Renewing and reviewing the experience your space offers is a perennial consideration, as standards, expectations, and fashions change. Whilst you want to remain faithful to the spirit, or the history on which your space reflects – it’s vital to continue catering to what the market expects in order to maximise that occupancy. We’ve outlined two case studies in which owners have made subtle changes to enhance their space whilst still staying true to their ethos.

The Batman’s Summerhouse, Devon

From our owner, Miranda:

“We’ve had our nearly 100-year-old cabin, The Batman’s Summerhouse, with Canopy and Stars since the early days. After completing our second waterside cabin, Bowcombe Boathouse in October 2019, we really wanted to put some love back into our first cabin. We were able to do this fully during the summer lockdown of 2020.

Over the last 12 years the cabin has received ongoing maintenance, plus new pieces of furniture and paintings along the way. We’d wanted for some time, however, to do a much bigger overhaul and make it feel more authentic to the unique location, history and spirit in which it was built. It was built from timber from our woodland in the 1930s for a manservant, and then to an officer in the military – a real Batman!

To show respect to this sense of place and history within the interior, we included old-school items of furniture such as the carpenter’s workbench, which is now used for the kitchen island and is made from old pitch pine, and hard wood bedheads from an Edwardian B&B that had been through generations in my family. Together the bed heads create the unique twin-style double headboard in the cosy couple’s room downstairs. One of my favourite tricks is to look in second hand furniture shops for what the raw materials of a specific piece might offer. I was after an interesting metal splash back to go behind the cooker and with limited options available in lockdown, I ended up unravelling a brass coal bucket and using the burnished metal. It cost a fiver!

I would recommend looking at other properties, particularly on Instagram to see what works well in a picture, as that is the basis for all bookings. I have also tried to steer clear of anything too of the moment, as things date quickly, and keep in mind the sense of place as the basis for all decisions. This will make any property feel bedded in its location and unique.”

Project Cost

New kitchen: £6000 (including fridge, cooker, dishwasher, island, cabinets, sink, vintage furniture, and labour)

Living room: £5000 (sofa, stove, tiling, and lighting)

Bathroom: £5000

Total: £16000

The Result

Prior to the changes, occupancy was tracking at around 60%, and since reopening in the summer of 2020, the Batman’s Summerhouse has been running at close to 100% occupancy.

Hive Beach House, Dorset

From our owner, Phil:

“For over a decade I proudly rented out The Hive Beach House, eschewing any outside representation. I didn’t think I needed any help – the property received near 100% positive feedback, and I haven’t had much problem renting it. But recently my instinct was that I was missing an opportunity to boost the experience, and in so doing the revenues.

Two weeks ago, I appointed Canopy & Stars, rather apprehensive that they would in ‘enhancing the interiors’ – spoil my dream house! The team arrived and within a day and a half quietly did their thing, transforming what I believed was an amazing space into an even more amazing one. I approve of everything they have done to improve the look, feel and comfort of the house.

The bookings we have subsequently received prove that it’s not only worth trusting one’s own instinct, but also worth trusting the experts. Canopy & Stars are clearly the experts."

Cost of upgrade

Interior furnishings & Kitchen accessories: £950 (including soft furnishings mainly cushions, throws, rugs, plants, props and kitchen accessories.

Photographer: £500 (good photography is essential!)

Total: £1450

The Result

The Hive Beach House was a new space on Canopy & Stars, and whilst we don’t have our own booking history to compare to, Phil explained that when previously on a competitor’s website, he received very few bookings. In our first week with Hive Beach House, we took 52 bookings and gained £83k revenue.

Your next steps

If you’re hoping to refresh your offering, then get in touch with your Account Manager to discuss any ideas, and they’ll be more than happy to chat them through. If you’ve already taken the opportunity to do this, don’t forget to let us know so we can update photos and the listing etc.