DESIGNING & PHOTOGRAPHING SPACES THAT SHINE
There’s a reason why the adage goes "like a moth to a flame.” We are drawn to the light.
Scientists say that gazing into the light for 10 minutes a day is good for your body. When caring for your traveler’s wellbeing, have you considered asking yourself quite literally, “How can I light up their world?”
If you’re in the vacation rental business, then experiential marketing should matter to you more than ever. But don’t get spooked by the term. Think of it this way:
If marketing is about sparking a connection with your customer, then as an STR host, your guest experience IS your greatest marketing tool.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT LIGHT today. So LET THE SUN SHINE IN.
Imagine the health benefits of light in your STR.
Light isn’t just aesthetic—it’s biological. Exposure to natural light helps reset circadian rhythms, which means better sleep, brighter moods, and sharper cognitive function for your guests. Even a few minutes of morning sunlight can increase serotonin levels (mood booster), ease jet lag (yes, please), and support mental well-being (i.e. vacation). Sunlight also fuels vitamin D production, a nutrient critical for energy, immunity, and overall vitality.
Okay, so why the science 101?
For travelers, these benefits are magnified: thoughtful bedroom design with ample sun light—and even simple practical touches like strategically placed mirrors boost that light source to make up a well-lit room—can transform a stay from just “comfortable” to truly restorative.
Today, I’m focused on lighting as it relates to your STR photography. I want to give you the best shot at landing stellar photo assets that say something compelling about the guest experience you have to offer.
But let’s back into it.
4 Essential Checkpoints for Lighting 5-Star Stays
From every angle + STEP IN THE PROCESS, lighting PLANNING is key—FROM property acquisition TO LISTING PHOTOS.
Here are 4 checkpoints for lighting you should never overlook:
PROPERTY ACQUISITION
1. SHOP LOADS OF NATURAL LIGHT
When you’re shopping properties you want as much natural light as possible. Why? Natural light is easy on the eyes. If you can recall ever stepping into a room without windows (like a basement bedroom or office), you know that overhead lights alone make the space feel stark—because those bright lights are bouncing off the walls in your face. We call this harsh lighting. More on this in the next section. But my main point: if you’re buying a property will small or few openings to the outdoors, be ready to invest in a complex combination of artificial light sources that will imitate natural light.
STARTING FROM SCRATCH? unless you’re an expert in lighting design…
…you’LL WANT TO hire contractorS and designERS who will IMPLEMENT lighting sources with the right placement, temperatures and dimmers (can’t stress that last one enough).
The wrong mixology of light sources can make for mistakes that are costly to readjust.
INTERIOR DESIGN
2. DESIGN WITH SOFT, WARM LIGHT
When you’re in the design phase of launching your STR, there are many moving parts but I’ll touch on some basics. Let’s revisit harsh lighting. For starters, swap your bulbs for warm light because it’s cool light that makes a space feel…well, cold—stark and unwelcoming. But collectively, you want a combination of: ample natural light for calm and ease; (warm) overhead light for tasks/ functioning in the space; and accent lights (in a variety of forms like pendants, accent lamps, etc.) for setting a mood.
you should be prepping window treatments, paint, wall paper and any wall treatment that will be complimentary to those light sources combined.
Colors will show up differently in different light. So if you’re testing paint swatches (or even curtain colors), for example, make sure you observe every option through ALL hours of the day (lights on and off) to ensure you like it around the clock.
Since we’re talking about vacation rentals, I won’t go any further without talking about guest experience.
When your guest is staying in your space, they’re feeling your space.
So your interior design & styling choices—which includes lighting—must align with the brand vibe you’ve established. I recently sat down with Moira Sedgwick, founder of A Chalet Collective, in an IG Live (linked at the end) and got onto a tangent about lighting as it relates to prompting or signaling your guest.
She drew a perfect parallel, describing a party scene: “Imagine a club setting…the lights are kept low to keep all the good vibes going. But when it’s time to go home, they flip the lights ON. Party’s over.”
As STR hosts you want to keep the “party” going for your guests. You want them to feel warm and welcome for the entirety of their stay.
You want to foster lasting guest connection…
GUEST CONNECTION
3. STAGE WITH MOMENTS IN MIND
Every staging choice can either foster or hinder moments for guest connection.
Deep guest connection matters for RETURNING a positive ATTACHMENT AND identity in your brand—this is experiential marketing 101.
How do you know what lighting set up will be optimal for this kind of connection? It takes planning and intentionality with every staging choice. There are decisions to make about furniture layouts and amenity placements in relation to your light sources. This is why an onsite visit is an essential part of our experiential design process. We want to understand how light travels through your property so we can make the most informed decisions about details like:
light filtering curtains vs. black out
shades vs. blinds
orientation of seating arrangements
and (thinking way ahead) how it will all frame up just so in an a photograph!
We’re asking, where does the sun rise and set? Remember how I opened this article—we are drawn to the light. And golden hour light feels like magic. That’s why it’s also called MAGIC hour. So we want to orient your furnishings and amenities—where your most emotionally connective experiences happen—in a way where the light will make it feel like gold.
SIMPLY PUT: Stage your STR in ways that invite your travelers into connective moments where light enhances the experience.
Start looking at lighting from this angle, and you’ll see how it sets the stage for unforgettable, magical memories.
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
4. SHOOTING TO SHOWCASE AN EXPERIENCE
When you’re photographing your STR property, you can’t just document the space and expect your viewer to imagine having warm fuzzy feelings there. You must capture the experience for them in an alluring way—this is vacation rental photography 101. It’s why we say don’t hire a real estate photographer (this, plus more do’s & don’ts are in our last blog here).
Light is an active storyteller in the story of your brand.
Think of it like a character speaking directly to your viewer. Picture this…
10 SHOTS THAT SAY SOMETHING
A shaft of light through the entryway – almost like a spotlight on the door, declaring, “This is the moment you’ve arrived.”
Backlit binoculars set out on the deck – background light illuminates a playful explore tool, “This is your place to discover something new.”
Morning glow at the kitchen island – golden light spills over a cutting board and season fruit whispers, “Slow down, your wellness matters here.”
Window light streams onto a reading nook – a warm patch on the cushions beckons, “Curl up here with a book, I’ve saved you this spot.”
Shadows of palm fronds by the poolside – the lacework of light and shade dances across the water, calling out, “Come play beneath the palms, seize the day.”
Sun flares through the trees – a starburst of sunlight pierces the branches, winking, “There’s magic tucked in these woods—follow me, hidden treasure awaits.”
A chandelier all aglow – captured from a loft above, it hangs like a luminous crown over a long dining table, proclaiming, “This is the heart of the home—come feast, celebrate—you belong here.”
Light through a tinted wine glass – the sun catches the glass and scatters jewel-toned shadows across the surface, whispering, “Toast to beauty in the details.”
Sunset light paints the porch – the sky’s gradient of pink and orange surround two rocking chairs saying, “This view is just for you—come sit and watch it fade.”
Flickers from the fireplace – in the foreground, hints of a body form cocooned in a blanket, stocking feet peeking out, while the flames blur softly behind them, murmuring, “Snuggle up, let the stories unfold.”
Moonlight across a pond – silver ripples shimmer, saying, “Take a dip, this is your private midnight escape.”
Light, in each of these roles, isn’t passive—it lures them in.
The light nudges, comforts, and celebrates…allowing your viewer to imagine themselves in the scene before they’ve even booked.
If you’re capturing light in these ways, it won’t be long before they’re at your front door.
Until the next article, get that daily dose of sun light for yourself too!
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Image credits: The Olive Jar, Anchor Pictures, June Choi Photos
Maybe I’ve caught you in the middle of scrolling Zillow. Maybe you’re searching for a new photographer.
If any of this is new to you, then I hope I’ve flipped the switch on your process (puns!). Did you take away at least one tip?
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