Every once in a while a project comes along that is both challenging and exhilarating and makes me super happy to be a designer. That was the case when two business partners approached me about helping with their cottage build in the nearby town of Tiny. A simple Google search on their part brought us together for the consultation but after my first glimpse into what they wanted to build I was sold. The vision to create this amazing 5000 square foot cottage and build a luxury vacation rental was too good to pass up.
Even with Kristina Gray Design working overtime to keep up with the pandemic housing market, I wanted to be a part of this and help bring this project to life. I knew I could do justice to the vision for what could be.
A MULTI PURPOSE SPACE
The vision for this space was to serve dual functions. It would be a vacation home to these new owners from time to time and when they weren’t there it would serve as a luxury vacation rental. The southern Georgian Bay town is a hot spot for summer beach goers and the market demand for vacation rentals is high.
That meant that this space had to be perfect for the homeowners and their tastes and style but also be appealing to a mass audience looking for a luxury rental.
LESSONS IN HOW TO BUILD A LUXURY RENTAL PROPERTY
The new owners had a vision in mind for what this property should look like but the vision needed to be refined so as to create a cohesive overall space.
This property sits directly on the water so the main floor needed to be open and offer access to the outside. Every inch of the main floor had to be thought out so that traffic flow was optimal.
While most rental property owners just want to maximize the income potential, this property would be different. Of course creating an income generation was a top priority but it had to be more luxurious in its finishes and overall aesthetics than most other rental properties.
At the same time, we couldn’t overspend on anything that would need to be replaced because of breakage or accidental damage.
One of my first priorities as the designer was to get a thorough understanding of what makes a really great rental and how we could build a luxury property that would wow!
HARD WORKING BUT BEAUTIFUL FURNISHINGS
It’s not unusual for me to be given a budget for furnishings but respecting the budget while creating a rental property is an additional challenge. The pieces we selected needed to be made from durable materials, be able to live up to constant use but most importantly, work in creating the vision for a luxury property.
I had my work cut out for me with this project. It’s not customary for me to source luxury products on the budget for a rental property. It’s also not common to think of luxury and durability in the same breath. There would be no high quality linen or down wrapped seats for this project.
This is also what made me love the work because it’s exciting to be given such a challenge.
EVERY PIECE HAS A LIMIT
On a typical project I’m given a budget for the furnishings for the entire project. If the homeowner is furnishing the entire home I might separate it into rooms. On this project every single piece of furniture was scrutinized. Understandably, the concern of frequent replacement costs needs to be taken into account.
Even if I met the overall budget a piece of furniture could be eliminated because the replacement cost for that single piece seemed too high. So now I had an overall budget, a single item budget, durability and aesthetics to contend with.
Did I mention I’m optimistic by nature. I had no doubt that I could make this all happen.
SOME UNIQUE CHALLENGES
Most of the work I do involves multiple decision makers but the truth is that most often, after the first meeting one person becomes the primary decision maker. Because these clients are business partners we had a unique situation to deal with.
Often, their visions didn’t align. This could be related to the overall design or single elements of a room. My job was to wade through their feedback and try to see if there were areas of mutual consent.
In a lot of instances, it became clear that there wouldn’t be any agreement and it then became my role to remind them both of what the original vision was and show them how we could stay on track.
One of the most important roles a designer takes on is to remain impartial and keep reminding their clients of where we’re headed. It’s so easy for everyone, clients and designers to stray off the path when the world of options is endless.
ROOM FOR MANY
A home this size is meant to accommodate a LOT of people. If I were designing a primary residence I would be sure to allocate space for each child. In a rental design, you’re never sure how many people will need to use the space. Will there be more adults than kids or vice versa.
We didn’t want to allocate any space on the main floor to bedrooms so after some creative thinking we decided that bunk beds would be a real solution. This way, it’s possible for multiple families to spend time here together.
And really, if the mattresses are comfortable enough, even a group of adults can be convinced to live out their childhood memories on a top bunk for a week.
TURNING A WISH LIST INTO REALITY
Looking back on this all now I’m still amazed that we managed to maintain a conservative budget and still achieve the luxury we all envisioned. Nothing was compromised in terms of vision and if anything, we ended up with a more beautiful and cohesive space than we had envisioned in the beginning.
From the luxurious, high end kitchen to the sweeping views of the water this cottage has turned into a luxury reality.
Designing a 5000 square foot home is never easy but this project was a dream come true for me. As it turns out, the new owners feel the same way.
When asked what they’re most happy with the list of replies was long - the entire main floor which includes the kitchen, living room and dining room was tied as top contender alongside the primary bedroom and ensuite.
KRISTINA’S FINAL THOUGHTS
For me, this project will go down in the books as one that I’m most proud of because it started in 2020. We encountered every possible delay because of the supply chain issues and product shortages. The final finish date did end up being extended to accommodate these delays but other than that, this vision to build a luxury Airbnb has become a reality.
The clients, the builder and all the trades that worked together on this project were wonderful. On top of the outcome of this amazing finished project, everyone worked together and made this a great team experience!
If you need help with a project, let’s talk. I’m always happy to chat about how I can bring your design vision to life.
