How Much Does It Cost To Furnish A Short-Term Rental? | Free FF&E Budget Calculator

Your propertyA few quick inputs.

Bedrooms

Count primary suite as 1 BR; bunk room sleeping 4+ as 1.5 BR.

Bathrooms

Half-baths count as 0.5.

Common-area square footage

Living + kitchen + dining + foyer combined. Doesn't include bedrooms, bathrooms, garage.

Not sure? Use these benchmarks

By property archetype:

Studio Stay (1–2BR cabin, ≤1,200 sqft total): ~300–500 ft²
House (3–4BR home, 1,200–2,400 sqft total): ~500–900 ft²
Estate (5BR+, 2,400–4,000 sqft total): ~900–1,500 ft²
Custom Estate (6BR+, 4,000+ sqft total): ~1,500+ ft²

By individual room (rough):

Open-plan living/dining/kitchen: 400–700 ft²
Separate living room: 200–350 ft²
Separate dining room: 120–200 ft²
Separate kitchen: 150–300 ft²
Foyer / mudroom: 50–100 ft²

Quick math: Common areas typically equal 30–40% of a property's total interior square footage. Use the "Estimate from total sqft" mode above for a one-step calculation.

Outdoor zones

Distinct outdoor seating areas — deck, patio, fire-pit zone, hot-tub area. Each scales the outdoor budget independently.

Finish tier

StandardWayfair / Target editorial EditorialYellowwood baseline LuxuryRH / 1stDibs / custom

Editorial tier is what Yellowwood Atelier delivers as a default. Standard and Luxury scale your output proportionally.

Estimated FF&E supplier cost

Archetype

Realistic range $0

Plus install + freight + photo (~22%) $0

Plus sales tax (~7%, varies) $0

All-in furnishing project total $0

All figures are estimates. Real costs vary by location, season, vendor pricing, freight class, sales tax jurisdiction, and the quality level of your specific selections. This tool is educational — not a quote.

Category breakdown at Editorial-tier benchmarks

Bedrooms Beds, mattresses, soft goods, lighting, art, rugs, curtains, seating

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Common spaces Sofas, dining, coffee tables, lighting, art, rugs, accents

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Kitchen tools + tabletop Cookware, small appliances, dishes, glassware, flatware, serveware

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Bathrooms Bath linens, décor, soap dispensers, mirrors

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Wallpaper + wall treatments Powder room, accent walls, dining ceiling

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Outdoor Furniture, lighting, rug, hot tub / fire pit accessories

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Hospitality + amenities Welcome basket, scent, books, signage, guidebook

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Total FF&E supplier cost $0

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Paste a Zillow, Redfin, or any listing URL and your email. Yellowwood Atelier will review the property and send a custom furnishing budget within 24 hours — calibrated to the actual layout, finishes, and market. Free, no purchase required, and a head start if you decide to apply for an Atelier Engagement.

When you're ready

Want this delivered, not estimated?

Yellowwood Atelier scopes, sources, and procures every line item above — and bridges design through hospitality details and operations handoff. Engagements run by application; 4–6 properties per season.

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How it works

Five inputs. One defensible budget.

The Yellowwood Atelier furnishing estimator runs on a simple methodology refined across the studio's project portfolio and informed by industry benchmarks across 2025–2026 vendor pricing data. The math is transparent — no black box, no guesswork.

Bedrooms & bathrooms

Count primary suites as 1.25, bunk rooms as 1.5, half-baths as 0.5.

Common-area sqft

Living + kitchen + dining + foyer. If unsure, common areas are typically 30–40% of total interior.

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Outdoor zones

Distinct seating areas: deck, patio, fire pit, hot tub. Each scales independently.

Finish tier

Standard (Wayfair/Target), Editorial (Yellowwood baseline), or Luxury (RH/1stDibs).

Read the breakdown

Per-category supplier cost across 7 line items, plus install, freight, and tax.

Why these numbers

Calibrated, not guessed.

Most short-term rental design firms either hide their pricing entirely or publish a single vague number (a "$3,500 per space" rule of thumb that breaks down the moment your property has more than three spaces). Yellowwood Atelier publishes the math.

The Editorial-tier benchmarks driving this estimator

Per bedroom: $2,700–$6,800 in supplier cost — covering bed frame and mattress, soft goods (linens, duvet, throw pillows, throws), bedroom décor (lamps, art, rug, accents), and curtains
Per common-area square foot: $13.50–$37 — covering sofas, dining table and chairs, coffee and side tables, lighting, art, rugs, accents, and curtains
Per bathroom: $700–$2,600 — covering bath linens, décor, accent storage, and any required mirrors or lighting upgrades
Kitchen tools and tabletop: $2,300–$5,500 per property — typically the most underbudgeted category (cookware, knives, espresso, blender, stand mixer, dishes, glassware, flatware, serveware)
Wallpaper and wall treatments: $0–$3,200 per property — scales with property size; the highest-leverage editorial move per dollar
Per outdoor zone: $3,800–$14,400 — outdoor furniture, lighting, rug, hot tub or fire-pit accessories
Hospitality and amenities: $1,550–$4,300 per property — welcome basket, scent profile, books, in-property guidebook, signage

What's not captured in the estimate

The estimator returns furnishing supplier cost. It doesn't include design fees (Yellowwood Atelier or any designer), structural work, custom millwork, architectural collaboration, photography production beyond standard install, or property management fees. For a complete project budget, plan to layer those on top.

Common questions

What owners ask about STR furnishing costs.

How much does it cost to furnish a short-term rental?

An Editorial-tier furnishing budget for a 3-bedroom short-term rental typically runs $55,000–$95,000 in supplier cost, plus 22% for install, freight, and photography (~$12,000–$20,000), plus state sales tax (5–10%). All-in furnishing project total: roughly $75,000–$130,000 for a 3BR property. Studio Stays (1–2BR) run $40,000–$70,000 all-in. Estates (5BR+) run $150,000–$280,000 all-in. Use the calculator above for a property-specific estimate.

How much should I budget per bedroom for an Airbnb?

At Editorial tier, plan for $2,700–$6,800 in supplier cost per bedroom — covering bed frame and mattress ($1,500–$3,500), soft goods and linens ($400–$800), bedroom décor like lamps and art ($600–$1,200), and curtains ($200–$500). The primary suite typically runs higher than secondary bedrooms because of additional seating and accents.

What's the kitchen budget for a vacation rental?

Kitchen tools and tabletop are commonly underbudgeted by 30–50%. At Editorial tier, plan for $2,300–$5,500 across cookware, knives, small appliances (espresso, blender, stand mixer), dishes, glassware, flatware, and serveware. Editorial-tier short-term rentals carry two-times guest-count minimums for tabletop — guests photograph and review the kitchen as much as the bedroom.

Do I need wallpaper for my Airbnb?

Wallpaper is one of the highest-leverage editorial moves for short-term rentals. A floor-to-ceiling powder-room wallpaper, a single accent bedroom wall, or a dining-ceiling treatment generates outsized social-media and listing-photo impact at modest cost ($0–$3,200 per property at Editorial tier). It's the line item that most often distinguishes a designed STR from an undesigned one in photographs.

What additional costs sit on top of FF&E?

Plan for an additional 22% on top of supplier cost for install, freight, and photography production. State sales tax adds 5–10% depending on jurisdiction. So for a $70,000 supplier-cost project, the all-in furnishing total is typically $90,000–$95,000 once install, freight, photo, and tax are added.

How accurate is this furnishing budget estimator?

The estimator is calibrated against Yellowwood Atelier's recent project data and STR industry benchmarks as of May 2026. It returns a defensible starting point, not a quote. Real budgets vary by market, asset class, finish level, seasonality, and procurement strategy. A property-specific quote from any STR designer requires reviewing the actual property — not just bedroom and square-footage counts. For a custom estimate against your specific property, paste a listing URL into the form on this page.

What's the difference between Standard, Editorial, and Luxury tier furnishing?

Standard tier (~65% of Editorial pricing) sources from Wayfair, Target, IKEA, and budget brands — appropriate for entry-level STRs. Editorial tier is the Yellowwood Atelier baseline — Castlery, Albany Park, Sundays, Schoolhouse, P.F. Candle Co., Brooklinen — properties that photograph well and command premium ADR. Luxury tier (~165% of Editorial) sources from RH, 1stDibs, custom commissions, and designer-trade vendors — reserved for properties commanding $1,000+/night and white-glove hospitality.

Can I get a custom furnishing estimate for my specific property?

Yes. Yellowwood Atelier offers a free custom estimate service — paste the property's Zillow, Redfin, or other listing URL into the form on this page, add your email, and the studio will return a property-specific furnishing budget within 24 hours. The service is free, no purchase required, and is a head start before applying for an Atelier Engagement.

How do I estimate common-area square footage if I don't have a floor plan?

Common areas typically equal 30–40% of a property's total interior square footage. A 1,800 sqft house generally has 540–720 sqft of common space (living, kitchen, dining, foyer combined). The estimator includes a "Estimate from total sqft" mode that does this conversion for you. If the listing publishes total square footage but not room-by-room dimensions, that's the fastest path to a working estimate.

What's the install and freight cost on top of furnishing?

Plan for 18–25% on top of supplier cost. This breaks down as: receiving and quality-control labor ($500–$2,000), consolidated freight (8–15% of supplier cost), local install crew over 2–3 days ($1,500–$4,500), and photography production for the launch shoot ($1,500–$4,000). State sales tax adds 5–10% on top of furnishing supplier cost depending on jurisdiction.