What if the secret to an Airbnb or short-term rental that stays fully booked isn’t just a high-end renovation, but a story that dictates every decision you make? Most hosts start with a mood board; Andrea Moxham starts with a narrative.

In this episode, I’m joined by virtual STR designer Andrea Moxham, who has mastered the art of turning properties into experience-driven destinations—often without ever stepping foot on-site.

We talk about:

• How Andrea’s background in buyer psychology gives her a competitive edge in creating spaces that don’t just look good, but convert.
• How to craft a "story" for a property by mining local history, architecture, and even competitor reviews.
• Why leaning into a specific identity is the only way to win in saturated markets like beach towns or mountain retreats.
• Practical, high-impact design strategies for rugs, bedding, and curtains that transform a guest’s first impression.
• Navigating the challenges of remote projects—from color matching online to managing the guest journey from afar.

But this isn't just about picking out furniture. It’s about design as a strategic business tool. Andrea pulls back the curtain on how she builds "memorable moments" around everyday features to ensure a property stands out in a crowded feed. You’ll hear why she believes hosts should never operate in a silo and how "knowledge hacking" through mentorship and community is the fastest way to scale a design-forward business.

If you’ve been looking at your property as just a collection of rooms, this conversation will challenge you to see it as a story waiting to be told. Get ready to stop decorating and start designing for results.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[01:00] A short introduction about our guest Andrea Moxham, her journey getting into interior design, and the short term rental space

[02:39] Andrea shares how her marketing background led her to short-term rental design and blending creativity with business strategy

[06:32] How grounding bold design decisions in a property’s story and guest experience makes them intentional and strategic

[09:18] Andrea explains how she creates a compelling property narrative when clients don’t have one

[12:43] Andrea shares how hyper-niching and experience-driven amenities help properties stand out in saturated markets

[17:41] How Andrea’s marketing background informs thoughtful design for multi-generational short-term rentals

[24:27] Andrea discusses practical upgrades and key design elements for impactful short-term rental bedrooms on a $1500 budget

[33:40] Andrea addresses a common challenge in virtual design: the discrepancy between how colors appear online versus in real life

[36:09] Andrea reflects on the pitfalls of working in isolation and the value of community

[38:26] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

• “Creating something really specific, it kind of allows you to make the home the destination.”
• “I would say that the biggest mistake is trying to figure things out on my own. It wastes so much time, waste so much money, leads to mistakes on real projects.”
• “You get what you pay for. I find that there is always a cost with choosing a cheaper option.”
• “The value of our time is so so, so important to keep in mind, because we can always earn more money. We cannot always create time while we can't create time at all.”

Let’s Connect:

Website : https://www.moxieandco.ca/

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/andreamoxham/

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