The top 5 interior design tips for your Japan based rental property

Decorating properties that offer short-term rental accommodation, like a holiday villa, is often quite different to how you might approach the decoration of your own home. With plenty of competition between alternative rental options, successfully attracting rental bookings requires more than just offering a comfortable place to sleep. In order to attract bookings, command higher nightly rates, and get more 5-star reviews, you need to step up your decor game because it is the online photos and presentation of your property that will ultimately determine the views, enquiries, bookings and therefore the returns your property generates.

Here are five essential tips for planning the furniture for your Alpine retreat and to give it the edge it needs to stand out!

Tip #1: Select a Theme

By creating a stunning space that presents well in your online photos you are likely to attract more guests and deliver a memorable guest experience. Your interior theme should reflect your property’s location and should create an experience that your guests won’t forget. Some examples may include:

・A Luxurious ski lodge
・A light and modern Scandinavian chalet
・An industrial loft
・A modern Japanese retreat
・A mid century modern cabin

Tip #2: Capacity at the dining table

We often think of the capacity of a property in terms of the number of beds, however, make sure to allow sufficient space for the house capacity to come together at the dining table and in the living areas. As spaciousness creates feelings of luxury, allow plenty of space for your guests to relax. A property with an 8-person capacity will generally need a dining table of at least 2.2 – 2.4m and for homes with a greater capacity, a custom-made dining table is often required.

Tip #3: Create Zones

Another trick for managing homes with a large capacity can be to create zones to allow people to congregate in smaller groups. For example, a TV and games area in the bunk room will allow the younger ones to be self-contained in their own space while the adults share the living and dining spaces. Having some bar seating at the kitchen island will also allow a group to form in the kitchen while another group gathers in the living room. Some seats around the fireplace, a window seat, or even a games room will also allow guests to spread out and relax more within the home.

Tip #4: Fire resistant rugs

Properties that are offered for nightly rental in Japan require the appropriate license and inspections from the fire department to confirm compliance with the local fire regulations. One requirement of this inspection is that any rugs or carpets must have a fire-retardant tag and any non-compliant rugs will have to be removed. Alpine interiors have commercial suppliers of rugs that meet the local fire requirements in a variety of colours, patterns and sizes.

Tip #5: Plan ahead for success

Recently, a lot of furniture manufacturers offer ‘semi-order’ furniture with a range of fabrics and material options which can often take up to 3 months for delivery. To avoid having to make selections based on what is currently available or in stock, it is best to start with the main furniture package and get that order in first to allow plenty of time for delivery and installation.

Bonus Tip: Use locally sourced materials!

In Hokkaido, the frozen climate and powder snow creates a very dry climate in the winter. On top of this, holiday homes often have central heating running 24/7 and with generally less cooking and washing than a regular home the internal humidity can often plumet to very low levels. As timber naturally acclimatises to the humidity of the environment, imported wooden furniture can often crack and warp. While no timber is 100% resistant to large differences in humidity, we have found that local domestically sourced timber is better suited to the local environment and therefore less prone to humidity related issues. It is also worth noting that domestically sourced furniture will often have warranties that can provide some security against potential defects.

Conclusion:

Coordinating and setting up the furniture in a home is hard work and time-consuming at the best of times. Factoring in language, an unfamiliar market, deliveries, assembly and local regulations, can often prove to be too difficult.  Alpine Interiors are on the ground locally in Hokkaido and specialise in sourcing and arranging the installation of furniture for our off-shore clients so sit back and let us take care of it for you!

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