Hi, I'm Meredith!
Hey there! I'm excited you've ventured onto this page. My hope is that the information below allows you to learn a little bit more about my heart, my drive, and the approach and intention with which I work!
Mission
My goal as a designer.
I help my clients create spaces that tell a distinct and intentional design story, and allow for a stand-out guest experience. The “moral of the story” is always the same: in our hectic world, where we are often too busy and too isolated from our friends and family, a stay at a short-term rental is a rare opportunity to slow down, disconnect from everyday life, and be with the people we love. Your property is the setting for that story to get told, and I help you clarify how you tell it. Pulling inspiration from your property’s location, the desired “vibe” or aesthetic, or even from your story as the owner, I then make sure all the details add up so that your property becomes the kind of unique experience your guests are excited to share with others and long to revisit again and again.
STR Design:
A fusion of head and heart.
The first phase of working together is the most crucial: discovery. This is where I get to know you, you get to know me, and we dive into your hopes and goals from our partnership. We will dig into the intricacies of your property: your ideal guest, functionality and amenities that will help enhance the experience, and uncover what story should be told through the design that adds interest and distinction from other properties. I will ask you concrete, logistical questions as well as "heart" questions—all imperative to the whole picture. From there, I will begin space planning, design concepts, and sourcing. We will have a check-in for any feedback and revisions, and finally you'll receive everything you need to get your property up and running! My process is intentionally designed to dig deep right off the bat, getting collaborative and comfy working together, which then allows you to sit back and relax until it's time to execute the design plan.
Approach
Experience
Understanding my "throughline"
I’ve been devoted to the details since 2013. For almost ten years, I worked as a teacher in both public and private schools, each with its own very different curricular objectives for my students to journey through, yet always with a similar final outcome in mind: to grasp the connections between the small things we’ve learned along the way and see how they add up into an integrated whole. A few years ago, I left the classroom to design and co-host short-term rentals. Here I saw how good design plays out in physical spaces—and how different homes require different features to tell different stories well. Looking at human feedback became exciting to me because it tells a story of what people desire and how they’ve experienced a space. The overwhelming focus in the reviews for my previous properties has been on the intriguing design, the thoughtful function of the space and amenities added, and the positive interactions guests had with me as their co-host. Since moving into design exclusively, reading guest feedback still fills me with the most pride. The fundamental questions I ask my clients are: What do you want your reviews to say? What experience do you want to create for your guests? Using data-driven research to understand your market and digging into the heart of the guest experience, my job is to help you answer those questions and bring that vision to life.
Additional Credentials
I've had the immense pleasure of working closely with one of the best designers in the business -- Paige Hayes.
She has been a mentor, a colleague, and has now become a close friend! Paige and I do many Co-Design projects together as well, so if you'd like the opportunity to work with both of us, feel free to mention that in my inquiry form!
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Who are you outside of being an STR designer?Glad you asked :) -I've been with Devon, my college friend turned husband, for 10 years! -I have a little two year old rascal that keeps me very occupied and on my toes. -I'm a midwesterner at heart (having lived in Chicago and Iowa for most of my life), but now I'm living the east coast Philly life and loving it! -If you can't tell already, I thrive off human connection and understanding what makes people and places what/who they are! -Most would say my biggest downfall is that I don't like bacon.
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Why should I invest in an interior designer for my property?Great question! I have a specific page in the drop down menu that has a thorough rundown of the benefits of investing in STR design. I definitely recommend checking it out if your on the fence or wanting more information!
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What if I need help determining my budget?That's okay! We'll talk more about your budget during our discovery process, but as a general rule of thumb, your furniture, decor, and stocking budget should be a MINIMUM of the following (this does not include the design fee): $20k - 1 bedroom property $25k - 2 bedroom property $40k - 3 bedroom property $55k - 4 bedroom property $60k - 5 bedroom property Minimum Budget includes bedrooms, bathrooms, one living area, one dining area, one kitchen, hallways, stairways, front porch and one deck/outdoor area. Additional amenity areas, bonus rooms or outdoor spaces will require an additional furniture, decor and stocking budget, starting at $7k per room. Reminder: This budget includes EVERYTHING that needs to go in the property - so, all of your furniture, decor, rugs, bedding, art, lighting, etc. AND all of your stocking items - sheets, towels, blankets, pillows, mattresses, tvs, small kitchen appliances, toilet paper, first aid kits, smart locks- ALL of it. This is your ALL IN pricing for things that will go in the house. For reference, on a standard 3/2 property this is approximately 500 separate line items that will be selected and specified.
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How do I know which service is the best fit for me?Generally -- Furnishing Package: for clients that want the standard experience (i.e. we chat to gather all the info I need for the project, I create, design, and source everything you need for install, you are okay with one round of feedback/revisions, you do the purchasing and installation) Hourly Custom Design: for clients that want to be more hands on during the process or that need services outside of the typical furnishing package (i.e. remodeling help, paint/fixture/finish consultations, etc.). If you are looking for this plus the furnishing package, I will make a custom package includes a combo of the two. Design Consultation: for clients that just want to ask me some questions but ultimately plan to do things themselves. It's a one hour, ask me anything session. Have a unique situation or still not sure which one applies to you, send me a message through my contact form and we can chat!
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Do you do non short term rental, residential design?While my short term rental projects typically take precedence, I do sometimes take on regular residential design projects as well. Just depends on how much capacity I have. Regardless, if that's what you're interested in you should reach out and we can chat!
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What if I know I'll need this service in the future, but I'm not ready to get started yet?You should still reach out! We can discuss your situation/timeline and make a plan from there based on what works best for us both.
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Do you do full service design?I do not do full service design. While I do take on local clients (which allows me to meet them and see the space in person), majority of my work is virtual! I create/source/design everything and then pass it over to the client to do the purchasing and to be responsible for the installation. I do include a thorough installation guide to ensure a successful installation though! If you'd like me to be in contact with the installation team, we can also talk through how to incorporate that into your quote.