🚫 Not worth splurging on:Fancy wall art (most guests barely notice)Premium cookware (unless targeting execs)Expensive rugs or decor piecesFocus on comfort and function — not Pinterest.What’s one item your guests always appreciate that you didn’t expect?

If they want a warmer softer floor, they can add areas rugs. 

I had one guy kept complaining, I recarpeted the hall stairs, put a slow closer on the door and he still complained that the upstairs neighbor walked too loud on rugs.

What are some budget‑smart ways to:Create separate zones (guest area, sitting area, storage, etc.)Hide or integrate laundry functions without making it feel like a utility roomAdd visual interest (walls, ceilings, flooring) that work in a basement environmentUse lighting, partitions, rugs, paint, etc. to elevate the lookI’m especially curious about solutions that STR owners have used successfully.

But in my experience working with property managers for years there is no magic bullet, and sometimes problems are just put under the rug by the property manager until they become the landlord's problem.

Solid, simple, extremely well-designed except... that center post makes it tricky to "unbunch" an area rug underneath (which adds warmth and is super soft for guests, so much so that they've commented on them and looked at the manufacturers to purchase for their homes).

Semi-antique persian rugs, heavy duty dining rooms, high-end leather furnishings. 

I have it at around $5K for a quality living and dining setup (sectional, accent chairs, coffee table, tv, rug, dining set for 6).

Trying to find best equivalent to: https://www.menards.com/main/flooring-rugs/vinyl-flooring/vinyl-planks/shaw-reg-citadel-floating-vinyl-plank-5-91-x-36-84-18-14-sq-ft-pkg/mr30000755/p-1444453422201-c-6617.htmLeaning toward: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Shaw-Hamilton-Boulder-7-in-x-48-in-Resilient-Vinyl-Plank-Flooring-34-98-sq-ft-case-HD80300520/304626885

Mind you, you could also lose every cent you put in if you get rugged, so it is not for the faint of heart.