Holiday Home Improvements / Maximising space

Should I make holiday home improvements?

You may ask whether you should make improvements and will it affect the structure of the static caravan or lodge? Our advice would be to go slow and steady and make careful and tasteful improvements to your holiday home. If you can maintain the natural character and design of the holiday home with the added benefit of certain improvements then this can only be a good thing.

A static caravan, lodge or cabin usually come fully furnished and decorated, but what if you want to make holiday home improvements? Whether you’re using your lodge or caravan for personal use or periodically renting it to holidaymakers as a side hustle, there is plenty of improvements you can make to make your getaway even better.

There are some restrictions placed on holiday homes which can make improving a challenge. They are traditionally much smaller than an everyday house or apartment, and you may not be able to enjoy quite as many facilities. There are a multitude of ways that you can truly embrace the home element of this accommodation, though.

Let’s take a look at some tips you can use to make your own holiday home improvements and make your place as welcoming as possible – whether that’s for you or any paying guests.

Interior Décor

A holiday home does not need to retain traditional, plain white walls. You can easily add some colour to your second home. As you’re looking to relax in a holiday home, choose a calming hue such as pale blue or purple.

Keep things light, as this will make the small space appear larger. In addition, consider your choice of flooring. Varnished wood panels can open up a small area and add a touch of class. What’s more, they’re far easier to clean that carpets. If you have trod mud from a hike, or sand from a day on the beach, into your home, all you’ll need is a mop and some soapy water.

Furniture

Rearrange the furniture in your holiday home to accommodate your needs and lifestyle. Many holidays homes are designed with pure logistics in mind. Sofa beds will fill the communal areas so the accommodation can be marketed as 6-, 8- or 10-berth.

If it is just you and your family using the holiday home, or carefully screened guests, you have more options. You can tear out some of the existing furnishings and replace them with more comfortable alternatives. Two comfortable seats is surely superior to four slightly less relaxing choices.  

Storage

Storage can be a hot-button issue in a holiday home. Most people only stay in such accommodations for a week at a time. This means that small, basic wardrobes and drawers are fine. Many holidaymakers are more interested in getting out and about, happy to live out of a suitcase for a short period of time.

If you’re looking to stay for a longer period, however, you’ll want to ensure that you have appropriate storage. You may wish to ensure that you have all-weather clothing to prepare for any elemental eventuality. You may wish to keep a stock of board games, DVDs and books for rainy days and long nights. You may intend to keep barbecues and fold-up garden furniture for al fresco dining in your second home.

If you use your imagination, you can find plenty of storage solutions for small spaces. Don’t rely on flat pack furniture of pre-agreed dimensions. Measure up your home and consult a carpenter. You can then install countless cupboards, drawers and worktops in otherwise dead space, such as under windows.

Baskets for small objects, lockers and underbed storage are also options. It’s perfectly possible to create a cosy, today small environment that still hosts everything you need. With appropriate storage solutions, small does not need to equal barren.

Privacy

By their very nature, holiday homes are communal living experiences. That’s great, but there may come a time that you value your own privacy.

Look into the possibility of soundproofing your windows. This will block the sound of children playing outside, other guests loading and unloading their vehicles, and any parties or social events taking place outside other accommodations.

Effective blackout blinds can also be a great investment. These take up far less space than over-sized curtains and provide complete solitude outside of the four walls of your accommodation. If you also apply privacy glass – markings that dictate that you can see out of your windows, but nobody can see in ­– you’ll have a complete refuge from the outside world.

Heat and Lighting

One of the best holiday home improvements you can do it to assess the heat and lighting. Ensuring you have a comfortable temperature and lighting to compliment your holiday home experience can be highly beneficial. Most holiday parks are open for business all year around. This means that you can access your refuge outside of the traditional summer peaks. In fact, you’re likelier to do so. A holiday camp in winter is frequently a calm and quiet locale.

Most modern holiday homes are equipped with central heating and radiators. Consider whether storage heaters may suit your needs better, or even a gas or electric fire. The absence of a chimney will likely make a stove a no-go, but you have options. You could also look into double or triple glazing, if this is not installed. That will retain any heat you generate.

The same applies to lighting. You do not need to retain the overhead strip lighting found in most holiday homes. Strategically placed lamps may serve you better. Alternatively, look into investing in a smart lighting system like Phillips Hue. This will create an ambience that befits your small accommodation – and it can be controlled from afar, ensuring that you won’t return to a pitch dark lodge or caravan.

Accessibility

Finally, consider how you can improve accessibility to your holiday home. Talk to the park in question and see if you can expand upon this. You may wish to lay concrete down for a personalised, dedicated parking space, for example.

Think about greater or additional access points, too. By this we mean the possibility of a wheelchair ramp, or a second door elsewhere on the property. Remember, the whole point of owning a holiday home is that it’s yours. This means it needs to meet every need or whim you may have.

As you’ll see, small can be beautiful. Some holiday homes have a reputation as being generic and identikit, but that’s a logistical decision. For a holiday park, accommodation should be kept as neutral as possible. With a constant turnover of guests, it’s less a case of pleasing everybody and more a matter of upsetting nobody.

If you own your holiday home, you can take steps to personalize it. Arguably the greatest pleasure of owning a getaway is enjoying the opportunity to enjoy a home from home while taking a well-earned break for everyday life. Why settle for anything less than the very best?