Renting out a holiday home is an excellent way to secure some income for yourself. Although the amount of rent you will be able to charge will partly depend on external factors that you can’t do anything about – such as the size and location of the property and whether it’s being rented at peak times or not – decorating your holiday let in the right way can raise its appeal and, therefore, its marketability. Here are some tips for decorating your luxury holiday let.

1. Give the place a local touch

Most tourists appreciate feeling like they have immersed themselves in a different place to the one they have travelled from – it adds to their holiday feeling and helps them forget the hubbub of their daily life, and it’s also a great attraction for history, geography and anthropology enthusiasts. To take the décor of your holiday let to the next level, work with some local businesses to create bespoke pieces to display in the property, such as a tartan rug if your holiday let is in the Highlands of Scotland. Make sure you display the name of the artist, and your guests will feel the sense of satisfaction that comes from supporting small local businesses.

2. Consider both style and comfort

When choosing furniture for your holiday let, it is imperative that you buy pieces that go well with each other and with the rest of the décor but are also comfortable to use. Dining chairs are often one of the hardest kinds of furniture to buy, as more often than not, those that look the best are also the most rigid and uncomfortable. If you are using a traditional décor, you should choose upholstered chairs for added comfort; if you are going with a contemporary look, there are plenty of ergonomic options with good back support.

3. Put entertainment systems in the right places

Providing entertainment systems, such as a TV, a hi-fi stereo or a games console, will make your holiday let much more appealing to potential guests. However, if the place you are letting out is a period property, or if you have chosen to decorate it in a more traditional style, you don’t want big pieces of modern technology to stand out in a jarring way. Using a TV wall cabinet is a good way to minimise the visual impact of a big screen on the overall aesthetic of the room, especially if you choose a cabinet or shelf that matches the rest of the décor.

4. Use high-quality soft furnishings

If you put a lot of money and effort into choosing the right furniture and decorations for your holiday let, but then skimp on the soft furnishings, your guests will notice, and it will detract from their experience. Buy towels and sheets made of cotton with at least 600 GSM (grams per square metre).

This number is also known as ‘thread count’, and the higher it is, the more luxurious the fabric will feel.