Decor ideas for a holiday home

Properly decorating your holiday home is essential to enjoy it fully. It should match the tastes of the residents and generally such a home’s decoration is designed to be calming. It should also be practical and not require too much maintenance, always in line with this ideal of relaxation. Finally, to keep things for enjoying activities on site and because purchasing a second property is a major investment, one can decorate cleverly without spending too much. Discover our tips for properly decorating your second home.

Do you prefer spending time outdoors? Then keep things simple inside and invest in the ‘outdoor’ decor of your dreams to enjoy it day and night, with outdoor lighting, garden seating with coloured cushions, sun loungers, a hammock, reed screening, plants… To buy your outdoor decor, several alternatives are available to you. It is possible to purchase directly from stores, or from their websites. Otherwise, for authentic decor, enthusiasts can hunt for old furniture at car boot sales, grandparents’ attics or online (Leboncoin, Ebay…).

Object repurposing works outdoors as well as indoors. It is very popular with DIY enthusiasts, and for example one can use an old boat sail to make a parasol or a screen. Then if the exterior of your home looks a bit dull, repainting the shutters in more vibrant colours can be a more economical solution in addition to adding character to your house.

On the interior, a stripped-back decoration is commonly chosen, enhanced with various touches of colour so as not to make the rooms feel cold. Wood remains ideal for making a room with very light tones feel warmer. Other ways exist to create this effect: coloured cushions and throws, a wall covered with wallpaper or painted in a more or less vibrant colour (careful not to create too much contrast at the risk of making certain colours ‘aggressive’). Mosaic or wall tiles on a bathroom wall or kitchen splashback always makes an impact. Converting a large room into a dormitory style for children also fits the holiday spirit very well and allows even more people to be accommodated in the other rooms.

As well as properly decorating your home, it must be decorated efficiently, taking into account how the property is used. For example, for a home occupied only during holidays, it is preferable to choose decoration that will not become a dust nest. A practical and economical tip: do not put curtains in living areas that are relatively unexposed, or even in brighter rooms if seeking lots of brightness. Avoid rugs or carpets, especially if your property is located by the sea. The constant comings and goings will not make cleaning easier, quite the opposite!

Do not hesitate to renovate old furniture! A simple coat of paint is sometimes sufficient to bring them up to date, and also allows for some savings to treat yourself elsewhere. One can also paint a headboard, which here too is cheaper than buying a new one. Finally, do not forget that some everyday objects can serve as decoration.

As holidays are often an opportunity to get together with family or friends, the rooms must be arranged so that one does not feel cramped when there are more of you. Furniture can help gain space, for example convertible sofas or trundle beds are widely used to accommodate guests.

Decorating appropriately for any type of property, for successful holidays!