Designing for Investments: Telluride Family-Friendly Ski Lodge

The challenge: Speed, Budget, Space.

Designing for rentals can be tricky — we aim for maximum sleep count, a design and visual aesthetic that stands apart in the sea of options, and an in-person experience that drives 5-star reviews. We want the property to rent for top dollar, while keeping the decor investment reasonable. We source items that withstand wear and tear, but won’t cause heartburn if damaged, worn out or even stolen. 

Let’s be honest. A family ski trip with littles can make or break the future of your ski career, your patience, and your pocket book. Finding a place well suited for kiddos after a long day on the slopes is crucial. Easy access to lifts, check. Walkable through town, check. Rooms where the kids can play, hang, study, relax, get some screen time, check.

When our clients came to us with this design challenge, in our favorite ski town of Telluride, we were itching at the chance to give this property a makeover. 

—> Let’s get this on the market and rented asap, construction is costly and time consuming in ski towns so the decor needs do the heavy lifting. Must be family friendly. Oh! and the rooms in this 3 bedroom condo are so oddly shaped, there aren’t any logical places to put the beds. NBD.

The Result: 3-BD family friendly condo in the BEST Telluride location, sleeps up to 12 with heaps of FUN details sure to catch your eye on the scroll of options. If you’re designing your own property, consider these design tips to take your investment next level:

Tip #1: Know who you are designing for, and cater to them. 

As with any business venture, the first question is who you intend to attract. The interior design has a powerful impact on a psychological and practical level, and can mean the difference between a guest raving or ranting. In this case, we want to attract families with young children going on a ski vacation or a summer mountain excursion. They want the freedom to explore town by foot, and easy access to lifts and adventures. 

Every bit of this house is designed toward fun, quirky, and durable. We took the awkward space layouts in bedrooms, odd niches, undesirable built ins and said what can we do to make this awesome within the budget investment. We asked, what do kids need? A play space.  A bunk room. Desks. Reading niches and hide outs. When we lay out the needs of specific types of people, the plan comes into focus much more easily.

Tip #2: Quality Check 

Prioritizing the your splurges vs saves is critical. It’s all about a mix. Ask yourself, if this were destroyed in the near future, what level of investment both financially and emotionally am I willing to put in as the owner? As a starting point, a quality sofa always wins in our book, with a mix of high/low accents all around. Easier to ship a chair, a comforter, or coffee table book than it is to replace the sofa. 

Tip #3: Add Funky details, this is vacation…live a little.

We want guests to have the same feeling they would when staying at a boutique hotel, where the details are personal and local. From the gallery wall with decor sourced from local shops, to the books selected on the tables, each piece of decor was thoughtfully chosen to spark good vibes.

Bonus Tip: Always consider paint. It will transform everything. 

If you’re looking for guidance in furnishing and decorating your home to maximize its potential, contact us to learn about our virtual Vision Board service. We’ll get to know everything about your space and take the guesswork out of the equation, creating a fully customized design for your rental’s success. This budget-friendly design service gives you the direction you’re searching for. 

Inquire here.

If you’re if you’re in need of some seriously great budget friendly decor – we’ve curated heaps of great options in our Amazon shop. We want to see what you create, that is what Design RX is all about! Share your creativity with us at #SHDesignRX