Since this space is a rental, we had a small budget and limited ability to move elements of the kitchen. We focused on brightening and cleaning up the space — with warm white colors and a functional light over the sink.

The project took about a month, with only about $3,000 in expenses.

The main problem areas were: stained and dated laminate cabinet fronts, a fridge that was rusted with peeling foam handles, browned vinyl faux marble flooring, a faucet that was too low to be functional and a broken range.

We replaced peeling beige paint with a bright semi-gloss white to protect against the poor ventilation and moisture in this bathroom. To keep the design simple, the shelving blends with the wall color, leaving plenty of space for toiletries within reach while staying within a tricky budget.

Since the bathroom window faces an exterior wall, choosing a bright white was important to lift the mood in this space. Painting the walls and updating the sink’s faucet were our two biggest tools. This bathroom update cost only about $1,000.

Streamlining the aesthetics included parsing through products to get rid of the old and the extra to create space. Here, you can see unnecessary and cramped shelving that we were able to remove with fewer toiletries. Notice how replacing the outdated faucet alone transforms the same vanity.

The bathroom in an even earlier state. Notice how the colors here are muted and add to an unkempt look. In the redesigned space, black geometric lines contrast against and enhance the brightness of the whites.

The black iron shelving used for toiletries broke up the space, making it look smaller and drawing attention away from the clawfoot tub with the beautiful marbling design. One of the most impactful updates was better organization and getting rid of rarely used products to avoid clutter.

The gorgeous trees and views first drew us to this house. You can renovate or redecorate a building, but you can’t create an expansive surrounding view. This image shows the side of the house and dining patio. The best view is from the back of the property — which we’ll save for later…

We are lucky that there are already striking cacti on the property — and an enormous, beautiful creosite where we are standing to take this picture. We plan highlight the creosite with lighting and paint the exterior of walls of the property in a creamy white, retaining the green of the columns to bring continuity with the colors of the vegetation.

We are drawing inspiration from a gorgeous, luxury property in Mexico, where varied shades of white in different textures mixed with woods to create a simple, elegant aesthetic.

With the wear and tear of vacation rental guests in mind, we chose resilient cement flooring throughout. After the existing floors — a patchwork of different tiles and carpet—were removed, the concrete foundation was ground and polished, leaving “ghosting.” Ghosting is a visual imprint left from previous flooring and a common discovery after removing existing flooring to expose the concrete underneath. This picture is an example of a San Francisco store where the texture and pattern tells a story and creates visual interest.

We love bringing the outside in through plants. Though keeping indoor plants healthy in a vacation rental may not be feasible, we believe that greenery is a must for a vibrant, relaxing space. Dried and preserved plants, like the arrangement at a San Francisco store shown here, are an easy alternative to live plants.

The most labor intensive portion of this project has been designing the kitchen and selecting cabinetry. We first considered striking, statement brass cabinet fronts before deciding to use warm oak tones with subtle, elegant brass features.

Tile samples from Zia Tile and Concrete Collective. We love the trendy terrazzos from Concrete Collective (the top row), especially the mix of colors to the top right. Ultimately, we chose a subway concrete tile in bone from Zia , to be laid vertically and placed in the hallway bathroom. Since the master bedroom has an en suite bath, we want to make sure the guests using the hallway bathroom feel like they have something special.