Learn With Stacey
Title of blog with an image of Courtney Petrovich
Title of blog with an image of Candice Menard

May 19, 2026

#185 ​​​​How to Use Airbnb Design Strategy to Increase Revenue

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When most investors think about design, they think about aesthetics. They think about color palettes, furniture trends, and “the look” of a property. But if you want to move from being a casual host to a high-performing asset manager, you must view your Airbnb design strategy through the lens of return on investment (ROI).

In this episode, I sat down with Courtney Petrovich, founder of Denori Designs and a seasoned short-term rental (STR) investor. Courtney bridges the gap between the “left brain” numbers—underwriting and pro formas—and the “right brain” creativity that creates an unforgettable guest experience.

The Numbers Behind Your Airbnb Design Strategy

A successful Airbnb design strategy starts long before you pick out a sofa. It begins with data. Before recommending an amenity like a hot tub or a fire pit, Courtney looks at tools like AirDNA to validate the potential return.

  • Every design choice should be backed by a dollar-for-dollar return analysis.
  • Investors must look at high-performing “comps” to see how distinct design correlates with higher revenue.
  • Design is not an optional expense; it is a prerequisite for success in a competitive landscape.

Balancing Creativity with Operational Reality

It is easy to make a room look beautiful in a photograph, but it is much harder to make it perform in the real world. A critical part of your Airbnb design strategy is considering how the property functions daily.

For example, white furniture might look stunning in a beach house, but it fails the “spaghetti test” the moment a child sits down to dinner. True hospitality design considers longevity and turnover efficiency. If you choose a bed frame that requires cleaners to spend an extra five minutes vacuuming underneath it, and you multiply that across fifty rooms in a boutique hotel, you have created a massive operational bottleneck.

The Wallpaper Debate: Quality and Humidity

One of the most frequent questions for beach-market investors is whether wallpaper can withstand the salt air and humidity. Courtney shares that with the right Airbnb design strategy, wallpaper is not only viable but a powerful focal point.

  • Quality is Clue Number One: Avoid “99 cents per square foot” paper. High-quality paper (typically $4.50+ per square foot) is necessary for durability.
  • Peel and Stick vs. Traditional: Peel and stick is ideal for residential rentals because it allows for easy refreshes without damaging the drywall. Traditional wallpaper is better suited for high-traffic commercial settings.
  • The 21-Day Rule: Never apply wallpaper immediately after painting. You must let the paint cure for at least 21 days—ideally a full month—to ensure proper adhesion.

Curating a Sense of Place

To stand out in a sea of generic listings, your Airbnb design strategy must include local storytelling. This means moving beyond “big box” art and finding pieces that ground the guest in their specific location. Courtney suggests using regional cookbooks, custom hardware like dock cleats for coat racks, or artwork that reflects local history.

Scaling to Boutique Hotels

The leap from a single STR to a boutique hotel is a “short-term rental on steroids”. While the logic remains similar, the scale changes everything. In her current project, “The Wesley” in Page, Arizona, Courtney is using a historical narrative—the story of explorer John Wesley Powell—to drive the design.

When designing at this scale, lead times become a significant factor in your Airbnb design strategy. Ordering fifty of an item often requires a 16-week lead time, compared to the quick turnarounds possible with a single-family home.

Whether you are managing one unit or 102 rooms, remember that design is a business tool. When you lead with strategy, the “pretty” parts of the project will always pay for themselves. For more insights on scaling your portfolio, check out our previous episodes on STR systems.

Click here now to listen to the full podcast.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[01:00] A short introduction about our guest Courtney Petrovich, and how her passion for design unexpectedly evolved into building a business within the short term rental space
[02:33] Courtney explains how balancing design, guest experience, and operational practicality shapes successful short-term rentals
[06:15] Courtney shares how she discovered that thoughtful design directly influences performance and revenue in short-term rentals
[09:27] Courtney describes the overlooked details that elevate guest experience beyond just design and amenities
[12:29] Courtney explains how intentional, place-based art choices play a key role in elevating short-term rental design
[13:39] How Courtney evaluates wallpaper choices for beach and humid environments, balancing durability, installation quality, and design impact
[17:24] Courtney shares practical guidance on how to find a qualified wallpaper installer, emphasizing starting with trusted referrals such as local networks, or community groups rather
[20:03] Courtney describes the challenges of installing wallpaper in beach homes where walls and ceilings are often not perfectly level and how installers navigate them
[22:34] How transitioning into boutique hotel design has introduced Courtney to a more complex, on-site, and collaborative development process compared to short-term rentals
[24:44] Courtney describes how boutique hotel design operates on a different scale than short-term rentals
[28:02] How boutique hotel design uses immersive storytelling rooted in local history to shape a fully themed guest experience that extends from branding and interiors to reflective moments
[31:13] Courtney shares how short-term rental owners can uncover a meaningful design story by starting with the nature, geography, and local history as the foundation for creative direction
[32:45] Courtney explains how AI can support storytelling design, and why on-site experience remains critical for shaping boutique hotel guest experience
[34:37] Courtney shares how working on a boutique hotel project revealed an unexpected but critical role of design in capital raising
[37:50] Courtney describes how property owners can determine whether a designer is the right fit by first reviewing their portfolio to understand their aesthetic style and experience level
[39:53] The lightning round 

Golden Nuggets:

  • “We should be moving towards that level of detail that guests notice during their stay.”
  • “When you’re actually talking to designers in the short term rental space, it’s important to find someone who’s focused on short term rentals and not a residential designer. That can go really wrong, really fast.”
  • “Always bet on yourself. So whatever your dreams are, your ambitions, whatever your heart desires, bet that you can do it and make that happen.”
  • “What you believe about yourself, what you believe is possible, makes a huge impact on reality.”

Connect With Our Guest:

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/denoridesigns/

Website : denoridesigns.com

 

 

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