Why We’re Bringing Design to Wilder Stays
For us, a beautiful vacation rental has never just been about how it looks.
It’s about how it feels when someone walks through the door.
It’s the place you drop your bags and immediately feel like you can slow down. The chair by the window you end up drinking your coffee in every morning. The lighting that makes the home feel warm at night. The little details guests remember long after they leave.
Design has always been a big part of Wilder Stays, even before we officially called it a service.
As we’ve managed and worked with vacation rentals, we’ve seen firsthand how much the design of a property impacts the entire guest experience.
And we’ve also seen how overwhelming it can be for an owner to get there.
A Pretty Space Isn't Always a Great Vacation Rental
There is a difference between designing a beautiful home and designing a home that needs to welcome new guests every week.
Vacation rentals have to work harder.
Furniture needs to be beautiful, but it also needs to hold up.
Spaces need to photograph well, but they also have to make sense when six people are actually staying there.
There needs to be enough storage. Enough seating. Somewhere to set a suitcase. Lighting where guests actually need it. Furniture that fits the room instead of simply filling it.
And then there are all of the small things that make a stay feel intentional.
Those are the details we're constantly thinking about at Wilder.
Design Through the Lens of the Guest
Managing vacation rentals has given us a different perspective on design.
We get to see what guests notice.
We see what gets used, what gets damaged, what guests ask for and what makes them leave a great review.
We also see what photographs beautifully online and what makes someone stop scrolling when they're choosing where to stay.
That experience influences every design decision we make.
We aren't just asking:
Does this look good?
We're asking:
How will this feel to stay in?
Will it hold up?
Does the room function well?
Will this help the property stand out?
Does it feel memorable?
That is the approach we're now bringing to other vacation rental owners.
Introducing Wilder Stays Design
We're now offering virtual design services for vacation rentals, cabins, investment properties and hospitality spaces.
Whether you're starting with an empty property or have a rental that simply isn't feeling the way you imagined it would, we can help bring the pieces together.
Depending on the project, our design process can include:
Custom design concepts and mood boards
Furniture and décor selections
Room layouts and furniture placement
Paint, lighting and finish selections
Clickable shopping lists
Styling guidance
STR-focused recommendations for durability and functionality
Guest-experience recommendations based on what we've learned managing real properties
Because the process is virtual, we can work with properties throughout Wisconsin and beyond.
For New Properties and Homes That Need a Fresh Start
Sometimes a property needs to be designed from the ground up.
Other times, it already has good bones and simply needs someone to look at it differently.
Maybe the furniture doesn't feel cohesive.
Maybe the photos aren't getting attention.
Maybe the home feels dated.
Maybe you're purchasing an investment property and staring at empty rooms wondering where to even begin.
You don't always need to tear everything out and start over.
Sometimes the biggest difference comes from understanding what should stay, what should change and where your money will make the greatest impact.
That's the part we love.
Creating Places People Remember
At the heart of Wilder has always been the idea that where you stay can change how a trip feels.
We want our properties to give people a reason to slow down, reconnect and remember the weekend long after they get home.
Now we get to help other owners create those kinds of places too.
If you have a vacation rental, cabin, investment property or hospitality project that needs a little more intention, we'd love to hear about it.
Learn more about Wilder Stays Design or tell us about your property to see if we're a good fit.
Find Your Wild,
Allison
Wilder Stays
