The design of a short term rental is a key element that determines the property’s ability to attract guests, deliver 5-star experiences, maximize daily rates, and boost revenue. When getting their vacation rental ready for guests, hosts and property managers frequently have to resort to professional help to get the best results.
Summer is a top-ranked Airbnb design company that specializes in the design, renovations, and furnishing of short term rentals across the US market. The company offers different packages and customizable services that meet the needs of various properties and owners. As a result of the high-quality work, Summer-designed Airbnbs outperform at least 95% of comps in each area.
Summer Company Overview
Summer operates as a one-stop-shop for all the needs of vacation rental investors. The company helps beginner and experienced real estate investors find, buy, renovate, design, furnish, and manage top-performing Airbnb rental properties across the US, including all the top short term rental markets.
Paul Kromidas and Woods Buckley founded Summer in 2021, with headquarters in New York, NY. The two founders built the company based on their rich experience in Airbnb. The Summer team aims to make vacation rental ownership and investing easier and more plausible than ever before.
The Summer Airbnb design process is headed by Pete Trentacoste, an expert New York-based interior designer with 10+ years of experience in designing residential and commercial properties. Pete’s work is driven by the motivation to provide designs that bring together creativity, innovation, and functionality to go beyond pure aesthetics and offer the best experiences to Airbnb guests. Meanwhile, the process and the final result are entirely driven by the property, the owner’s preferences, the existing furniture, and the requirements of the local market.
Summer-designed Airbnb properties have proven success in boosting bottom-line revenue. Indeed, across all markets, they generate more revenue than at least 95% of similar listings. That’s because professionally designed and furnished rentals drive more bookings, bring more engagement from guests, and lead to more positive reviews. The ultimate result is more rental income for owners.
Summer Airbnb Design and Renovation Services
Summer provides specialized services to short term rentals that include both design and renovation options. Summer services are appropriate for properties that have been operating as vacation rentals and need some updates and minor touches to enhance performance as well as for homes that are about to be converted into Airbnb rentals and need complete makeover. All work is entirely customizable to meet the exact needs and requirements of each property and its owner. Hosts are as involved as they would like to be throughout the process.
Summer Airbnb Design Services
The Airbnb design services provided by Summer are owner- and property-driven while taking into consideration trends in the local market and hospitality best practices. The ultimate goal is to offer outstanding and unforgettable experiences to guests and to boost revenue for hosts.
Summer offers 3 different short term rental design packages including:
- Host Essentials Design Package: This package is the right fit for hosts who need help designing the space but don’t mind doing some of the work on their own. It works well for operating vacation rentals that need an upgrade.some text
- Initial consultation to discuss the property, the layout, and the host preferences
- Design recommendations for upgrades based on the consultation
- Basic floor plans to visualize potential interior designs
- Selection assistance with links to recommended furniture and decor items
- Procurement, purchase, delivery, and installation by the customer
- Guest Favorite Design Package: This package is best for owners who want full-service design and furnishing including white-glove installation. It’s the right choice for those who are just getting started.some text
- Virtual consultation and team member visit for a detailed discussion and understanding of the property
- Detailed floor plans illustrating the furniture placement and layout
- Furniture selection tailored to the space style and requirements
- Access to trade discounts
- Procurement and installation of the selected items
- Luxury Launch Design Package: This package is good for investors in luxury properties offering high-end experiences to guests.some text
- In-person property visit by the Summer design team to assess the property and discuss design ideas
- Direct involvement of a senior Summer designer
- Detailed floor plans and 3D renders to visualize the design concept
- Item selection including high-quality, designer furniture and decor items
- Access to trade discounts
- Sourcing, storing, and coordinating delivery
- On-boarding with operating supplies and equipment for launching an Airbnb business
The services within each package are further customizable to ensure that real estate investors and their vacation rentals get the exact design and furnishing that they need for the experience that they aim to provide to guests. Needless to say, they also take into account the budget of the host.
Summer Renovation Services
Unlike other best Airbnb design and furnishing companies, Summer also delivers renovation and remodeling services, not only interior design and furnishing packages. Summer Airbnb renovation services aim to help short term rental owners restructure and remodel their property to meet the expectations of the hospitality industry and to provide best-in-class experiences to guests.
Renovation services include:
- Separate room renovations
- Entire home reservations
- Landscaping
- Installation of Airbnb amenities such as swimming pools, hot tubs, mini golf courses, home movie theaters, home gyms, and other customizable options
Major renovation and remodeling services are always personalized based on the needs of each rental and the preferences of each host. There is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to Airbnb renovations as the sky’s the limit with the design of your unique vacation rental.
Summer Airbnb Design Process
Summer follows an easy process when designing short term rentals. Property owners and managers can be as involved or uninvolved in the process as they’d like to be. They can opt in for frequent check-ups and inputs, or alternatively they can delegate all the work to Summer professionals. In all cases, customers are consulted at all stages to confirm selections before moving forward.
The Summer vacation rental design process goes through the following steps:
- Property qualification: A representative of the Summer design team holds an introductory call with the owner to discuss the property, confirm that Summer is a good fit for the home needs, and go over the owner’s ideas and concepts. Based on the provided information and the host’s budget, Summer proposes a total cost.
- Design deposit submission: The owner pays a deposit for the Airbnb design and furnishing services to be provided by Summer.
- Mood boards and preliminary ideas: Summer reviews the property and prepares a mood board with initial design thoughts and suggestions.
- Updated floor plans and mock-ups: The Summer design team prepares a new version of the floor plans and 3D renders (if applicable) based on the owner’s feedback and contribution.
- Item selection: Summer and the host or property manager work together to choose the right furniture and decor items from trusted brands, benefiting from Summer’s access to trade discounts.
- Sourcing and installation: The Summer design and installation teams collaborate to source and install all furniture and decor.
- Going live: As soon as the design and furnishing have been completed, the home is handed over to the owner to launch their vacation rental business. In case the host needs help with day-to-day operations, Summer offers comprehensive short term rental management services at industry-low rates, starting at only 20% of booking revenue.
The process might look a bit different for each customer, depending on the package that they select. The process duration depends on the required services, once again. Getting complete mock-ups with an item list takes 2 weeks, while delivering furniture and setting it up takes 4-6 weeks. For owners that are on a tight timeline, the Summer team can prioritize the most needed essentials and complete the rest of the items after launch.
Summer Airbnb Design and Renovations Market Coverage
Summer short term rental design and renovation services are available in all US markets, including the best cities for Airbnb. The demands and specifications of the local market are taken into consideration for each design in order to bring the best results for hosts and their properties.
Summer Airbnb Design Costs
The cost of Airbnb design services starts at $10,000 per property for relatively small homes with essential furniture items. The price goes up for larger properties and more sophisticated designs.
The pricing of services depends on the following factors:
- Home size: Short term rentals with more rooms and higher square footage are more expensive to design than smaller properties with just a few rooms. Also, properties with a lot of outdoor space, like single family homes, incur higher costs because Summer designs the outside of the home too.
- Property location: Summer Airbnb design is driven by the requirements of the local vacation rental market, and some luxury markets have higher standards than others, which leads to more expensive services.
- Level of design and furnishing: The number of furniture and decor items and their quality is one of the main factors affecting the cost of comprehensive design and furnishing services.
- Input from the owner and extent of changes to the design: Hosts who are actively involved in the design process and request multiple reworks of the designs can expect to pay a higher price due to the longer process and the more intense work on behalf of the Summer team. Having said that, Summer always makes sure that owners are fully satisfied with the design plan before moving forward with implementation.
Summer Airbnb design prices are competitive for the level of service and comprehensiveness. For comparison, the cost to furnish a house for Airbnb on your own ranges between $3,500 (using refurbished furniture) and $40,000 in most cases, which does not involve professional design. If you have no previous experience in running a short term rental business, it’s worth paying the extra premium for the better results.
Summer Airbnb Design Reviews
Summer holds an Airbnb Superhost status with an average rating of 4.9+ quarter after quarter. Many guest Summer Airbnb design reviews highlight the beautiful properties, the unique designs, the comfortable furniture, the quality linen, and the excellent experiences.
In their reviews, hosts also express their satisfaction with the smooth design process and the outstanding results, featuring different styles, materials, colors, and overall concepts.
Summer Airbnb Design and Renovations Pros and Cons
Hiring Summer as your Airbnb design and renovation company comes with some advantages and disadvantages. You can see before and after photos of the properties on Summer’s instagram page.
Summer Pros
The most important benefits of working with Summer when designing your short term rental for guests are:
- Access to best-in-class Airbnb design and furnishing expertise
- Hospitality-driven designs
- Great fit for small upgrade projects and major renovations
- Amenity installation
- Customizable packages
- Good fit for all budgets
- Flexible owner involvement
- Short timeline
- Trade discounts on hundreds of top brands
- Revenue boost
Summer Cons
Some drawbacks of hiring Summer include:
- Higher cost than DIY furnishing
- Exclusive focus on Airbnb properties
Comparing the pros and cons of Summer Airbnb design and renovation services, the advantages clearly outweigh the disadvantages.
How to Get Started with Summer
To get started with Summer’s Airbnb design services, property owners and property managers can schedule a time to discuss.
Summer Alternatives and Competitors
When choosing the right design company for their short term rental, it’s a good idea for hosts to check out a few different options. The top Summer competitors with regards to Airbnb design and renovation services are:
Summer vs STRCribs
STRCribs is a design and renovation company that works exclusively with vacation rental properties. The company was established in 2020 and has completed over 200 projects to date. According to STRCribs data, properties designed by them experience an average increase of 64% in Airbnb occupancy rate and 40% in average daily rates (ADR).
Unlike Summer, STRCribs rather specializes in large-scale designs and renovations and is not a good fit for owners who are looking for small updates and upgrades. Services cover kitchens, living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, laundry rooms, home offices, home additions, home exteriors, backyards, murals, and amenities. STRCribs does not specify whether owners can opt in for procuring, sourcing, and installing furniture on their own in case they want to be more involved in the process and save on the cost.
Meanwhile, STRCribs renovations cover interior services (cabinetry, carpentry, countertops, flooring, etc.), utility and system installations (electrical, HVAC, plumbing, solar panels, etc.), structural and exterior services (gates, fencing, roofing, gutters, etc.), outdoor and landscaping (decking, pools, etc.), amenities (hot tubs, mini golfs, giant chess, etc.), specialized installations (audio and video, noise reduction, etc.), and safety and environmental services (demolition, removal, etc.).
STRCribs does not offer any estimate or range of the cost of Airbnb design services. In general, the price depends on the market, the property type and size, the scope of work, the quality of furniture, the level of decor, and the participation of the owner. The entire process takes 3-10 weeks, depending on various factors.
All in all, STRCribs can help owners who need more significant work on their short term rental, but it’s not the best option for hosts with relatively more modest needs.
Summer vs Showplace
Showplace is another Summer alternative that provides design services tailored to the needs of short term and mid term rentals. The company was started in 2020 and has furnished more than 1,000 properties. Using Showplace services leads to an average increase of 22% in revenue and 83% in rankings, according to the company data.
Contrary to STRCribs, Showplace can handle design projects but does not have the capacity to implement major renovations and remodelings. In terms of design, owners can choose between 1) custom designs and 2) pre-made designs. Custom designs allow hosts to work with an expert designer to develop a personalized design concept and implementation. Pre-made designs give owners access to 10+ design styles that can be customized. Consolidated receiving, delivery, and white-glove installation services are available via the Showplace Preferred Contractor Network.
In terms of pricing, Showplace does not specify a minimum cost. However, the company website has a furnishing estimator that can provide an estimated price based on the property address, square footage, number of bedrooms and bathrooms, number of guests, and timeline. The design and furnishing process takes about 6 weeks.
In general, Showplace could work for hosts who’d like inspiration for designing their property but don’t want to work with a professional designer. It’s not a good option for those that need major renovations.
Summer vs Furnishr
Furnishr is an interior design and furnishing company that works with different types of residential properties, including vacation rentals, but it doesn’t specialize in Airbnbs. Furnishr was founded in 2015, making it a more established company than STRCribs and Showplace. The company does not provide estimates on the boost in performance as a result of their services as it doesn’t focus on short term rental design.
Furnishr works on interior design with no options for improving outdoor spaces, which makes it a suboptimal choice for properties like single family homes and townhouses. Airbnb hosts can choose what services they need and how involved they want to be in the process. They can select one of 3 different plans, depending on the level of accessories that they want. The company has the capacity to customize designs, select items, source, deliver, and assemble furniture.
The price of Furnishr design and furnishing services can vary widely, depending on the property type, the number and size of rooms, the level of furnishing and decor, and the quality of furniture. Hosts can use the cost calculator available on the company website to estimate the price of their plan. The complete process takes 4-6 weeks.
Overall, Furnishr can help owners refresh or furnish their vacation rental, but works are not guaranteed to follow best practices in hospitality. Moreover, this is not the right choice for properties with outdoor spaces.
Bottom Line
A Summer Airbnb design review reveals that the company has emerged as the best Airbnb design firm in the US market that works with different property types and covers the entire country. Summer design services are available for both the interior and the exterior of homes and are customizable to the style of properties, the envisioned guest experiences, the preferences of owners, and their budget. The ultimate proof for the high quality delivered by the company is that Summer-designed properties generate more revenue than at least 95% of comps in each covered market.
