After purchasing a rental property, investors need to furnish it attractively, yet rationally and effectively, before listing it on Airbnb and other vacation rental platforms. Indeed, how a home is designed and furnished is one of the leading factors determining its success in bookings, daily rates, guest reviews, and rankings.
Showplace Airbnb design and furnishing services are frequently used by hosts, but are they worth it? This article reviews the scope and quality of services offered by the company, the price, the timeline, and the average results.
Showplace Company Overview
Showplace is a vacation rental design and furnishing company that offers both pre-made designs and customizable end-to-end solutions for real estate investors and property managers. The company does not implement major renovation and remodeling works.
Design and furnishing services are flexible to reflect the owner’s experience, availability, skills, and preferences. Moreover, the company offers furnishing services both for new listings that require starting from scratch and for existing listings that simply need refreshing. Showplace designs are tailored to the host’s budget, the space, and the property’s typical guests. The company specializes in short term and mid term rentals.
Justin Miller and Dan Palumbo founded Showplace in 2020, with headquarters in Denver, CO. For all services, Showplace relies on technology to deliver designs that help vacation rental operators work smarter and more efficiently. To date, the company has furnished over 1,000 Airbnb properties across the US market.
Showplace-designed and furnished properties and their hosts experience:
- An average increase of 22% in nightly revenue
- An 83% boost in rankings based on guest reviews
- Saving up to 75 hours in getting properties guest-ready
Showplace Airbnb Design Services
Showplace services fall into two main categories: 1) Custom designs and 2) Pre-made designs.
Showplace Custom Designs
The core business of Showplace is the provision of all-inclusive solutions for setting up new Airbnb listings and refreshing existing ones. Vacation rental owners get to work with an expert designer who’s part of the Showplace team to get their property entirely ready for listing and welcoming guests. The designer provides guidance on the details that have the highest impact on Airbnb occupancy rate and overall performance and that are easy to maintain.
Showplace uses technology heavily to facilitate the process for investors and property managers who resort to their services. Technology is used for collaboration, sharing feedback, communication with the team, paying invoices, and tracking items.
The main services included in Showplace Airbnb custom designs are:
- Tailored design concepts
- Furniture procurement
- Delivery
- Setup
- Staging
- Trash removal
With regards to receiving packages, installation, setup, and trash removal, Airbnb hosts can decide whether they want to perform these tasks on their own, hire their own contractors, or use Showplace. The Airbnb design and furnishing company has the capacity to provide consolidated receiving and delivery or white-glove installation through the Showplace Preferred Contractor Network. To qualify for the network, contractors need to submit a business license, liability insurance, portfolio of past work, and two references so that Showplace customers can rest assured that contractors are qualified.
These two options cover:
- Consolidated receiving and delivery: Receiving all items, storing them, and delivering all items together. This process takes 3-5 weeks.
- White-glove installation: Unboxing items, assembling furniture and decor, staging everything according to designs, mounting TVs, hanging pictures, troubleshooting and solving problems in real time, removing trash, and taking the rental ready for photos.
Alternatively, owners can handle these processes on their own.
Showplace Pre-Made Designs
With Showplace Airbnb pre-made design services, hosts and property managers can choose from 10+ available design styles. Some of the most popular packages include:
- Midcentury modern
- Bohemian
- Modern
- Cabin
- Modern minimalist
- Transitional
- Coastal
- Scandinavian
Upon signing up for Showplace, owners can select the Airbnb design style that fits their property and their preferences the most and see an itemized list of required furniture and decor. Packages include the design of a living room, a dining room, three bedrooms, interior decor, and outdoor space. In addition, there is an Essentials list, which covers all necessary operating supplies, such as linens and cleaning supplies.
Owners can pick and choose to keep the items they need and to remove any unnecessary or unwanted pieces to customize the design of their short term rental. Next, they can order all items from a single place during checkout. Delivery takes 3-4 weeks, with separate items delivered on a daily basis.
This makes Showplace pre-made design options less convenient than other best Airbnb design and furnishing companies that deliver everything on a single day. Moreover, the standard Showplace packages do not include receiving packages and staging, but these additional services can be obtained via the Showplace Preferred Contractor Network for an extra fee.
Available pre-made design style add-ons include:
- Space planning
- Design revisions
- Floorplans
- Checking that selected furniture and decor items fit within the floorplan provided
- Receiving packages
- Installation and setup
- Trash removal
In general, this Showplace Airbnb design option is meant for vacation rental investors who do not want to hire a professional interior designer (for monetary or other reasons) but still need some help with getting their space ready for guests. They are also appropriate for hosts who don’t mind being personally involved in the furnishing of their rental and who are on a short timeline.
Showplace Airbnb Design Process
When working with Showplace, the process differs between the custom design option and the pre-made design packages. You can also use the free estimator for Airbnb design and furnishing to calculate your costs.
Showplace Custom Designs Process
Having an Airbnb listing designed and furnished by Showplace from scratch requires going through the following steps:
- Getting to know each other: During the initial phase, the owner gets to tell Showplace about their property, budget, and objectives. The Showplace team uses this information to put together a strategy and then walks the owner through the process
- Design: The host works with an expert designer to develop a detailed design that maximizes Airbnb performance and is easy to maintain. This includes mood boards and digital renderings of the space. The owner can provide feedback throughout the process
- Sign-off and shipment: Once the owner signs off the design, Showplace procures the required furniture and decor items, benefiting from discounted prices through direct negotiations with partner brands
- Setup: Investors and property managers can choose from a range of installation options, from DIY to white-glove services. Work can be performed by the Showplace Preferred Contractor Network depending on the budget and preferences of the owner
On average, Showplace launches new properties in about 6 weeks, from the introductory call to the setup.
Showplace Pre-Made Designs Process
When opting in for Showplace pre-made designs, owners can expect the following steps:
- Sign up: Airbnb investors need to create a Showplace online account.
- Package style selection: Owners can choose one of 10+ designs.
- Design review: Owners see an itemized list of items required for the execution of the selected design style.
- Items approval: Hosts decide which items from the package they want to customize the design to the size and needs of their property.
- Checkout: During checkout, owners order all items from a single marketplace.
- Logistics: Furniture and decor items get received, installed, mounted, and set up. This can be done by the host (or their contractors) or via the Showplace Preferred Contractor Network.
The process takes 3-4 weeks for delivery once the items have been ordered. How long it takes to choose and customize the design depends entirely on the host. Opting in for additional services such as revising designs and ensuring all items will fit prolongs the timeline.
Showplace Market Coverage
Showplace designs and furnishes vacation rentals nationwide. The most popular regions for the company include:
- Florida
- Gatlinburg, TN
- Texas
- Pacific Northwest
- Phoenix, AZ
- Poconos, PA
Showplace Airbnb Design Costs
The cost of the Showplace design and procurement services is calculated based on the size of the home (square footage). The company does not provide a range of fees by the number of rooms and square feet.
However, the Showplace website features a free furnishing estimator that interested owners can use to estimate the cost of designing and furnishing their Airbnb property.
To calculate design costs, Airbnb owners need to input:
- Property address
- Square footage
- Number of bedrooms
- Number of bathrooms
- Maximum number of guests
- Timeline: 6+ weeks (standard) or under 6 weeks (expedited) for a photo-ready rental
- Type of rental: Short term, mid term (long Airbnb), or both
For example, the estimated cost of furnishing a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom, 800-sq ft apartment in New York City costs $2,700-$3,600 per bedroom, while furnishing a 3-bedroom, 3-bathroom, 1,500-sq ft house in Miami costs $2,240-$2,990. Owners can get a more comprehensive and detailed estimate by signing up for Showplace.
Nevertheless, owners receive the final price once they approve the design. The budget is discussed as soon as hosts get introduced to Showplace. The cost depends on the property type and size, number of rooms, quality of furniture, level of decor, timeline, and included services (DIY receiving and setup or white-glove installation and trash removal).
For pre-made design services, the average cost of furnishing a 3-bedroom short term rental is $12,000-$15,000 for the furniture and decor items. The exact price depends on the bed configuration and the items that the owner decides to order from the maximum provided options.
Access to the premade Airbnb design packages and their customization is free. With regards to delivery and setup, the average cost of consolidated receiving and delivery provided by the Showplace Preferred Contractor Network is $3,000-$5,000, while the average price of white-glove installation is $6,000-$10,000. The factors that affect the rate include the property size, the number of items, and the local labor cost.
Showplace Reviews
Showplace doesn’t have a solid online reputation as there are only a few online Showplace reviews available on third-party platforms:
- Google: 5.0/5 stars (21 reviews). Airbnb investors and managers who have worked with Showplace praise the professional designers, creative designs, easy and convenient processes, and caring staff
- Facebook: A couple of reviews with no average rating. One customer praises the company for being great without offering more detail, while the other shares his negative experience including incorrect measurements, oversized items, scrambled logistics, and a 4-week delay.
Photos of Showplace-Designed Properties
One of the best ways to judge the quality of services provided by an Airbnb design company is reviewing photos of their work across various rentals.
Below are photos of some of the properties designed and furnished by Showplace.
Showplace Airbnb Design Pros and Cons
Showplace Airbnb design review shows that working with the company comes with its own benefits and drawbacks.
Showplace Pros
The key advantages of hiring Showplace include:
- Airbnb rental property expertise
- Pre-made and fully customizable design and furnishing options
- Flexible services
- Full-service options for hosts who don’t want to do work on their own or hire additional contractors
- Use of technology to optimize processes
- National coverage
Showplace Cons
The most considerable disadvantages of having an Airbnb rental prepared by Showplace are:
- No large-scale renovation and remodeling services
- Strict focus on short term and mid term rentals
- No landscaping and limited exterior design services
- No Airbnb amenities design and installation
- Multiple fees, making pricing complicated
How to Get Started with Showplace Airbnb Design Services
Initially, Airbnb hosts and property managers can use the Showplace free furnishing estimator to get a rough idea of the cost that they can expect and check if it fits their budget.
Next, they can schedule a call using a simple online form on the Showplace website to get started.
Showplace Competitors and Alternatives
Showplace might be a good fit for the needs of Airbnb hosts with standard 3-bedroom properties that require basic design and furnishing services. However, the company might not be able to meet the needs of owners with smaller and larger properties and those who plan large-scale renovations or remodeling.
Vacation rental hosts can check out the top Showplace alternatives and competitors.
Showplace vs Summer
Summer is a top-ranked vacation rental design and furnishing company with proven experience in improving the performance of short term rentals and helping them outperform the majority of comps. The company offers three packages with different coverage and different levels of involvement on behalf of the owner.
In designing rentals, Summer takes into account the home, existing furniture, trends in local demand among guests, and the preferences of the host. The highly personalized services result in more bookings, higher engagement, more positive guest reviews, and boost in rental income.
Pete Trentacoste, a New York-based professional interior designer with 10+ years of experience in residential and commercial design, leads the process at Summer. His designs focus on achieving synergy between creativity and functionality to turn properties into captivating experiences and maximizing guest experiences.
Importantly, unlike Showplace, Summer can plan and install a wide variety of amenities, such as swimming pools, hot tubs, and mini golf courses, to further enhance results for hosts. Major renovation works are also available.
The Summer design and furnishing price depends on the home size, market, level of design and furniture, and the number of design reiterations required by the host. Pricing stars at $10,000 for an entire property. The process takes up to 8 weeks, from the initial discussion to delivery and white-glove installation for hosts who ask for it. Summer works across the US.
Unlike other Airbnb design and furnishing companies, Summer is able to take over the end-to-end management of short term rental properties, helping properties outperform the market and allowing investors to enjoy passive income.
Showplace vs STRCribs
STRCribs is a short term rental design, furnishing, and renovations company that - unlike Showplace - takes over both basic furnishing projects and large-scale renovation endeavors. However, the company cannot help with small-scale fixes and decorations. STRCribs promises to help properties get 64% higher occupancy, 40% better average daily rates (ADRs), and $50,000 more in annual revenue than comps.
STRCribs services are flexible and incorporate short term rental data from AirDNA, Rabbu, and other sources to boost results. Hosts can choose between design only and complete furnishing including delivery, installation, and setup. Services for exterior spaces and Airbnb amenities are offered. STRCribs Airbnb design and renovations services are available nationwide.
STRCribs does not offer even a rough estimate of the expected cost of designing and furnishing an Airbnb property based on its square footage and number of rooms. There is no online calculator either. Owners need to get in touch with the team, discuss their needs, and obtain a quote. The entire process takes 3-10 weeks.
Showplace vs Furnishr
Furnishr is a design and furnishing company that works with short term rentals but does not specialize exclusively in this type of property. Due to the lack of focus on Airbnbs, the company does not provide data on the average improvement in performance as a result of their work.
Furnishr services are flexible and can cover everything, including design, item selection, purchase, delivery, setup, and debris collection and removal. They are focused on interiors entirely. There are three different packages that include various amounts of accessories and decor items.
The furnishing cost is determined by the property’s size, the number and size of bedrooms and other rooms, the level of furnishing, and the quality of furniture. In general, the price starts at $4,000 for a simple studio, reaches up to $25,000 for a 3-bedroom house, and sometimes exceeds $50,000 for larger homes. The process takes 3-5 weeks.
Bottom Line
Showplace Airbnb design and furnishing services are available for both short term and mid term rentals. The company can help with refreshing existing vacation rentals as well as getting new ones ready for listing, but it doesn’t engage in large-scale remodeling and renovation projects. Showplace offers both pre-made designs and entirely customizable designs for hosts with more specific requirements, bigger budgets, and longer timelines. The price depends on the type of service, the square footage of the property, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, and the completion timeline.
