- An Arizona Airbnb with rooms themed around Taylor Swift's different "Eras" is welcoming guests soon.
- The rooms are designed around "1989 (Taylor's Version)," "Reputation," "Folklore," and "Evermore."
- The owner spent $15,000 on the pad, with a backyard designed around "You Need To Calm Down."
Two months ago, interior designer Kelly Straka had never listened to Taylor Swift's music. Now, she's handpicking lyrics from the singer-songwriter's catalog to paint on the walls.
"It's been daunting to jump into this world she created," Straka, 39, told Insider.
Her swift change of heart was a business decision. In September, Straka purchased a $680,000, four-bedroom home in Scottsdale, Arizona, that was already being used as an Airbnb. The old owners, she said, were ready to move on. Straka knew she needed to find a niche to stay booked in an area that was overcrowded with short-term rentals. A rapid increase in the supply of Airbnbs has made it more competitive for hosts to stay booked.
Straka turned to the pop-culture phenomenon of singer Taylor Swift and her legion of dedicated fans. Uninitiated, she's relied on group chats with "Swiftie" friends to vet ideas and has joined numerous Facebook groups to hone in on what die-hard fans might want in a short-term rental that sleeps 12.
Now, she's submerged into a Swiftie bubble. Straka has been living in the Scottsdale Swiftie paradise for the past two months, working from 7 a.m. to midnight to prepare for her first guests in December.
Straka budgeted $15,000 to turn every bedroom into a different era
Straka has tried to match each of the Airbnb's four bedrooms to a different album, or era, as fans like to call them: "1989 (Taylor's Version)," "Reputation," "Folklore," and "Evermore."
The living area is "Lover" themed, while the backyard with an in-ground pool is set up to look like the music-video set for "You Need To Calm Down."
Straka said the "Lover" living room was easy with cotton-candy colors and a heart motif. Other albums, like "Evermore," have been harder to crack.
When she can, Straka has tried to do things on a budget. The house came completely furnished and she's tried to match existing furniture to her theme rooms. An orange couch was assigned to what she's describing as a western-leaning "Evermore" room. For some areas, she's printed out photos of Swift's red carpet looks or promotional appearances.
Custom murals in each room that depict things like pink clouds or a night sky run about $1,000. Straka said her favorite one has been for the "Reputation" room, which leans heavily on newspaper imagery, like the album's front cover. Straka said she tries to choose iconic lyrics for each room and asks her friends which ones resonate the most.
The most expensive room to decorate is based on "Folklore," with an album cover that depicts Swift in a forest. Straka spent $6,000 for expensive faux flower installations that hang from the room's ceiling and run down the walls. She even covered the nightstands in fake moss, to mimic a piano that Swift uses during her concerts.
Straka's favorite detail has been the flow between the different rooms and eras.
"You can feel how she's in a different place in her life in each room," Straka said.
You need to calm down — and book this for your bachelorette party
Scottsdale is a hotbed for bachelorette parties, Straka said, and she's preparing to partner with professional vendors to offer packages to interested guests. The Swift theme is an easy pairing, she said.
"It's just one step away, the bachelorette parties are already wearing cowboy hats and boots," she said. Professional party packages can start around $1,000 and include amenities such as a private chef and custom decorations like balloon arches.
Straka said a TikTok she made garnered over 500,000 views in two days and has drummed up tons of interest in the property on the Airbnb platform. Bookings are now open with the first guests staying in the property in December. Straka anticipates that during the peak travel season of September to April the Airbnb will grab as much as $1,400 a night on weekends and $500 a night on weekdays.
After diving into her world, Straka joked she's being followed by Swift. On a recent trip to Home Depot, Swift's music began playing. While painting one bedroom, the local news announced she was recently named a billionaire after the success of her "Eras" world tour.
"She's unavoidable," Straka said.
But she's ready to pivot themes if the Swiftie fervor dies down. In the meantime, she's picked a favorite song — "Bad Blood" — and has been watching Swift's music videos on a loop. After not knowing a single lyric just a few weeks ago, she might be a Swiftie after all.