10 Simple Design Tips to be Bold in the Glamping Business

Stepping Up & Standing Out

10 Simple Design Tips to be Bold in the Glamping Business

By Martha Fosberry, owner of The Moon & I

For those among us who shriek in terror when anyone asks them to “get creative”, don’t panic – these handy hints are intended to assist, not overwhelm. The goal is to make the process accessible, and the following guidelines will hopefully allow you to develop ideas that you can apply at whatever level you feel comfortable, in whatever space you may be working on. From tipis and tents to tree houses, we have created your fool-proof guide to flawless features and finishing touches that will help you create a truly unique and memorable space. Touching briefly on not just how to think outside the box – but wonder what the box itself could be used for! Whether you are just starting up or seasoned owners, these tried and tested tips will help you to create or elevate your space and lead the way in the listings.

1. What's the Story?

Where to start and how to do it

Consider this; Who is your space? Yes, that’s right, who they are. No, there is not gin in my coffee, and this method truly works. If you can try and consider all of the elements of your space, the factors that come together at your site and your values for your business, its “identity” so to speak, should come naturally. Have a peek at the below case history to better explain my theory. This is the way that all of our spaces at The Moon and I have evolved. Should this not happen as organically as you had hoped, can also apply this concept to objects, items of furniture or even images (artwork is a great source of inspiration for interior design) to birth your design.

This way of approaching things creates a narrative for all of your design choices – a bespoke map to get you to the end of a project with all of the elements working together in perfect harmony. It also gives you the opportunity to reflect on an aspect of your business that is unique in some way to you or your site.

Case Study

Temi & Katrin’s Shepherd’s Hut, Hereford UK.

Temi & Katrin approached me to help them get to know their stunning bespoke Shepherd’s Hut in Herefordshire, set to open in the Summer of 2022. They have created a beautiful space but it needed its finished “wow” factor, the character to make the space truly memorable. We pulled up to the wintery allotment affectingly known by them as “The Hive” where their hut lives. Temi is a skilled natural bee keeper and has in fact written several books on the subject, hence the land’s namesake. I explained that in order to finish the hut they needed to find a sense of identity, a linchpin to bring together a concept in the space, which could then lead them in their design processes. I remarked on the internal curved natural oak frames and explained the space felt quite feminine, so it was mutually decided “it” was in fact a “she”. After expressing an interest in Temi’s bee keeping we discussed the wild flower meadow that is also being created adjacent to the hut and how it would benefit the resident bees. I also noted that the sunrises that would grace the cabin in the early hours of the morning would be a glorious golden wonder to behold, almost honey in colour; we pondered... see where we are heading? After a very short time “she” had a name, “Queen Bee” - I am sure the rest will be history as they say. I look forward to helping Temi & Katrin create Queen Bee at The Hive in the coming months.

2. Get passionate about pin boards

From Pinterest to good old fashioned Pritt stick, how a vision board can bring your ideas to life

Creating a vision board is a fantastic way to bring together all of the elements of your design ideas in one place. This can be done manually with a good old fashioned collage (get your glue stick out!) or digitally via online platforms such as Pinterest. Gather together images that embody the theme / identity of the space you are creating or reinventing. Images do not necessarily need to be of the obvious items that would appear in your space such as beds, rugs and mugs (although these things will also became part of your finished concept), try to choose images that inspire you and feel like they are in aliment with your concept or the idea of “who” your space is. You can include samples of fabric, paint and wallpaper. Create a board for each room in your space, even if your space is open plan and the bedroom is part of the living area (such as in cabins, tents and pods). There are plenty of subtle ways to create a different design narrative in each area – size isn’t everything!

3. Know your audience

Who will you be hosting and how will your space welcome them?

Once you are on first name terms with your space be they hut, cabin, treehouse or canvas – it is now time to consider what audience you are hoping to attract bookings from. Couples, families, or a bit of both? Will you be allowing pets? These questions will help shape the foundation of your design choices in many ways; for example you may not choose to spend hundreds of pounds on luxury velvet sofas for your cabin if you are hoping to welcome families of little muddy booted explorers (and their dog!) for the weekend. Conversely, you wouldn’t want couples who have booked a blow the budget romantic weekend away to feel they cant use the space in a relaxed way due to it feeling like a showroom. As with so many things in life, the beauty is in the balance, and this I’m sure will apply to your space too. Let this consideration be present when you are purchasing any furniture and kitchenware for your space. You wouldn’t want little Timmy to be sipping his morning milk from a crystal tumbler would you?! Consider always the needs of crowd you aim to please.

*Top tip: Enamel kitchenware is a very stylish way to circumvent the issues of breakages in spaces that welcome families.

4. Bold is beautiful

Whether you choose to market your space/s with an agency or independently, you will want to be sure to stand out in the crowd. More and more astonishing Glamping spaces are coming onto the market with the exponential growth of the industry and popularity of UK “staycations” thanks to the big C and Brexit.

Olive & Sage

In order for your listing to pop out amongst its competitors, your design concept is paramount. You want to be the one standing out for clear and bold design choices that celebrate all you and your Glamping site has to offer. Remember, you don’t have to live in it! Feel confident making design choices that you would not necessarily like or even want in your own home. Sometimes less is more, and sometimes more is more! How about a feature wall or ceiling? (See tip 7). Consider painting old furniture in bright and bold colours to tie in with your space’s character. Remember, bold is beautiful and brave design choices like this are sure to be notable to eager Glampers looking to book something truly unique.

Is your space a canvas one? I am not suggesting for a moment you go full art attack if the walls of your space are made of cloth. Instead focus on ways to create a free standing “wow” factor. Do you have electricity in your canvas space? Check out Olive & Sage’s absolutely gorgeous standard lamps (see below link). Or how about bringing the outside in? As we are all in the business of celebrating the great outdoors why not try adorning a beautiful dried branch or foliage with LED wire lights? It doesn’t have to be reserved for the festive season! Why not adorn the branch with large paper flowers (find materials list and tutorials on youtube – see tip 6), or fair trade recycled floral decorations available from Baileys’ home stores online (link below).

If you fancy buying in a celebration of the great outdoors to adorn your feature wall, check out @laylarobinsondesigns extraordinary oversized dried floral wreaths. (Layla is also part of the Glamping gang and owns The Majestic Bus just outside of Hay-on-Wye)

*Top tip: I would always recommend using chalk paint for extra texture – it also looks amazing distressed so keep your sand paper close.

Olive & Sage – www.oliveandsage.co.uk Baileys Homestore (recycled florals & other home interiors) – www.baileyshome.com @laylarobinsondesigns – Check out Layla’s knock out dried florals on Instagram

5. Pledge Allegiance to Possibility

How to repurpose with passion

The possibilities of objects and preloved furniture is something that excites me greatly as a designer and features heavily in the overall concept of our site as it has evolved. We have vintage bicycles propping up our sinks, tin bath extractor fans above our oven and all of our drawer handles are made of vintage silver cutlery. These quirky little ideas delight our guests and certainly help us to stand out. Ask yourself how upcycling could work for you. Not only is it a budget friendly way to decorate your space, it’s better for the environment, win win!

Furniture can be purchased second hand via eBay or Facebook marketplace. It’s amazing what a lick of paint can do to resurrect a dis-guarded bureau or beaten-up bench. Apply the “bold is beautiful” theory and explore different ways to finish furniture. Decoupage is the art of collaging onto surfaces with your choice of paper and sealing with varnish. We have decorated whole walls before, using this method with vintage maps of the local area. You can also source relevant vintage magazine, books or maps and use them to adorn walls or furniture in your space further celebrating who your space is. Why not clad your shower with corrugated iron or copper? Think outside the box, well cubicle.

*A good example of this is that I will be suggesting Temi & Katrin consider adorning their bathroom feature wall with vintage bee keeping manual images – I also have designs on reinventing a vintage bee smoker into a lamp for the reading area of the space. It all becomes part of telling the story of the space to your guests.

6. Show yourself the ropes

Your love affair with YouTube

While this tip comes with a big fat common sense disclaimer – (*please ensure whatever you try is safe and would not cause you or your guests harm) - YouTube has a wealth of information that you can tap into and, it’s free! It’s the home of the “have a go” design enthusiast. Bedecked with paper flower making tutorials, grouting gurus, cladding kings & queens – there isn’t much you can’t learn on YouTube. You can also discover a great deal of videos to help your business grow in more divergent ways. I have watched many a “how to use instagram” videos or tutorials on how to building a website, it’s a cave of wonders that I encourage you to explore.

*Please always seek the advice of a qualified professional where appropriate if undertaking any DIY projects inspired by YouTube.

7. The power of a feature wall/ceiling

They pack a powerful design punch

Lush Designs

A feature wall is a bright and bold way to express the identity of your space and tie together all of the objects, soft furnishing and artwork that hold your concept together. For this next tip it’s important to remind yourself of my “you don’t have to live in it” theory. Being courageous enough to apply big ideas in your business space means you are focusing fully on the guest experience – give yourself the freedom to be a bit OTT. Those who make a booking will spend as little as one night enjoying your design so let’s make it memorable. If the space is brave and bold you are more likely to get guests sharing images on social media platforms, therefore encouraging more traffic and you guessed it, more bookings! You don’t have to be an artist yourself to do this to a high standard. Can you collaborate with a local artist who might be able to help you; or even discuss exchanging a mural for a weekend away in your space? This type of gift economy won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but is a very special way to share skills and connect with like-minded people. If you are not feeling the mural vibe wallpapers are also a fabulous option, they are becoming more and more extraordinary and easy to apply. (See some suggested suppliers below)

Hovia Wallpaper

Hovia Wallpapers - www.hovia.com – amazing collections of ethically made & environmentally friendly UK based wallpaper manufacturers

Should you struggle for wall space feel free to get your Michaelangelo on and apply the above theory to the ceiling of your space. You or the artist / practitioner you are collaborating with can practice any mural, stencil or painting ideas you may have on a large piece of plain paper roll (I use unwanted wallpaper lengths) simply bluetac the paper in place in your space. This will allow you to consider it fully before committing to the final design.

Emma J Shipley

Emma J Shipley - Emma’s work is wonderful and her website sells soft furnishings and homeware to match her wallpaper collections – www.emmajshipley.com,

Lush Designs

Lush Designs - www.lushlampshades.co.uk – the most characterful range of nature inspired wallpaper and homeware

8. Lighting the way

Lighting is such an important part of creating atmosphere in your space. Choosing light fittings doesn’t have to be as obvious as you may initially think. It’s time to refer to tip 5 and pledge allegiance to the possibility. In our spaces at The Moon & I we have created light fittings out of everything from vintage tins to typewriters! Yes, typewriters... on the ceiling*. Perhaps you have an object that could be used is this way? If your space is “on grid” or uses a power source such as a 12volt leisure battery you can try using a vintage style multi-cable ceiling rose to send out lengths of fabric covered cable, usually available in a wide range of colours, paired with simple bulb holders, finished with a simple Edison bulb (a superb range of vintage lighting materials are available from independently run – The Architectural store, see link below).

The Architectural Store - www.architecturalstore.co.uk – Independently run business selling a very comprehensive range of vintage inspired lighting equipment & supplies

These can be draped over anything from ladders to ladles; time to let your imagination run wild. Don’t let the lampshades bring you down either, see them as a blank canvas! Budget friendly bespoke lampshades are only the squeeze of a glue gun away. Why not buy a plain white lampshade and paint or decorate it? You can use abstract paint application to create a one-of-a-kind finish or adorn with vintage papers – I made these paper lampshades for our barn space from vintage letters and documents (sourced from eBay) simply glued on to a plain lampshade, they are totally unique and cost only about £20 in materials. Lighting can be more of a challenge in off grid spaces but there are still plenty of beautiful solar powered superstars on the market such as the below from the family run Nottingham based business, The Worm That Turned.

The Worm That Turned

The Worm That Turned - www.worm.co.uk – Stand out solar lighting

*Please always consult a professional before attempting any ambitious load bearing light fittings such as this and be sure to have all fittings checked and PAT tested by an electrician.

9. The devil’s in the detail

It’s the little things that count

Remember finishing touches go along way, don’t race over the finishing line without forgetting those small things that have a big impact on check ins.

Ian Snow

www.iansnow.com - Ian snow are a UK-based fairtrade design house who have a stunning range of bright and bold textiles

Flowers are a really simple way to elevate any space, fresh or dried bouquets can be placed in jars on bedside cabinets, dining tables and sideboards to bring the outside indoors for your guests. If you have land, a rustic handful of seasonal foliage in a large glass jar looks simply stunning, or you can get hold of some fab British grown dried flowers for a more permanent posy. The Great British Florist have a beautiful range and are able to post.

The Great British Florist

www.greatbritishflorist.co.uk – Beautifully designed dried British flowers, grown not flown.

Picture Perfect

Why good photography is so important

Excellent photography is a must – Instagram (and good old fashioned Google) is a fab way of finding local artists and photographers that you may be able to collaborate with to finish your space. Are you going with an agency? You may be able to negotiate with them to provide you with a professional photographer to capture your listing as part of your contract with them, particularly if you are considering going exclusive. (although they may require exclusivity in order to do this so check with them before signing anything).

Style your shots! When your photographer comes to shoot your space why not pop some lifestyle props in place? Freshly made coffee & constants on the table, a bottle of bubbly by the hot tub. Why not pop a picturesque picnic hamper outside of your space with a blanket and open book? These subtle suggestions will play a powerful part in making your space look desirable to potential guests.

A note to finish...

Vote with your wallet

Where possible I have suggested you try to buy from independent businesses (preferably those local to your business). This is not only better for the economy and environment, it also gives you a warm fuzzy feeling inside. This simple act of reciprocity is also invaluable for growing your business, you can not only celebrate what’s on offer locally to your guests but in tern, be celebrated as part of your local community.

Thou shalt not doubt thyself

It’s all too easy to feel the pressure in this industry. Especially with the growing popularity of Glamping here in the UK. Try to still your breath and trust in your vision for your space. Your intuition will usually be doing this work for you. As cliché as it sounds – trust the process, trust yourself.

Good Luck Glampers!

By Martha Fosberry