03. Styling.

This is where people usually want to start, but as you’ve realised, there’s so much more that goes into understanding your property and what you’re actually designing and buying for before you go out and do it.

I want you to work from a place that knows styling is another way you get to tell people your house story. I also want you to believe that it’s absolutely a science — replicable because beauty is a mathematical formula (a fact well-known by artists and mathematicians throughout time). Which means, if you know the science and rules to styling, you can style. Anyone can. But what will make yours iconic and penetrating is when you shape it from your story.

All of that to say, I know it can still be so very overwhelming when you start. What to buy? What to do? What’s the point? That’s why we’ve already done much more of the heavy lifting than you realize — getting sorted on your house story and negotiating all that planning will save you thousands in time and unspent dollars. So trust you have your map and you already know your north star (your story) and let’s begin. In the industry, you know, no matter if we’re styling a bookshelf or a whole house, this is the same process we go through.

A few things to know…

I’m confident when I say you’ll be able to do your own styling so much better than anyone you could ever hire because it’s you who knows your house story. After teaching so many people face-to-face, this is one of the standout lessons: if you have the rules, and you follow them, you will do well. You know what you prefer visually and you do not need a stylist to understand what looks beautiful. Trust me!

You may be saying, yes but I just don’t know what to buy. And, again, you do. You know what to buy and you know how to put it together, it’s just that up until now, you haven’t been taught the method behind it. So, don’t worry, stick to the steps and follow the process. I promise your home will reveal itself.

Let’s get organised.

Below I give you Three Steps and 10 Rules for styling. Together, we’ll go through each, explaining what they mean and how to apply them. Click for examples of each and, by the end - with plenty of practice - you’ll be calling yourself a stylist.

This week, your homework is even more crucial than normal. Do the exercises and make sure to practise, photograph, and share your work. When you post, that’s how I get to see what you’ve been creating and how far you’ve come.

Oh! And, of course, have fun!

Let’s begin with our video overview.

03. To ponder.

I am going to make everything around me beautiful, that will be my life.

- Elsie de Wolfe

03. Lesson: the three steps.

Step 1

Create a mood board so you can see your house story in pictures — this is a critical step in the translation of theory to practice. It doesn’t really matter what the platform is —- you can use Pinterest, a word document, or a folder of magazine pictures at your desk — it’s simply an exercise to critically think about what words mean to you in images. Creating a mood board will help you stay true to your house story, not to design trends or your own personal aesthetic.

Use your mood board as a reference when you’re shopping and selecting items as it is the cornerstone of a clear visual direction for your entire project.

When working, try to find an image (or images) for each aspect of your house story. Know that they won’t all be pictures of interiors, and shouldn’t be. For those of you looking for a number, I encourage you to select at least 20 images.

{ Go to your workbook and find Exercise 3.1 - Make a Mood Board From Your House Story. }

Step 2

It doesn’t have to be fancy, but roughly draw out your house and its rooms. By doing so, this creates a sort of shopping list for what you’ll need in each. A little tip from me: I try to imagine myself walking through a house, asking what I would want to see, where I would want to sit, and what I would want to look at on the walls. Know that your mud map doesn’t have to be neat or perfect, it’s just a sketch to form your shopping list. With a list and a plan, you’ll feel far more strategic and organised when you fit out your house.

{ Go to E3.2 - Make a Mud Map & Draw Out Your Rooms }

Step 3

The third step is styling. I know, it may seem funny that the third step is when we actually begin to do, but all the planning and dreaming and learning you’ve done til now is what makes a considered and professional space.

Something to consider, a little tip from me to you, is that this is a holiday property and your guests don’t need everything a normal home does. There’s no doubt you want them to be comfortable, but you’re also inviting them into a world for a short stay and, when there, they probably don’t need everything.

03. Lesson: 10 rules of styling.

Styling is about understanding the rules and practicing them to feel confident . A key part to this week is not just the learning, but to go and play and continue to practice throughout the duration of this class in your own home. Make a commitment to yourself to do this — check the hashtags below in Community to follow other people’s work because it could trigger some key learnings for you (or your for then).

For every straight thing, use a round thing. — How this works: for every straight edge, you need to add something round because humans always lived somewhere that didn’t have anything soft and round. By having something round, it starts to feel comfortable for a human to live in.
Consider round rugs and round coffee tables. Old books and old paper. Round lights. Flowers and leaves. Linen. Round creates harmony. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Make triangles. — What you’re trying to do is make a series of triangles. It doesn’t have to all be a simple, basic, straight triangle. You want to create high points and low points and make everything feel beautiful. It’s also about pairings – high and small things with anchoring points, about creating rhythm so your eye has something to follow around. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Use old as well as new. — Get stuff no one else has. The key to memorable things is the triggering between eye and mind, it’s not about vintage, its about having stuff no one else has. It doesn’t have to be something old and expensive, it can be a dog! It’s about one offs. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Textures and layers. — I always work in odd numbers: three, five, or seven textures or layers. That’s about not getting bored in a space. It’s different to look at a space and to be in a space, you want to create somewhere people want to stay in. They want to holiday in the space. not somewhere that they’re just staying for the night. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Hang everything unexpectedly. — It creates something memorable. It creates a strong memory and makes it highly photogenic. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Everything tells the story. — It all plays in to telling the story, from whatever you decide your story is, you make choices based on the story. Make choices not based on what other people would like, or what you want the house to look like, make it based on the story. It’s a gradual evolving process and making edits as you go.
Balance. — Positive and Negative space 50/50. Start with stuff and no stuff because the eye needs release. Busy areas and quiet areas. Look to your story: if it’s a busy story, maybe you go 60 / 40 but if you have a quieter story, then you need to make it softer and give it space for balance. To make photos beautiful, it’s often about taking things away. Negative space is just as important as positive space. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Hide the ugly stuff. — Hide the fridge, TV, appliances, all of it. It’s about hiding anything that isn’t attractive. Put things in cupboards and behind doors. Hide kettles and toasters. Anything that isn’t beautiful, it goes away. Anything you’re touching everyday, make it nice (like light switches). There are areas you can never hide, so just don’t take photos of them. It has too strong of an impact on the space. sometimes it is knowing that you like it or love it, but you don’t know why. Through a camera, you can notice more than in real life. You don’t care if people can tell why they love entering your space, just that they like it. Don’t forget that creating the perfect world includes inside the cupboards and bowls, too. Have cupboards and drawers that are locked off for everything you need. Click here to see the rule applied and not applied.
Remove any offensive colors. — I love this one! It’s officially called the ‘eyelash’ test. Squint your eyes a bit and look around. Which colours pop out? Take them out and see what a difference it makes. Reds and yellows are usually offenders, and funny enough, they are colours in nature that signal danger.
The biggest secret I could ever tell you…
…really, the biggest secret I could ever tell you is that I style through a camera lens. I like to work out where the house will be photographed from, set up a camera, and base my styling through the frame of the camera. Know that people are only ever going to purchase a stay at your property through photos so it’s crucial they look perfect. In this situation, real life is just slightly secondary. Click here to see this rule applied and not applied.

{ Go to E3.3 - Write Down The 10 Rules in Your Notebook.}

How to make decisions when you are planning, buying and styling

So, here is where people get stuck!! They tick off their house story, their moodboard, plan, understand the science of styling, practice a little bit, get the gist and are really proud. But then, when they get to the actual doing, they get frightened and reach for outside help or advice, going down a steep (and deep) spiral of indecision, landing in the murky waters of mixed aesthetics or, interestingly, a very bland result that’s hoping to please everyone.

What I want you to do — or what I would do if you had hired me — is to make decisions based on your unique house story and moodboard. Make sure you are completely happy with them before you start and take them everywhere with you, on every sourcing and shopping adventure. They are your touchstone.

So…what does actually using your house story to make decisions look like? Well, if you’re considering lighting options and one of your key house story elements is ‘humble,’ you wouldn’t choose a shiny, modern pendant, or a chandelier, or antique crystal — you would look to a bare bulb, cords, wire, maybe old ropes intertwined, very aged fittings you found that would have been cheap back in the day.

Another example: perhaps you’re looking at tiles for the bathroom and your home is a beach house and your story is ‘relaxed.’ You wouldn’t go for a pattern or black and white checks, or even subway tiles, or something even more formal. Perhaps the solution is a basic concrete tile that’s been tumbled or aged, something very unfussy.

One more: if you have a cottage and your story is ‘Victorian.’ You wouldn’t select the sort of black tap-ware that is so popular right now, you’d want to choose traditional fixtures that speak to a by-gone era. You’d forgo a big, round, modern bath for an old clawfoot. You see?

Write this down in your notes:

When I need to make a decision, I look at my house story and ask what fits.

Try to not worry too much about the end result, I promise it will all come together perfectly. Trust the process.

A few final thoughts on styling ….

Every single person I have talked to or met, whether they’re a student or an expert in the industry, has self-doubt when it comes to styling so don’t let this stop you because everyone will have it. It’s so important to practice and play. Also remember that it’s going to be successful if it comes from you because it’s going to be authentic and yours. It’s also important to get comfortable with this feeling of self-doubt because no matter how successful you are or however much you’ve done, it will always be there in some form or another, so it’s up to you how you want to use it.

03. Just so they’re all in one spot: your exercises.

E3.1 - Make a Mood Board From Your House Story.

E3.2 - Make a Mud Map & Draw Out Your Rooms.

E3.3 - Write Down The 10 Rules in Your Notebook.

There’s a lot of very ‘hands on’ homework this week so be sure to do it, take before and after photos, and share.

03. Ponder this.

"You’re never going to kill storytelling, because it’s built in the human plan. We come with it.”

- Margaret Atwood

03. Case Studies: click on each to check in.

03. A Graduate Story: Sheepwash Bay.

Jenene’s story really inspired me. Her shack is quite close to where I was living at the time so I got to watch her progress and visit often (I know, lucky!). I wanted to share her journey with you, because, like most people, she was stuck in what she felt was expected and what everyone else was doing rather than who she was and what she had to offer, which was magical so why was she fighting it! So, dear reader — I hope her story inspires you write your own too.

Dear Student,

It felt really brave three years ago to open our property up to strangers on Airbnb. It was a bit of an eyes half-closed leap... just another thing to add to an already time-poor, organisationally challenged life..... living on a small island is a romantic ideal.... but oh my, with kids and three jobs the logistics can nearly break you.

So we did what we thought was “required”. You know. White sheets. Table and chairs. Rolled towels on the end of the quilt. Make it clean and tidy and more like a hotel.... because after all, it was an out of whack wooden shack with a drop toilet..... quick disguise it!!

Charging $145 on Airbnb we did pretty well. In fact, we were stoked! The 30k it took to do it up ( reroof, deck on, windows without holes, etc) came back to us year one! Awesome right. Then year two and three we stayed at exactly 30k gross. No growth. Bookings sitting around 50%.

Then on the eve of my midcenturian celebrations, I recognized that my energy for continuing in the health field was really waning, and my desire to do more of “me” was a bubbling volcano...... where was my time in my garden, at the pottery wheel, in nature ..... so how can I do more me and still pay the mortgage????

Holy timing batman..... a mate said ... oh you should see how Sarah Andrews does with her place ‘Captains Rest’ ..... so a quick internet stalk and up pops “ The Hosting Masterclass”. Hmmm a lot of dosh I thought.... but hey if I needed to get better at rehabilitating a knee I’d do a rehabilitating knees course..... why should this other sort of profession be any different ...... and also there was a bit of “hell yes, I deserve a few days doing something nice.... sounds like in the least I’ll get to sit about and drink wine!!!”

Well, it was fun, and there was wine but oh my I can’t believe how it changed me ... my eyes were opened to the science of telling a house story through styling.

I really thought I couldn’t do styling.... have always joked I don’t do style ...and here I was.

Lightbulb.... my house story is my story... my style is what I like.... as long as it all flows with authenticity it will tell its own story clearly. I can do this. I do know what I think and what I want to share... Sarah’s cleverly crafted course teases this out of you and then gives you ‘frameworks’ for confidence. I still can’t believe there are “rules” to styling that can be followed..... love it.

... and I wasn’t on any social media ..... that’s a whole other chapter where a few little tips and tricks where shared and boom you can do it!!!

So home I went, backed up the trailer and threw out all the ugly stuff... I always believed that people want a different experience to home when on holidays ... so here goes... no plastic tables and chairs instead we included wooden stumps and hand made daybeds, colored earthy linen sheets, and flowers... oh the flowers....lots of pottery from my studio, beautiful dried things we found washed up on the shoreline out the front. We embraced sharing our dog and our family, our veggie patch and our love of home-baked sourdough with our guests and it just took off!

Then the crazy bit... I increased the price to $205. Within 6 months a real change was afoot. I still only use Airbnb, but most bookings mention finding me via Instagram. Instead of looking for accommodation on ‘Bruny Island’ and finding us by accident.... we are now the destination and just happen to be on ‘Bruny’. People come from all over the world to our little shack on the beach. So bookings are more likely 2 or more days rather than one. Guests are so so friendly and happy — just damn good types.

Oh, and did I mention our bookings are now around 80% occupancy and climbing like crazy?!?! In winter!! Time to keep putting my price up! We are also opening a second shack! I laugh, they even love the ‘long drop’ which is an Aussie toilet that is basically a hole in the ground!

So that’s my story typed with one finger in a cafe between jobs (not for long because I’m expanding to another cabin and intend to retire from healthcare).

I cannot understate how amazing the ‘hosting masterclass’ was at opening my eyes to my own abilities and style. And for me, I finally learned how to embrace my story, and boy did the world respond back.

Sarah asked me to share three things that really propelled me forward to share with all of you, so here they are:

Think through to the bare bones of what your theme truly is. Your story is powerful, no matter what it is. This is why people will choose to stay with you over every other bland or ‘on current’ trend stay.
Be authentically YOU (Because you’ve got this ). And besides, it's just more fun that way!
Anyone can be their own stylist, really! Be brave, play, change things. Follow your story and Sarah’s rules and it's you that will be on the pages of your favorite magazine next. There is no difference between the worlds best stylist and you, they just have the confidence to pretend you need to be talented or special to do it. You don’t!

Best of luck with embracing who you really are! Jenene — @sheepwashbay

03. A Graduate Story: Before The Hosting Masterclass

03. A Graduate Story. After the Hosting Masterclass

Photos by wonderful and talented Anjie Blaire & Zoe Morley.

03. Your homework for this module.

Watch this TED talk - The Power of Vulnerability
And then, watch this one — about creating memory “stamps” — Feats of Memory.
Pick a room, or a corner of a room, and practice all the rules. Be sure to take before and after photos. Instagram your work using #thehostingmasterclass and tag @thehostingmasterclass.
I challenge you to re-do your desk exercise from Chapter 00 now you know a thing or two about your story and styling. I’d love to see how this changes! You could even do a swipe through before and after, whatever makes you feel comfortable and creative.

03. Q and A with Sarah Andrews.

Q. What if my home is already styled?

Go back to your house story and maybe start by adding elements of it to your home — just as important: begin to remove elements that don’t fit. Next, I’d work room-by-room, changing and modifying as budget allows.

Q. All your gorgeous examples so far seem to be of spaces where the entire unit is being rented to guests privately -- a situation that lends itself really well to creating a kind of fantasy stay for guests where everything is curated to be more lovely than practical. But I'm really struggling because my situation is a heritage home where I live full-time and have one guest room and several shared spaces. Can I successfully employ your strategies? I can't hide all the ugly in every space a guest might see because I need some of it to live! Do I need to make myself a part of the house story?

Great questions and, I’ll be honest, you have a MUCH harder story to sell than if you were thinking of your whole home as a story. Why? Because you’re targeting the next rung down of travellers on a budget. I suggest a slightly different approach if you are renting out a room. 1. Make the room perfect, let it tell its story; do your best to make it as absolutely self-contained as possible. Think: coffee, tea, water station, maybe a mini fridge, perhaps even a hidden TV, books, etc. I know myself, and others I know, that are just renting rooms, want to hide away as much as possible. 2. Focus on making your listing amazing, invest in incredible photos, beautiful words, and treat guests so well so that you have great reviews. Your travellers are mostly going to come via Airbnb searches, so this is where to invest. As for your own and shared spaces, make these as good as possible without ruining your own life by living in your own hotel!

Q. Hi Sarah , over the years I have collected old rosary beads, antique crosses and beautiful statues of Mary . If displayed sparingly and perhaps in clusters in a room , do you think people might find the objects offensive or make them feel uncomfortable?

Hello! Perhaps! If there is a strong connection to the story, let’s say your property is an old convent or church, then I would say no problem. If they are your personal connections, I would say best leave them out, I think they could be divisive.

Q. Hi Sarah, Thank you for putting together such a great course. I'm looking at the styling part at the moment and am unsure what to do. My studio is plywood lined and very simplistic architecturally. Would you keep the styling simple and apply a different ratio?

With styling ratios, for everyone, I guess I kind of start with the story whenever I am working on a home or with a client one-one. So thoughts about “is this a clean modern story?” … “is it around personal collections?” and then balance it with the mood I want people to feel. Calm and clean? Held and warm? Always, start with your story, and then apply the right ratios to match it. Make sense!?

Q. So dear Sarah second time though for me and I’m not sure if this is a styling question but can’t see where else it could fit. Practicalities for a house like flyscreens or sun blinds etc? Not really beautiful objects but often necessary. Our little house is by the bay and high on a hill and not having screens to allow the lovely cross breezes in summer but keep out those pesky flies during the day and mosquitos at night would be a problem. Yet when I see the beautiful graduate homes or the wonderful flagship ‘Captains Rest’ I don’t see anything like flyscreens or even blinds to cut out the suns glare or ensure the sun doesn’t wake you at 6 am. Just gorgeous wooden windows unadorned with naught but a floating linen sheath in the breeze? Is this just for the photos or do I just do away with them and up the gin and tonic to control the malaria outbreaks? Xx

Hello! Great question! We all have our ugly bits, we either just hide them, put them in a part of a room or house that isnt photographed or DONT photograph them!

Sometimes things are an absolute must, I dont have flyscreens, but to compensate I have a big white aircon that is above the kitchenette in a spot that isn’t photographed very much. I also have blinds! I’ve just chosen a colour that blends in well, look closely and you will see! It’s a case by case basis, buy nice fly screens, or dont photograph them. If you do (you can prop them open with a rock so they don’t look as harsh!), or find an alternative like put in an Aircon!

Q. Dear Sarah. How chuffed I was that I asked another question worthy of an answer posted here in our masterclass. - My third and during my final week. Even if I had not gained all the wonderful knowledge and received such joy in undertaking the class this alone has made me feel more relevant. Maybe this is in the “breakthrough revelation” category but my question about the “ugly bits” directly related to flyscreens and blinds was difficult to phrase, as though I know as you pointed out an air con solves the question of open windows (we do have a very effective air con) is it not also about the experience and I guess the authenticity of a home by the sea? Who does not want to feel the cool sea breeze from the bay in the evening through an open window? Who does not want to hear the palm tree swish from that breeze as you walk onto the deck with your wine to catch the view of the Spirit on its way to Tasmania? Probably with guests destined for all those innkeepers you’ve inspired. Who doesn’t want to see the yachting cord door curtain moving with the wind through the open door, swaying and discouraging winged creatures while you watch Key Largo and it’s hurricane sipping on your second glass after a dinner? Who doesn’t want to hear the back beach waves crashing in the distance through the open bedroom window as you fall asleep exhausted. Content. At peace. That’s been my experience and one day hopefully it will be my guest’s. Sometimes an air conditioner and a closed house just doesn’t cut it methinks.

Thank you for everything. One more look at that beautiful botanicals video and I’m gone xx

Hello, and my pleasure :) …. I guess I am trying to answer questions so they fit for everyone. I guess what I am saying is in general, sometimes you need to compromise depending on what you are offering and what is important to you. So perhaps for you, that is to put in fly screens, and do some hunting, you can actually have very nice heritage ones made! OR, hide things - and if you can’t physically do it, just don’t photograph it.

I want you to know not a single place is perfect, no place I have EVER visited is perfect. We all deal with our flaws the best we can, and try and have some peace in the knowledge, that most of the time, the only people who ever see them, is you.

Big love and botanical videos for you!

Q. Hi Sarah. I am loving the process of this course. Particularly the story module which unravelled an unexpected and somewhat emotional house story for me.

My question is the era. Parts of my story are set in different times. What should I do!

Hello! I’m glad you are loving this class and finding so much inspiration from it. With your stories and ideas, take them purely as inspiration rather than fact that you need to follow down to the letter and for everything make sense. The elements that are important to you, are starting points to revolve around and keep your focus. There are no rules, only stories you’d like to tell. Try not to overthink it! If you are struggling, look at Captains Rest. It doesn’t tell stories down to the literal letter, more give you a sense of things. My stories are only for me, to help guide my spaces. Does that make sense?

Q. Hi Sarah, I'm am really enjoying the course and sad that it will be ending soon. I've purposely taken it slow and stretched it right out to the full 15 weeks :) it's been great!

I'm getting a little stuck (or perhaps overthinking) the styling and house story connection. I know what I like and I feel comfortable applying your 10 Rules of Styling, but where I become unstuck is connecting it back to my house story. My house story: "A space for self care and solitude”. So, there will be lots of emphasis around 'activities' – losing yourself in a book, soaking in a flower bath, a space to escape the outside world and look inwards. There will be a few 'tools' to support the self care activities, like yoga mats, place to meditate, essential oils, running water, hammocks, books...everything to warm your soul. The 'Self-care Sanctuary' approach will be key, so I think the styling needs to be welcoming, warming, nourishing, nurturing, invigorating....perhaps Minimalist Eclectic Gypsy?! What do you think? Can I get some guidance on how to link the styling with the story? I'm wondering if I'm overthinking it and the house story can just be peppered throughout the styling. Thank you so much. You are amazing! x

Hi! Okay you are totally on the right track, and I think you might be over thinking it! You’ve nailed it! - Identified your story as self care, and then been very thoughtful about what this looks, feels and sounds like. And, provided those options to explore in the space. A+ … It really does’nt need to be more complicated than than, just considered with a theme to revolve around that is meaningful for you! Well done!

Q. Hey Sarah, Quick question regarding designing to attract couples, I have a little two bedroom cottage. The second bedroom is a peculiar shape and I currently have it set up with a double and a single to increase capacity (but due to the layout, I don't find it particularly attractive this way). If I am aiming at couples, should I change this and make it a queen instead? This will reduce overall capacity but increase the aesthetic value and make it better suited to two couples or two friends instead. Thanks so much!!

I agree with you, I would change the second bedroom to either a queen OR a double room with two king singles. Your original set up feels “pack ‘em in” and will translate as such to potential guests. Changing your set up to a Queen will appeal to the more grown up market looking for a luxury stay, as will a double room — purely for aesthetics, there is something so sweet about mirror image styling that just gets me every time!

Q. How do I know if I have done a good job?

Always photograph your space before you start (even those at the top of the game do that), Then, photograph again once you have had a shot at styling. Compare the two. Show your friends. Ask your audience on Instagram!

Q. What if you want a different vibe in each room? There's a nature theme running through the whole house, but each room tells a different part of the story. Should my mood board reflect these different moods? Or is it better to have different mood boards for significantly different rooms?

That’s cool! I love this! As long as it all goes with your story, which it does, have fun with it. I would have one mood board for your whole house and perhaps some key words for yourself regarding each room to play on and with. In-depth room-planning comes in ‘The Storied Home’ workshop, but you should have plenty of tools to take a solid crack.

Q. With the workbook work, do we show anyone or is it just for ourselves?

Hello! It’s just for you. Essentially, it’s your business plan. I do love to see your work on Instagram, though! As class is self-directed, it’s a chance for me to pop in and around, seeing what you’ve been up to.

Q. Hi Sarah, I'm hoping to build a studio on my property to airbnb. If we are starting from scratch and looking at furniture layout, window size and placement etc, etc, do you have any hot tips to make the space feel great? Or any no-nos? Thank you

Hello, massive question, but it all boils down to house story. Have one, then make every single decision from it. You can’t go wrong. That’s how I work — I make every single decision from the story. The only time a space goes wrong is when it copies from something outside itself, mimics current trends, or is created to be what everyone else is doing / expects. Throw away the rules and go to your story. Here is an example: Q. Should I have big windows? A. Is your story about the natural world? Or is it a cozy story about reading books, or poetry, or going inside in some way? X

Q. Hi Sarah, Im wondering how you choose who’s work and properties to share on Instagram?

Hello! Okay, If I have yet to have repost, or interacted with your Instagram, it’s for no other reason than you haven’t shamelessly thrown yourself in my face enough online yet or I just haven’t seen it with all these new algorithms. I only check in online a few times a week, and I love to share everyones hard work. With so many students and such a large following it can be overwhelming for me to make sure I share the love with each and every one of you. Tag @thehostingmasterclass, use the hashtag #thehostingmasterclass and tag my other accounts! @captainsrest and @hellosarahandrews.

Q. Hi Sarah! Hope you are well :) Not sure which category this question is. I was just wondering if you have had much feedback from students running a successful holiday rental from a unit in a strata situation? I was considering turning our unit into a holiday property, but in my experience living in the strata/unit situation other owners complain about such little things. If other owners disagree with us ‘holiday renting’ our unit, they can bring it up at the strata owners meeting and vote to put a stop to it. So I was just wondering if you have had any feedback from students with units. Thank you :)

Hello! I am well! Thank you for asking, my life is a strange mix of freedom and adventure, and enjoying the fruits of what I’ve built with ‘Captains Rest’, and also time completely overwhelmed with catching up with the enormous numbers of you who are doing so well. I hope everyone reading this knows I try to connect with you where I can, but I only have so many hours in the day, which is why I so strongly encourage and find ways for you all to connect with each other, I think that support for you all is so important. Anyway! Back to your questions!

Now, strata’s! Would you believe ‘Captains Rest’ is on a Strata? It is and it’s a total nightmare. I am in a little shack village, and I was the first one to Airbnb. The other owners also really didn’t like it but I sort of just got on with it because legally I was allowed to, and after some time, they didn’t really mind my guests? And now, nearly every single shack around me is an Airbnb!!!

From my experience, and experience I’ve had with other students, in the beginning change is always met with negativity, but also in nearly every case I have come up against, no strata has ever made the move to stop it, because once they do that, they also limit their own options to make more money, and/or their own units resale value, if its not able to be short term rented. Make sense??? People are selfish at the end of the day, and wouldn’t shoot themselves in the foot. Hope that helps!

Q. I love this content! I'm in the US, outside of Portland, Oregon and I can't wait to polish our magical garden home into a storied treasure. With our home being three bedrooms, (keeping in mind the idea to market to "couples"), should I put 3 king beds in the home? Or 1 king and 2 queens? Or 1 king, 1 queen and two twins? There is no clear "master bedroom" so any room could potentially be the main room. Would love your ideas. Thanks!

Hi! I love our US students, and I cannot wait to get there and come and visit!!! This is such a good question. I would go 2 rooms with king beds if you can handle the laundry (queens are fine if not), and have a room with two twins, king singles or queens if you can handle it! It will give you the best set up for your ideal potential market, including friends travelling together as well.

Q. Curious if Sarah styled all of the above venues or were they students?

A good old messy mix of student work, my work and images found on the internet!

Q. Hi Sarah,Could you please help me understand the role of the layering in the house story? Where do these two intertwine? What happens? Thank you so much!!

Sure! I can help with that. Layering your house story means using different things in your home to tell parts of what you are trying to say. Take my door for example.

The old wooden door talks of heritage, the wood, put together bit by bit a bit crooked and painted white talks about shacks, Tasmanian shack (or cabin) life and a sense of being humble. The rope and the fishing buoy talks of the sea, and living on the water and the culture of that. Together they tell the full story of this place. Does that make sense?

Q. Hello Sarah, What are your thoughts on bed size? I will have two bedrooms. They can accommodate king beds. I'm thinking king is better than queen? Much appreciated.

King is better, I think! If you feel you can, do it — your guests will appreciate it. A word of warning! King sheets are more expensive. You might also need king-sized pillows — and some king sheet sets will come with normal-sized pillow slips and others with king-sized. As well as that to get that lovely overhang on the bed, you are going to need Super King sized sheets. Which are hard to find! All things for you to consider. In summary, a King is awesome - but a Queen is much easier to manage year in year out.

Q. Hi Sarah, I have three individual cabins on a rural block of land. I would like to tailor the individual interior design of each cabin to have a different subtle theme and not have them all uniform in design and styling. The branding will be the same for the 3 cabins so that is another element that ties all cabins together. My goal in doing this is to attract my ideal clients AND also potentially have some repeat customers through the different themed cabins. e.g. "oh I loved staying in theme XYZ, I want to go back there and try the other themed cabin". Do you foresee any cons, any issues with this approach?

Absolutely not, I see this as gorgeous, perfect and a big ‘ A’ plus for you for going the extra mile. The uniform branding and elements across the 3 speaks of professionalism and your individual theme I think, speaks to curation and care, well done you and I’d love to come and stay! Have a look at how the ‘Ship Inn’ Stanley have curated their accommodation in a similar way for inspiration.

03. Community

This is very much the time to be posting your work! Be proud of what you’re doing and enjoy exploring your classmates’ work. Use #thehostingmasterclass as well as the tag #thm03 for any of your specific styling work.