• A Soapy Surprise

    What about giving that extra little bit of attention to your guests by making them a special home-made soap? Here’s an easy DIY for making your own soapy-surprise bars...

     

  • Preparing the Bathroom

    Guests expect a clean, but simultaneously warm and functional bathroom. Here is a guide to help you prepare it, and not forget anything, before they check-in.

     

  • SPEAKER AT THE 2016 AIRBNB OPEN IN LOS ANGELES

    For its third annual conference on hospitality, Airbnb hit it big ! This year the Airbnb Open took place between November 17 and 19 in Los Angeles, more precisely on Broadway St. in downtown LA.

    2016 Los Angeles Airbnb open announcement on a theatre 

     

    To host the event, which was designed as a get-together festival for 6 000 hosts from all over the world, Airbnb reserved four grandiose theaters, which hosted presentations by the founders Brian Chesky, Nate Blecharczyk and Joe Gebbia, by the Strategy Director Chip Conley,and by other speakers. Among them the only Frenchie, yours hostly: Katia Blanchard!

     

    Katia Blanchard description as a speaker on airbnb website 

     

    On November 19 I was invited by Airbnb, for the second year in a row, to get on stage and present my secret sauce on interior design for rentals - this time inside the famous 1650-seat Ace Theatre. My speech, titled "Interior design tips : give your rental a personal and unique touch",provided tips and advice for hosts, to help them make their rental stand out. 

     

    In fact, as a BnbStaging consultant, I keep noticing that more and more hosts tend to completely de-personalize their apartments or houses, to standardize them as if they were hotel rooms. However, guests and travellers seek authenticity and character in a rental, in order to make them feel "at home". My presentation, which concluded the Open, first focused on the fundamentals of interior design, and then proposed a number of original and easy-to-do ideas to customize and instill personality in a home.

     

    Katia Blanchard on stage in the Los Angeles Ace theatre

    Katia Blanchard on stage at the Airbnb Open at the Ace TheatreKatia Blanchard on stage at the Ace Theatre during the 2016 LA Airbnb OpenKatia Blanchard, Interior designer and BnbStaging consultant, on the stage of the Ace Theatre in Los Angeles during the 2016 Airbnb Open

     

  • Airbnb, a World of Trips

    At the LA Open, Brian Chesky unveiled the future of Airbnb, build on experiences and connecting humanity. But the platform is going much further with "Airbnb Trips"...

     

  • SPEAKER AT THE YOURWELCOME FESTIVAL

     

    Henry Bennett and Paul Loran, the founders of the start-up YourWelcome, invited me on September 27th to take part in their mini-festival on hospitality in the St Pancras Tower, an exceptional London venue.

    St Pancras tower in London where happened the YourWelcome festival The St Pancras Tower where Katia Blanchard, founder of BnbStaging was speaking.

     

    What is YourWelcome? It is a digital tablet worthy of the concierge services at the best hotels. It facilitates communication with travellers and enriches their local experience. So it was during this event on premium hospitality that I intervened to talk about interior design of seasonal rentals. A presentation entitled "How can interior design boost your rental income?" given in front of many Airbnb & co hosts gathered in the spectacular room, but also in front of their screens since the conference was broadcast live on Facebook.

     

    To discover or watch my London YourWelcome video presentation again.

     

  • Heading to LA!

    Airbnb will host its third Open in November. A seminar in the form of a three day festival with a multitude of guests on stage… including me!!

     

  • A First Class Tablet

    The start-up YourWelcome allows hosts to offer premium hospitality to travellers with a digital tablet worthy of the greatest hotel concierge services.

     

  • Vive Fresh Air!

    Bring comfort to your guests by providing a fan in your rental. Power, airflow, swing, volume, etc. A comprehensive purchasing guide...

     

  • Germ-free Bathroom Tiles

    Variations in temperature and humidity in the bathroom can cause blackened and/or mouldy tile joints. Here’s how to clean and whiten them…

     

  • Playing Guide!

    Airbnb delves further into hospitality allowing travellers that are looking for local experience to discover their host’s favourite spots through online guides.

     

  • Whitening Stained Pillows

    Don’t throw away your stained pillows. There is a simple and effective way of returning them to their original bright white. To the washing machine!

     

  • Fresh Smelling Laundry

    Fresh smelling household linens exude a sense of cleanliness. Here are some old-fashioned tips so that the laundry in your rental always smells good.

     

  • A Good Mattress

    What criteria should you take into account when buying a new mattress to ensure your guests get a restful sleep? Purchasing guide…

     

  • The Spirit of Spa at Home

    Bring the spa into your home and transform your bathroom of your rental into a haven of relaxation for your guests. Elements to create a zen atmosphere…

     

  • Cleaning a Fabric Sofa

    Wine, oil, coffee, makeup stains… How do you remove a stubborn stain from your fabric sofa in your rental caused by your travellers? Age old tips and tricks...

     

  • Elevate your Entryway!

    The entryway is a reflection of your place’s interior, making it important for this area to be welcoming. Tips for a practical and elegant entryway…

     

  • Snowflakes & Windows

    Transform adhesive felt pads into snowflakes on your windows. A unique and inexpensive DIY decoration that will create a cocooning atmosphere.

     

  • Reaching Superhost Status

    Airbnb rewards hosts who offer excellent hospitality to their travellers by giving them Superhost status. What are the criteria?

     

  • How to Tidy Up Efficiently

    Learn how to tidy up your place smartly and durably for your guests, so that they can feel at home in your home. Tips and tricks for an organized and functional interior…

     

  • Wood Furniture Care

    To care for your wood furniture, here are some good practices to adopt to maintain it and remove those stubborn stains. Age-old tips and homemade recipes…