Interior Designing and Home Inventory
Happy Saturday!
Let's just get this out of the way: I'm obsessed with having complete control over every aspect of the interior design process for the rental which is why I'm not using a furniture package. I love spending hours looking at beautiful interior design pages on Instagram, especially the beautiful designs with warmth and color. Planning, saving photos, looking at websites and envisioning the final look is 75% of the fun! Also, it seems like every design company in Spain loves to use the color purple. Purple chairs, purple blankets, purple shag rugs, purple, purple, purple!! With a few padded white headboards and white leather sectionals. Where do they get it? Are there companies that give country discounts on overstocked items in specific colors? When I think of France, I think of red, white and black. When I think of England, I think of red because of the double decker buses and phone booths. America is red, white and blue. Greece is white. Morocco is multi and lately to me, Spain seems to be purple and white.
Also because that's what the designers all sent me via email showcasing their packages and previous work.
My idea is to use warm browns, muted grey and off white with hints of aqua, red and green in the accents. I want to use aspects of the four elements to create a cozy oasis in the middle of paradise!
I've created a checklist for the rental that encompasses everything from kitchen sponges to decorative pillows for the patio furniture. I will update along the way and am very happy to have suggestions for items that others feel are complete necessities. Send me a note and I will add to updates!! Quoting Alice in Wonderland, "Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast".
*****************************************************
Home Inventory List
(See note at bottom of page regarding home inventory list.)
*****************************************************
When filling out your list for a rental, make sure to note how many people the property can accommodate. You need to make sure that you have enough glasses, place settings, towels, toilet paper and sheets. I've been in rentals where they had listed for four people and each person for seven days received one towel set. Not sure about you, but I need a minimum of two: one for body and one for hair. When you have hair that reaches the top of your tush, you don't want it wet and dripping all over you and the floor. And bigger bath mats? How many feel like an 8x10 piece of paper? You end up scooting across the tile floor so you don't slip, fall and break a hip. The list will also assist when taking inventory for replacements, repairs, breakage and loss.
When people travel now, especially myself, there is an expectation of what we want and believe should be in a hotel or apartment rental. Have you ever gone into a 4-5 star resort only to find that they have decided that offering a coffee maker would take away from their $8 cafe coffee and have removed them? Same with apartment rentals. I prefer the ones that have coffee, tea, sugar, milk and if I'm lucky, some salt and pepper. No one likes to waste money on spices when they travel unless it's Morocco and you buy Saffron like it's gold bouillon.
Other amenities I plan on offering will be shampoo, conditioner and some non-perishables in the kitchen. TSA likes to take things away if your quart bag doesn't seal properly and airlines charge up to $400 per piece for extra luggage! I recently stayed in an apartment in Marbella and was thrilled to find that previous guests had left everything from canned soup to a bottle of wine in the fridge! I was happy to leave bath gel, canned goods and even their version of a Swiffer as my show of appreciation. When you get in late at night, it's nice to have a little bowl of soup instead of eating that mutilated energy bar in the bottom of your travel bag! Let's admit it: we've all eaten that stray M&M that's been rolling around for who knows how long. In a pinch!!
A popular option in Spain for investment properties is called a "Turnkey Service." The majority of furniture companies have a design department that create home packages. These packages encompass the basics, from beds and nightstands to pots and pans. They are great options for investors and buyers that don't have the time to shop for everything. Or just don't want to. The prices start at approximately 8200 euros (some a bit less) and the sky is the limit with how much you can spend. But if this is a rental and not a place you will be calling home for several weeks to several months a year, choosing beautiful inexpensive furniture that is also durable might be the better way.
Research the area you are going to and ask the following questions:
*What are my options for purchasing furniture?
* Do they help design if needed?
* What is included in costs?
* Do they deliver? Set-up? Install?
* What are the complete fees for the above?
* Do they insure their work?
* How many stores will I need to shop for household items?
* Is it going to be more cost saving to have a turnkey vs spending time away from job, family to outfit?
* How durable are the pieces I'm looking at? (ie: if the couch cushions leave large imprints at the
store, then most likely it will have a very used look in short order from multiple rentals.)
* Can I get replacements easily to account for breakage?
* If this is a one-off piece, am I willing to take a chance at this time at a rental location if it is fragile
in any way?
* Will the pieces stain? Wash well? Collect dust?
* Will the store accept a deposit to hold the item until my rental is ready?
I like to write down lists with pros and cons to help in my decisions. In my case, I have the time and energy and desire to spend several weeks shopping for the unit. I can also decorate it in the style, as seen below, either exactly or near the same for less money than the turnkey service. But I also love to research and have a notebook that weighs almost as much as my dog with notes, clippings, lists and ideas.
The above items are from separate stores. The spice rack and dishes are from home and I'm shipping over. (I will go over shipping options and costs and companies in another post.) . It will raise the cost of the overall savings on the dishes but I will have exactly the ones that I want. Later on when we have our second property finished, if these are in good shape with no chips and cracks I will move to new location and get new ones for the townhouse.
If you are currently in the process of buying overseas or have already completed the process, please drop a note with tips and hints. Not only for me, but for others considering this amazing new lifestyle!
(Please feel free to print as many copies of the inventory list for personal use as you want. This document is copyrighted by Seattle2spain/Karen Ganzkow and may not be sold, mass reproduced or digitally altered in any way. If you wish to share, please contact me for written permission, explanation of intent and authorization. If you have an issue viewing, please send me a note and I would be happy to email an attachment. If you share, please give credit back to me. )
Let's just get this out of the way: I'm obsessed with having complete control over every aspect of the interior design process for the rental which is why I'm not using a furniture package. I love spending hours looking at beautiful interior design pages on Instagram, especially the beautiful designs with warmth and color. Planning, saving photos, looking at websites and envisioning the final look is 75% of the fun! Also, it seems like every design company in Spain loves to use the color purple. Purple chairs, purple blankets, purple shag rugs, purple, purple, purple!! With a few padded white headboards and white leather sectionals. Where do they get it? Are there companies that give country discounts on overstocked items in specific colors? When I think of France, I think of red, white and black. When I think of England, I think of red because of the double decker buses and phone booths. America is red, white and blue. Greece is white. Morocco is multi and lately to me, Spain seems to be purple and white.
Also because that's what the designers all sent me via email showcasing their packages and previous work.
(stock photo for example)
My idea is to use warm browns, muted grey and off white with hints of aqua, red and green in the accents. I want to use aspects of the four elements to create a cozy oasis in the middle of paradise!
I've created a checklist for the rental that encompasses everything from kitchen sponges to decorative pillows for the patio furniture. I will update along the way and am very happy to have suggestions for items that others feel are complete necessities. Send me a note and I will add to updates!! Quoting Alice in Wonderland, "Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast".
*****************************************************
Home Inventory List
(See note at bottom of page regarding home inventory list.)
*****************************************************
When filling out your list for a rental, make sure to note how many people the property can accommodate. You need to make sure that you have enough glasses, place settings, towels, toilet paper and sheets. I've been in rentals where they had listed for four people and each person for seven days received one towel set. Not sure about you, but I need a minimum of two: one for body and one for hair. When you have hair that reaches the top of your tush, you don't want it wet and dripping all over you and the floor. And bigger bath mats? How many feel like an 8x10 piece of paper? You end up scooting across the tile floor so you don't slip, fall and break a hip. The list will also assist when taking inventory for replacements, repairs, breakage and loss.
When people travel now, especially myself, there is an expectation of what we want and believe should be in a hotel or apartment rental. Have you ever gone into a 4-5 star resort only to find that they have decided that offering a coffee maker would take away from their $8 cafe coffee and have removed them? Same with apartment rentals. I prefer the ones that have coffee, tea, sugar, milk and if I'm lucky, some salt and pepper. No one likes to waste money on spices when they travel unless it's Morocco and you buy Saffron like it's gold bouillon.
(Spice Rack from Amazon.com . Spices not included.)
Other amenities I plan on offering will be shampoo, conditioner and some non-perishables in the kitchen. TSA likes to take things away if your quart bag doesn't seal properly and airlines charge up to $400 per piece for extra luggage! I recently stayed in an apartment in Marbella and was thrilled to find that previous guests had left everything from canned soup to a bottle of wine in the fridge! I was happy to leave bath gel, canned goods and even their version of a Swiffer as my show of appreciation. When you get in late at night, it's nice to have a little bowl of soup instead of eating that mutilated energy bar in the bottom of your travel bag! Let's admit it: we've all eaten that stray M&M that's been rolling around for who knows how long. In a pinch!!
A popular option in Spain for investment properties is called a "Turnkey Service." The majority of furniture companies have a design department that create home packages. These packages encompass the basics, from beds and nightstands to pots and pans. They are great options for investors and buyers that don't have the time to shop for everything. Or just don't want to. The prices start at approximately 8200 euros (some a bit less) and the sky is the limit with how much you can spend. But if this is a rental and not a place you will be calling home for several weeks to several months a year, choosing beautiful inexpensive furniture that is also durable might be the better way.
Research the area you are going to and ask the following questions:
*What are my options for purchasing furniture?
* Do they help design if needed?
* What is included in costs?
* Do they deliver? Set-up? Install?
* What are the complete fees for the above?
* Do they insure their work?
* How many stores will I need to shop for household items?
* Is it going to be more cost saving to have a turnkey vs spending time away from job, family to outfit?
* How durable are the pieces I'm looking at? (ie: if the couch cushions leave large imprints at the
store, then most likely it will have a very used look in short order from multiple rentals.)
* Can I get replacements easily to account for breakage?
* If this is a one-off piece, am I willing to take a chance at this time at a rental location if it is fragile
in any way?
* Will the pieces stain? Wash well? Collect dust?
* Will the store accept a deposit to hold the item until my rental is ready?
I like to write down lists with pros and cons to help in my decisions. In my case, I have the time and energy and desire to spend several weeks shopping for the unit. I can also decorate it in the style, as seen below, either exactly or near the same for less money than the turnkey service. But I also love to research and have a notebook that weighs almost as much as my dog with notes, clippings, lists and ideas.
(Credit for photo coming as soon as I can locate.)
(Concrete look table at Casa in Estepona.)
(Furniture store photo for idea.)
(Desk and Chair at boutique in Malaga.)
(Dishes purchased from Wayfair.com)
The above items are from separate stores. The spice rack and dishes are from home and I'm shipping over. (I will go over shipping options and costs and companies in another post.) . It will raise the cost of the overall savings on the dishes but I will have exactly the ones that I want. Later on when we have our second property finished, if these are in good shape with no chips and cracks I will move to new location and get new ones for the townhouse.
If you are currently in the process of buying overseas or have already completed the process, please drop a note with tips and hints. Not only for me, but for others considering this amazing new lifestyle!
(Please feel free to print as many copies of the inventory list for personal use as you want. This document is copyrighted by Seattle2spain/Karen Ganzkow and may not be sold, mass reproduced or digitally altered in any way. If you wish to share, please contact me for written permission, explanation of intent and authorization. If you have an issue viewing, please send me a note and I would be happy to email an attachment. If you share, please give credit back to me. )
Comments
Post a Comment