How to Style your Holiday Home using a Luxury Rug 2023

Why is styling your holiday home important?

A modern holiday home provides a private escape from the stresses of daily life, offering a tranquil sanctuary where you and your loved ones can unwind and recharge. Styling your vacation home is important for setting the stage where fond memories can be made and traditions will be born.

If you are thinking about renting your holiday home out to other families or to your friends, there is a lot that you need to consider when it comes to its interior design! The way your holiday home is styled can create a lasting impression on your guests and make it one to remember. This positive experience may lead to better reviews, word-of-mouth recommendations, and repeat bookings.

The Wave Rug by Sonya Winner

How to create a welcoming interior for your vacation home:

There are many ways you can style your vacation home, but we have a few fundamental tips for creating a welcoming interior that you can achieve regardless of your space requirements.

1. Add Character

If you want to curate a home away from home, consider adding personal items, family photos and cherished mementos to the space. Allow your family to be comfortable in your vacation home wherever the holiday destination is and surround yourself with memories. If you are planning to rent your holiday home out, make it homely by including some unusual ornaments or unique items to fill the space. Handmade art or sculptures are a perfect way to add style and character to your holiday home, we recommend looking for artwork made by local artists or adding pieces that tell your guests some of the history of your holiday home. This can separate your vacation home from other holiday rentals and make it to stand out from the crowd.

2. Incorporate Colour

Colour can often depend on what your personal style choices are, but understanding what each colour does to an environment is important when curating a space where lots of people will be visiting, like a holiday home. Using warm-toned colours can subtly evoke feelings of comfort and cosiness, making guests feel at ease and relaxed in the space. However, using bold vibrant colours can add excitement and energy to your space. A vibrant interior can evoke positive emotions, stimulate creativity, and uplift moods. To read more on how colours effect your space click here.

3. Consider the Lighting

Soft and warm lighting, such as table lamps and string lights, create a cosy interior and relaxed atmosphere. Play around with funky, colourful lamp shades to add subtle accents to your room’s design and stay away from harsh white lights which may create a clinical environment in your holiday home.

4. Create a focal point

By thoughtfully curating the design of your holiday home’s living room around a focal point, you’ll naturally encourage conversations between family or guests, which is a key goal to strive for in your vacation environment. This can be achieved by positioning furniture against a prominent wall or in the centre of the room to draw attention. Next, arrange your furniture in a way so that they face the focal point, for example in a circle, so that you can see all of the seats clearly. To further stimulate conversation, incorporate a coffee table or a contemporary rug that motivates guests to enter the space.

Interesting ways to style your vacation home using a contemporary rug:

The Aqua Teal Sea rug for a Coastal Haven

The Aqua Teal Sea Rug by Sonya Winner. Featuring Ceramic Shell Bowl by Summerill & Bishop, Pillows in No. 42 Blue Denim and No. 13 Corn Flower Blue Stripe by Dixie & Grace, Madeleine tapered candles by Trudon, Sofia bouclé footstool by Soho Home, Sobremesa Stoneware vase by Hay, Spotted Bowl by Willow Crossley, Ceramic Fish Plate by Foter, Remi Arc Table Lamp by Littlewoods, Cashmere Throw By John Hanly.

Embrace a light and breezy aesthetic that captures the essence of a beachside retreat. Incorporate hues of turquoise blues, sandy yellows, and seashell whites, perfect for a modern holiday home located a stone’s throw away from the calming ocean. Pairing beautifully with a seaside holiday environment, is our Aqua Teal Sea Rug which was designed by Sonya Winner after visiting the crystal clear waters surrounding the Mediterranean islands. Blue and turquoise yarns overlay in the modern rug design to mimic the movement of the ocean as it sways back and forth against the shore. Accentuate your vacation home with nautical accents such as marine-inspired artwork or natural driftwood that you can even collect yourself along the shoreline.

Embrace Local Culture with the Santorini Sunset rug

Santorini Sunset Rug by Sonya Winner. Featuring J-Series 110 Chair by Hay, ‘Peacemaker’ by Laurie Fisher, Dohara Table Lamp by Soho Home, Zebra Linen Tablecloth by Summerill & Bishop, Throw pillow by Lorena Canals, Cluster Pom Pom Cushions by Amara, Basket Zoco Ash Rose by Lorena Canals, Ceramic vase by Alexandra Manousakis and Desert plates by Ancient Greek Sandals.

Immerse yourself in the rich heritage and unique characteristics of your chosen holiday destination by meeting the locals and exploring the environment. If the location calls for it, infuse your space with the vibrant colors of the sea and sun, and reflect the local craftsmanship by including traditional ceramics or textiles to adorn the walls of your vacation home. A reflection of this is the Santorini Sunset and Sunrise Rug by Sonya Winner, which proudly showcases the distinctive features of Grecian Cycladic architecture. This contemporary rug design beautifully captures the essence of the island’s iconic cubic shapes and clean lines synonymous with Santorini. By embracing the local cultural environment with your holiday home’s interior design, you can offer guests an immersive and educational experience, allowing them to connect to the location on a deeper level and leaving them with lasting memories of their stay. Read more on the design story of our Santorini inspired collection here.

The Antelope Canyon Mist rug for a Tranquil Retreat

Antelope Canyon Mist Rug by Sonya Winner. Featuring Garden Swing Chair by Go Modern, Pillar Candle Holder by Layered Lounge, Ferm Living Vista Cushion and Hay Dot Cushion by HUH Store, 34 Boulevard Saint Germain Candle by Diptyque, Ceramic Candlesticks by Jade Paton, Lawson Pasta Plate by Soho Home, Cotton Restorative Yoga Mat by Yoga Matters, Wooden Floor Lamp by Heal’s and Nordic Stoneware Mug by Amara.

Styling your holiday home with a zen and relaxing theme involves promoting the feeling of serenity and inner peace. Start by choosing a soft or neutral color palette and try to embrace a minimalist design aesthetic. Integrate natural elements like bamboo, stone and wood into the decor to bring the essence of nature indoors. Similarly, look for furniture that reflects these qualities, like our Antelope Canyon Mist rug which is inspired by the stunning Slot Canyons in Arizona. The organic shapes of this designer rug are created in a careful balance of warm greys and satin whites which create a peaceful, sophisticated atmosphere, promoting a feeling of calm throughout the room. Consider creating zones for mindfulness, such as a cosy place to meditate or even an exercise corner for yoga and stretching. By thoughtfully integrating these motifs into your vacation home, it will become a sanctuary of peace and rejuvenation for all visitors to come.

A Family Friendly Favourite with the Happy Rug

The Happy Rug by Sonya Winner. Featuring Greta striped and Suki panelled cushions by Christina Lundsteen, Bonbon Shade by Hay, Rainbow Float by Sunnylife, Pompom Bunting by Kids Concept, 4 Poolside Highball Tumblers by Sunnylife, DM Steel Side Table by Hay, Brights Porcelain Plates by Royal Doulton and Giacomo Geometric-Pattern towels by Missoni Home.

Designing your vacation home as a family-friendly space requires careful consideration of both functionality and comfort to accommodate the needs of all family members across all ages. Create designated play areas for children with vibrant colours and patterns, while still making it pleasing to the eye for the older demographic. For example, opt for a bold and colourful modern rug design like our Happy rug by Sonya Winner, which is a playful contemporary piece of floor art that celebrates the power of colour transforming spaces. Make sure that you select durable and easy-to-clean materials, like our 100% New Zealand Wool rugs which are hardwearing and easily washable. Incorporate child-friendly touches, such as colorful throw pillows, fun wall decorations, or themed bedding, to create an exciting wonderland for the whole family during their stay.

The benefits of having a designer rug in your holiday home

There are many reasons why having a vibrant contemporary rug is beneficial to your living space. First and foremost, a luxury rug can instantly add warmth and coziness to the space, creating a welcoming interior for all guests during their stay. It serves as a soft and comfortable surface underfoot, especially on hard flooring like tiles or wood which is prominent in most downstairs areas like the living room or dining space. Practically, designer rugs help to protect the flooring from wear and tear, particularly in high-traffic areas. This can be very important if your vacation home is also a holiday rental where multiple guests will be moving in and out of the space. Sound absorption is a valuable benefit to your holiday home which can be achieved with a luxury rug. If you have friends round for dinner parties or general conversation, a designer rug can reduce echo and provide a quieter environment amongst a group of people. To learn more on how modern rugs improve acoustics, read here.

A lesser-known fact about high-quality wool rugs, is their amazing warming and cooling abilities depending on the season. If you like a holiday destination with a colder climate, wool rugs can provide much-needed insulation for the floors. A thick wool rug can be a significant investment for your holiday home, reducing heating costs or just helping in areas which tend to be exposed to the cold more often, for example your entrance way. On the other hand, in warmer seasons or hotter climates, wool rugs can have cooling benefits as well. This works by absorbing moisture and allowing air to circulate.  A high-quality wool rug also prevents direct contact of bare feet with warm floors – which will be especially appreciated by your furry friends! You can learn more about how to keep cool using wool rugs here for further information.

The Deep Sunset Rug by Sonya Winner

Now it’s time to transform your holiday home with a luxury rug!

We’ve explored various luxury rug styling techniques for your holiday home, from peaceful, coastal holiday destinations to high-spirited, fun-loving family vacations! As you continue to curate your holiday haven, take the time to explore all of our modern rug designs and visit our Vibrant Contemporary Rug Collection here, to find the perfect luxury rug to transform your vacation home.

If you’re still not sure how your designer rug will look in your holiday home, use our free visualisation service, and send us some pictures of your space so we can digitally drop in our contemporary rug designs and help you imagine how they will look in your vacation home before you buy. This is great if you would like to see how the colour combinations or styling will work with your current furniture! Read more through the link here.

Now is the time to let your creativity flow for your home away from home and don’t forget to embrace the transformative power of our vibrant contemporary rugs!