her target audience.
“I had all that written out, but the design was really stumping me. I'm actually not a designer, and Jordan is,” Bri reveals. Jordan's been her good friend since college, so Bri asked her to help. “And she said yes, even though she had a full-time job and was super busy, but we had a lot of fun setting up a few of my initial properties.”
At that time, Bri was part of some mentorship programs, and some people asked her who was designing her properties and whether they could get her contact information. So Bri and Jordan started offering their interior design services to some of the people who had been asking. And 3 years ago, they decided to go all in on strategic design for short-term rentals, focusing on ROI.
“It's all marketing,” Bri points out. “It's not what we personally like, or what the investor likes. It's all about the guest experience and how we can capture the most revenue and the most bookings and position our clients to charge a premium rate.”
Developing a Design Strategy
Jordan shares some of the key factors they consider when developing a strategy for their clients. “The very first thing that we look at is, where are you investing? What is your competition doing? What is the reason why people are coming to this area? And then, how can we really capitalize on that with design?” This approach enables them to develop a design strategy that helps clients boost revenue.
“The conversations from the very beginning are very data-focused. We are looking at numbers. We are looking at your payback period and ROI for a strategic design service like ours. And we don't even touch design until all of that is solidified.”
Jordan emphasizes that design is the last thing they jump into, because they are designing STR properties that will drive higher ROI. “And who is going to give you that return? It is the target audience, the people who are actually going to be booking your property. So it's a cool strategy and formula that we came up with very early on, and it is still the same thing that we hold to today.”
Mistakes Hosts Make When Designing Properties Themselves
“The strategy comes first because you need to look at it from a numbers standpoint and have a plan before you're doing execution,” Bri says. “So I think a costly mistake is throwing amenities around without having a clear vision.”
Bri explains that when adding amenities, you need to match the competition and include the amenities they offer. But you should also go a step above and create an experience with amenities worth traveling for, photograph it, and add photos to your listing—this can help you stand out.
“So I'd say one kind of miss that people have when they're designing on their own is just this guesswork, kind of like throwing shots in the dark. You need to go in with a strategy. So hit those amenities. Are the unique amenities you can bring in set your property apart and enable you to charge a premium rate?”
Balancing Design with Practicality
Jordan points out that when creating a design strategy, it’s essential to invest in elements that enhance the overall guest experience without breaking the bank.
“We always come back to knowing our clientele and their investors. So we're not going to suggest spending money to spend money. We need to make sure their money has a return and that it makes sense. And so we are really good at looking at a space and knowing where we want to spend and then where we want to save.”
Jordan recommends spending on items with “a high touchpoint.” Guests usually spend most of the time in living areas, so it probably makes sense to invest in a great sofa or sectional. “But where we're going to save is probably in a secondary bedroom and maybe not spend money on the highest-end nightstands because that's just going to be something that serves a function to hold a lamp on it. But it's not going to be something that is going to add to the overall experience.”
As the conversation continues, Bri and Jordan discuss photography strategy, décor tweaks for high and low seasons, and their approach to designing properties for clients with large portfolios. They also share the challenges they faced as they grew their business in the industry and how they maintain a successful business partnership.
Listen to the full episode of the Hospitable Hosts podcast to learn about the inspiring story of Somerled Designs and discover the secrets of their success.
