congratulations! Completed a new STR. Now the race is on to get everything fixed and ready to give our guest and her a 5 star review. When considering your rental tech stack and how to install a bed in your bedroom as soon as possible, don’t ignore the walls. These help enhance your ambience and make guests feel like they’re entering a cared-for home, and are often the details mentioned in guest reviews on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. (My own recent review of his STR: “The house was clean, tastefully decorated, and had everything we needed.” The guest only mentioned three things he said , one of which he was a decoration.)
Things to consider when buying wall decorations
Mood: Before you take the plunge, think about what kind of vibe you want.are you renting Tampa, 5 minutes from the beach? Are you a cabin in the Smoky Mountains or a condo in Branson? These examples mean a whole different aesthetic direction when choosing what to hang on your walls.
Statement wall: I have no idea how far to go with the bespoke decorations. STR’s highly successful owners, Tony and Sarah Robinson, almost always create an accent or ‘selfie wall’ for their guests. It’s an instantly recognizable thing that encourages guests to take pictures, hashtag, and promote their stay. People like STR mega-owner and distributor Avery Karl say you don’t have to go that far. She recommends that the units are very clean and appropriately decorated for the market, but she worries about creating a very unique aesthetic experience to book and start her guests. She says you don’t have to.
DIY: Consider DIY art before moving on to the more commercial options below.Are you an amateur photographer and already have great photos of the beach at sunset? Have a blast with sites like shutter fly and mount it in a place of honor. Not an artist? can be counterfeited. Buy a beautiful calendar cheaply, cut out the pages (cut out the calendar part carefully) and frame it in a modern, clean frame to instantly create a stunning gallery wall in your living room.
Regardless of the plan, it should be decorated. Also, if you’re also buying big-ticket items like beds and kitchen tables when setting up your STR, you probably don’t want to spend a fortune on art. If you want to get gorgeous art cheaply, this is the place to go!
where to buy decorations
Etsy
![Decor Matters: Where to Find Inexpensive Instagrammable Art for Airbnb 2 tampa wall art](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image7.jpg?twic=v1/cover=527:557/max=1000)
![Decor matters: 3 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb tampa travel wall art](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image1-2.jpg?twic=v1/cover=476:423/max=1000)
(Photo credit: Etsy)
This is a virtually unlimited marketplace for (sometimes) original and inexpensive art. It’s also a great place to find something that feels “local” (or is local) that makes an authentic addition to your vacation rental. Start your search with a simple phrase like ‘Tampa art’ and you’ll find everything from stylized photos of iconic places around town, to contemporary line-art maps, vintage postcard-style collages, and fun 3D locals. You’ll get a variety of results, all the way up to road signs. All of these things are available for less than $25.
urban outfitters
![Decor matters: 4 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb hello neon sign](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image3-3.jpg?twic=v1/cover=385:546/max=1000)
(Photo credit: urban outfitters)
Rotating cool posters and wall sculptures, this place is also a great place to find small cheap neon signs. For the right market and the right customers, this will make your property truly stand out and feel special.
society 6
![Decor matters: 5 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb boston travel poster](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image5.jpg?twic=v1/cover=256:301/max=1000)
![Decorations matter: 6 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb how are you poster](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image4-1.jpg?twic=v1/cover=285:303/max=1000)
![Decor matters: 7 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb white boots on pink background](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image6.jpg?twic=v1/cover=304:315/max=1000)
(Photo credit: society 6)
Society6 is a marketplace where hundreds of independent designers submit their work, which Society6 uses to create all kinds of products. Once you find something you like, it’s available as posters, tapestries, wood wall art, framed prints, and even bedspreads and shower curtains. You can filter your search by style (helps you quickly narrow down your options to get the right vibe) and color. This is great if you want art in blues, greens, and blues, for example, in a beachy bedroom. White. This is also a great place to look for contemporary ‘local’ art.
20×200
![Decorations matter: 8 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb person jumping into the sea](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image9.jpg?twic=v1/cover=313:414/max=1000)
(Image courtesy: 20×200)
One of my favorite places to find cheap “real” art that looks like you’ve spent 100 times what you actually spent is 20×200. This is a curated collection of up-and-coming artists with limited edition pieces for sale. This means that every piece you buy will be signed and numbered, making that $40 photo of him likely worth more in the future (and of course, all investments You can endorse what the house is worth). This is a great way to bring a museum-quality touch of art to your STR without blowing your setup budget.
juniper print shop
![Decor matters: 9 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb Ferris wheel](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image11.jpg?twic=v1/cover=362:542/max=1000)
![Decorations matter: 10 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb a sign that i love you so much](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image8.jpg?twic=v1/cover=500:332/max=1000)
![Decorations matter: 11 places to find cheap, Instagrammable art for your Airbnb abstract beach painting](https://bpimg.twic.pics/https://www.biggerpockets.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/image10.jpg?twic=v1/cover=492:327/max=1000)
(Image courtesy: juniper print shop)
Need something really, really big? Bigger usually means more wasted budget, but Juniper Print Shop has solved the problem of costly oversized art. With all prints available up to 55×79, you can make a big statement without breaking the bank. A more modest but still huge print (20×30) retails for $69. Juniper is also a great place to find beautiful abstract paintings, depending on your mood.
Build long-term wealth with short-term rentals
Vacation rentals can be a very lucrative way to increase your monthly income, but only if you acquire and manage your property correctly. This ultimate guide to analyzing, buying, and managing vacation rentals will set you up for immediate success and long-term wealth.
Note by BiggerPockets: These are opinions written by the authors and do not necessarily represent the opinions of BiggerPockets.