This Airbnb Is Filled With Budget-Friendly Finds

Designer Name: Meggie Alyn Shaw

Instagram Handle: @meggie.alyn 

Project Name: Tapp House 

Type of Project: Airbnb 

Project Location: Billings, MT

Let’s get acquainted! Tell us about yourself. 

Hi, my name is Meggie! I was born and raised in Billings, MT, which is where I currently live with my husband and crazy 2.5-year-old Beckett and chill girl Ronni who is seven months old. I am a SAHM (stay-at-home mom) who has a hobby and business (Meggie Alyn Design) centered around design. I am focusing more on decorating and staging right now, but I would love to dabble in the architectural side of things. Fun fact: My husband surprised me with my LLC for our anniversary; so sweet.

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Who was the project for?

This project was for an amazing couple from California who bought their first investment property in Billings, MT, sight unseen. They heard of my Airbnb staging through word of mouth, and I am blessed because of it! It’s hard to design a space from a different state and never get to see your property, so they hired me to be their boots on the ground and care for their first investment. I appreciate their trust in me. :) 

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Describe the goal, design process, and budget for this project.

My goal for this project was to create a bright, earthy, and minimal space; I wanted it to feel new but with a hint of old. I had a smaller budget, so I needed to choose quality but affordable items. They had a $7,000 budget for the decorating and everything to make it function as an Airbnb, including bedding, household essentials, cleaning supplies, etc. For this project, I started with sourcing a rug—my sister was selling a Ruggable rug, so I snatched that—and designed around it, keeping in mind they wanted a bright and light earthy place.

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Can you describe the "before" state of the space?

The space was completely empty and had a clean slate, so I just had to choose a color scheme and begin decorating.

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What do you love about the "after" photos?

I love how the green couch is bold and fits well in the space. The light wood and the green make a pretty contrast! 

Are there any resources from your project that you want to share?

I got a couple of things off Facebook Marketplace, which I highly recommend if you’re looking for more affordable products. The green couch is from Wayfair. My go-to’s for budget-friendly but quality products are Target, Wayfair, and Walmart! So glamorous ;) 

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How did Spoak’s software help you bring your design vision to life?

As a designer, I love seeing the potential options online to know what I can get away with before I start designing. Putting all the furniture together in Spoak’s room planner is what I found the most useful.

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What was your favorite part about working on this project?

My favorite part was that my client trusted me and let me do my thing! I also loved that my kiddos could tag along and watch their mamma work on something and see it come to fruition.

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Do you have any final words of encouragement or advice for people tackling a design project? 

Don’t be afraid to spend less! You can achieve certain high-end looks by shopping second-hand or finding something similar. Go more expensive on larger focal pieces if you can’t find them used. Also, just try things out! If you hate it…return it or sell it.

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What’s next on your design project radar?

I am now working on our first investment property! We’re moving into a townhouse for a year before we rent that out, so I’m sourcing products for that. I also have an A-frame client project that I am excited about.