In 2007, two San Francisco roommates, Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia, were struggling to make their $1,150 rent. At the same time, every hotel in town was booked solid for an upcoming design conference. At the intersection of these two situations, the guys saw an opportunity. They bought three air mattresses, threw together a simple website, and started hosting guests on their floor, for $80 a night. They called their enterprise Air Bed and Breakfast.
It wasn’t too long before what began as a scrappy plan to make the rent turned into a whole new sector in hospitality. One where guests could enjoy a more personal, immersive destination experience, while property owners could enjoy a brand-new revenue stream. Soon, homeowners across the country started looking at their backyards in a new light, visualizing their own Airbnb businesses.
Adding an Airbnb to your property can be a complex undertaking, especially once you factor in permitting and zoning. But with the right information and a professional team of designers and builders by your side, creating an exceptional Airbnb backyard rental can be the start of a new and exciting chapter in your life.
Creating an Airbnb: What’s Involved?
As a full-service design-build firm, Landscape Solutions brings years of expertise to residential projects like these, whether you’re planning to welcome travelers or simply want a private retreat for visiting family and friends.
We begin with a consultation to clarify your goals. We sketch out a 3D plan to ensure the finished space looks and feels like a natural extension of your home, and we help with budgeting, timelines, and engineering specifications. During your project, we assign a single point person responsible for keeping communications open and your new addition on track. With something as important as a new Airbnb, we leave nothing to chance, making a complex process an exciting one. Once we’ve clarified your vision, all you need to do is watch it take shape.
Airbnb Backyard Ideas for Nashville Homes
Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia might have launched the Airbnb brand, but there’s nothing saying you can’t put your own stamp on it. One of the biggest benefits of building an Airbnb is that you can bring your own ideas to your space. It’s yours, after all! Across Nashville, East Nashville, Brentwood, Franklin, and College Grove, we’re seeing homeowners and estate owners bring their Airbnb backyard visions to life in a variety of truly impressive ways.
These include:
- Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs): Freestanding cottages or garage apartments with their own kitchen, bathroom, and entrance. In Nashville, these typically max out around 700 to 1,000 square feet and must stay subordinate in height and footprint to the main house.
- Converted outbuildings: Old garages, barns, or pool houses reimagined as guest suites, which often move through permitting more quickly since the footprint already exists.
- Tiny homes on permanent foundations: Distinct, design-forward guest experiences without the scale of a full DADU.
- Elevated glamping-style structures: Canvas-and-timber platform tents or cabins, popular on larger acreage in College Grove and outer Franklin, make the landscape itself the draw.
Each approach carries different implications for utilities, drainage, and site grading, which is why partnering with a professional design-build firm is essential.
Zoning, Permits, and What Middle Tennessee Owners Should Know
This is the part that determines whether your project can happen at all. In Davidson County, anyone renting a property short-term must secure a Short-Term Rental Property (STRP) permit from Metro Codes in one of two categories: owner-occupied, where you’re renting a portion of your own home or the whole home while you travel, and non-owner-occupied, which functions more like a standalone investment property and faces far more restrictive zoning.
A lesser-known detail: every STRP permit is capped at four sleeping rooms, requires UL217-certified smoke detectors in each sleeping area, and, for most single- and two-family homes, requires certification confirming code compliance. And zoning is only half the equation: HOA covenants, condo declarations, and deed restrictions can independently prohibit short-term rental use, regardless of what Metro would otherwise allow.
We also advise clients in Brentwood, Franklin, or College Grove that Davidson County’s rules do not apply to them. Williamson County municipalities maintain their own zoning ordinances and short-term rental policies, which can be more restrictive than what you’ll find inside Nashville proper.
Designing a Backyard Patio Guests (And You) Will Enjoy
Once you’ve decided on your Airbnb structure, it’s time to consider the living space around it, which can make or break a guest’s experience (and how you enjoy your property, too). A well-planned backyard patio is a great way to have your Airbnb perform double duty. This addition offers a private retreat for your family in the off-season and an attractive amenity for guests.
Here are some details to consider:
- Layered zones, rather than one big slab, to accommodate a dining area near the kitchen, a lounge area with a fire feature, and/or a quieter reading nook tucked farther from foot traffic.
- Natural, locally sourced materials. We lean toward Nashville flagstone, Tennessee fieldstone, and, if it’s in our client’s design plan, reclaimed timber, which ages gracefully and photographs beautifully – great for enhanced listing appeal.
- Privacy screening between structures. Layered plantings, pergolas, or living fences give your guests a sense of seclusion without you having to wall off your yard.
Guests remember how a space felt while they were there. A patio designed with magnificent sightlines, shade, and flow earns the kind of reviews and Instagram posts that keep bookings steady.
Backyard Design Trends Influencing Rentals in Nashville and Beyond
A beautiful, cohesive backyard design for your Airbnb goes beyond making room for a new structure. It needs to withstand guest turnover, require minimal hands-on maintenance from hosts, and still feel distinct and exceptional to guests.
A few easy ideas for added value:
- Native and pollinator-friendly plantings add a special Middle Tennessee flair your guests can enjoy while reducing the need for intensive irrigation and ongoing management (because you don’t want to spend your every waking hour tending to your Airbnb’s exterior space).
- Low-maintenance ground cover in areas immediately around your Airbnb keeps lawns from getting worn while adding visual interest.
- Layered landscape lighting along paths, steps, and entry points, both for safety and for the after-dark ambiance guests love to enjoy, photograph, and share (no filter needed).
- Organic gardening practices, which appeal to the growing number of travelers actively seeking eco-conscious stays, and something you can add to your listing for additional distinction.
Protecting Your Investment With Year-Round Expert Care
When you’re hosting guests at your Airbnb, their first impression can’t be overgrown beds, patchy turf, or any signs of landscape neglect. So, on the one hand, a pristine outdoor area is a priority, but on the other hand, it is a big commitment when you want to enjoy your own free time. With consistent, professional maintenance, you can protect your property value, your Airbnb investment, and your reputation as a host.
As a trusted design-build partner and experts in landscaping, we are a one-stop firm. From mowing and trimming to weeding, pruning, seasonal planting for consistent color, and hardscape designs such as fire pits, backyard saunas, cold plunge pools, and custom lighting for just the right upscale finish, we keep your property looking its best season after season, year after year.
If you’re considering turning part of your property into a guest destination, or you’re dreaming of a backyard that feels like one, reach out to our team at Landscape Solutions and let’s make those dreams a reality.
Schedule your consultation today!