This week on the Home Life Series, it’s time to kick off your shoes and unwind as we escape to the coast for a well deserved getaway at the calming YOKO Cabin in Rye.
Nestled on a quiet coastal road, this quaint cabin seamlessly fuses Japanese and Nordic design elements, creating an atmosphere that is both inviting and refreshing. Its owner, Becky, has skilfully retained the laid-back charm and fibro beach shack bones of the home while infusing a modern sophistication into every corner, making it suitable for all seasons, and guests.
Join us as we discover Becky’s tips for starting your own Airbnb and choosing the right location, and how to achieve the unique blend of Japanese and Nordic design at home.
Hi Becky, thanks so much for having us over at YOKO Cabin. Tell us a little bit about property and how you stumbled across this spot?
Our first project was a beautiful Red Hill property and a little cabin called the Olive Shed. This proved to be a very successful little accommodation business and we were keen to find a property again on the Mornington Peninsula that had that cabin type feel, that was unique and cosy, as opposed to the majority of accommodation, which are generally bigger homes with lots of bedrooms.
We found this Rye property that really was something out of another era, like stepping back in time. Think vinyl walls, shaggy old carpet and lots of leopard print. The garden was a full jungle, with thousands of trinkets, like garden gnomes, toys and horse shoes. We really liked the fibro beach shack bones of the home, and were keen to keep within it’s original small footprint.
The YOKO Cabin is beautifully designed with a Japanese/Nordic interior influence. Talk us through some of these features and why you love them?
We enlisted the help of Insider Outsider (Dave Brodziak) to assist us in creating our timber filled cabin dream. Dave was fantastic in maximising the small footprint and material/palette selection. Our favourite feature of the house would have to be the fireplace. It was the biggest investment, and we are so glad we did.
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What inspired you to incorporate so much timber in your home design, and how do you believe it enhances your living space?
It provokes such a warm, cosy and homely feeling, especially in the winter. But also the ability to open it up in summer with the big timber doors, provides a great timber beach shack vibe for the fun summer months.
What’s your favourite spot in the house and why?
The bedrooms are so cosy and comfortable to sleep in, and feel handmade with the plywood walls and sisal carpet. The picture frame windows provide great connection to the ti-tree coastal landscape as well. Also the black block out blinds, really make a sleep in possible! Even for the young kids!
Can you share any hot tips you have for anyone thinking of starting their own AirBnB?
Really do your research on the local area and in particular on what the competition of the area looks like. The Mornington Peninsula is saturated with Airbnb’s, so it was really important to stand out and provide a point of difference. Marketing and in particular your photography is SO important, so make sure you invest in using a good photographer. Not just taking them on your iPhone.
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