Kitchens That Book


The Upwell Kitchen Collection for STRs, 2025–2030

Design-led kitchens built to drive bookings, streamline turnover, and pay for themselves.

Why a Kitchen Remodel Pays Off

According to AirDNA, thoughtful interior updates can increase listing revenue by 10 to 18 percent. Kitchens are among the top visual drivers in guest decisions. Listings featuring curated kitchen photos—open shelving, high-end counters, layered light—see up to 22 percent higher click-throughs and longer stays, per Booking.com and Airbnb internal data.

What STR Kitchens Must Deliver

  • Stand out visually in the guest carousel

  • Offer intuitive usability with no layout confusion

  • Use finishes that clean easily and age well

  • Enable fast turnovers without fuss

  • Support steady positive reviews through guest confidence

What Actually Moves the Needle

  • Counters: We specify honed quartz, sealed microcement, or sustainably sourced wood that looks premium and resists wear.

  • Faucets and fixtures: Matte finishes that uplift tactile guest interaction and minimize maintenance.

  • Lighting: Layered warm ambient, under-cabinet task zones, and accent lighting for guest experience and photo-ready mood.

  • Storage clarity: Visible shelving or niches reduce confusion and allow styling that photographs well.

  • Cabinet finishes: Slab, fluted oak or painted fronts with soft-close hardware for durability and design appeal.

  • Wall and tile surfaces: Textured, low-maintenance finishes like zellige, plaster or microcement that tolerate use and photograph beautifully.

  • Layout flow: One-wall or galley design with clear circulation, no visual clutter or overbuilt millwork.

Top Trends in 2025 (and Why They Matter)

According to the Houzz 2025 Kitchen Trends Study, 67 percent of renovators now include full-height backsplashes, and 52 percent add or upgrade an accent cabinet such as open shelving or glass-front units. Durable countertops and lighting strategies also top renovation spending priorities—highlighting the shift toward practical materials over decorative excess.

Looking Ahead Through 2030

Design is shifting from hyper-stylized to thoughtfully composed. Over the next five years, kitchens that succeed will emphasize:

  • Quiet confidence and harmony with the home

  • Material authenticity over synthetic luxury

  • Simplified, guest-first layouts that reduce friction and boost bookings

Upwell kitchens follow this logic—not chasing trends, but building relevance and revenue for years.

What You Get With Upwell

  • Finish kit curated for both visual and operational performance

  • STR-ready layout and kitchen planning for storage, flow, and photo appeal

  • Complete build by licensed team—from demo to finish carpentry

  • Lighting and power planning built in for ambient and task needs

  • Optional enhancements: panel-ready appliances, styled bar ledges, shelf-ready staging

  • Install time: 5 to 7 days—delivered without open ends or designer fatigue

The Upwell Kitchen Collection

Each package is designed for simplicity, performance, and design-led clarity:

  • Stillwater Kitchen
    Quiet, composed, tactile. Plaster walls in sand or bone. Oak or painted slab fronts with honed quartz or micro‑cement counters. Matte black fixtures and ambient lighting.

  • Baja Hearth Kitchen
    Earth-toned, guest-ready. Clay-toned backsplash or zellige tile. Sealed concrete or butcher-block counters, open shelving, and design niches for second photo moments.

  • Adobe Luxe Kitchen
    Sculptural and editorial. Lime-plaster wall details, slab-stone countertops with soft edges, brass hardware, optional prep ledge or bar zone.

How It Actually Pays for Itself

A well-executed kitchen remodel helps command 10 to 18 percent higher nightly rates, improves save-to-book conversion by up to 22 percent, and reduces guest complaints related to layout or cleanliness. With the median kitchen remodel cost in 2025 at about $60,000, a performance-driven, design-forward upgrade can pay for itself within one to two years in a high-performing STR. (Houzz trends)

Why Upwell

  • We deliver photo-led, guest-first kitchens engineered to maximize nightly value

  • Our standards align with brands like Reform, Zia Tile, Airbnb Luxe, and Proper Hotels

  • We build systems, projects completed without dangling deliverables

  • As STR specialists, we prioritize bookings above design theatrics

Ready to talk through what your kitchen could do for your listing every night? Contact us.

Upwell Builders
Built to Book.