If I was building a lakehouse that was for my use, I would do it in a way 1st that pleased me and 2nd that would allow me to sell it at a good price someday without having replace a bunch of stuff first. Building is a huge investment and I don’t think it’s wise to invest that much in an Airbnb listing, personally (as clearly, life is uncertain).
If you like durable and easy to clean finishes and furniture and would enjoy that yourself, then by all means, design it that way. However, if you like finishes and furnishings that require a bit more care, then design it that way and then choose your guests carefully, get insurance and charge a higher price.
A couple of specific notes.
Floors. I have a lot of thoughts about floors, lol. They are 1/6 of every room and should be chosen thoughtfully
Carpet should be out-lawed. It’s toxic unless you spend a ton for something like wool and can’t really be cleaned effectively (if you’ve ever pulled up carpet, you’ll know what I mean). Rugs over another type of flooring is a better option.
I honestly don’t understand vinyl floors. They’re bad for the environment, including yours as they are full of chemicals and off-gas for a long time. The durability is a myth as their lifespan is considered a meager 10-20 years. Even vinyl that isn’t cheap, looks cheap and feels cheap.
Linoleum is a much better option than vinyl. It is just as easy to clean, it is a non-toxic all-natural material and has a lifespan of 20-40 years (twice that of vinyl). It feels good under feet and looks like a design choice not just a what’s-the-cheapest choice. Vinyl needs to be replaced if it is damaged but linoleum can usually just be repaired. Linoleum is also made from renewable materials and is biodegradable and won’t take up room in a landfill whereas just the manufacturing of vinyl is bad for the environment.
I prefer wood floors and can speak to their durability as I look down at my 120 year old wood floors. Yes, they require some sanding and refinishing on occasion if you want them to look really spiffy, but it’s never all of them at the same time (usually hallways first). I don’t mind them looking antique personally. And they can also be repaired easily. My neighbor’s 170 year old wood floors are Elle-Decor-gorgeous and she refinishes every 15 years or so. I have sanded and refinished a whole house of floors over a weekend with one friend and a rented sander before so it’s not that big of deal to do it. However I have not ever had to install new ones. Some friends of mine recently did. It was a complex decision making effort they made and ended up sourcing some old floorboards from a tear-down and refinishing them. In a new build, I’d go bamboo for wood floors. It’s a renewable wood, is actually harder than most hardwoods, is non-toxic, easy on the environment and lasts 25-50 years at least and can be refinished easily. Refinishing wood floors is easier, cheaper and less disruption than replacing vinyl floors.
My dream is to have cork floors someday, at least in the kitchen. They are super durable and last 40+ years, are naturally water-resistant, anti-microbial, anti-allergy, anti-mildew, environmentally friendly, don’t off-gas, naturally sound-proofing, fire-resistant, resist indentations and are comfortable underfoot and safer to fall down on because of it’s natural cushion. It’s also easy to refinish and repair. If I didn’t already have these amazing 120 year old wood floors, I’d do the whole house in cork
Paint. I have a lot of thoughts about paint too, but only have one recommendation for you ,)
If you think you will have a lot of rentals without much time between them, go for a zero VOCs paint so that it’s not difficult to touch-up. Even small amounts of paints like Behr stink for a week. If I showed up at an Airbnb and it smelled like paint, I’d want to leave with a full refund.
A natural paint that doesn’t smell allows you to touch up something an hour before guests arrive and they won’t know. I love the Benjamin Moore Natura. It is not cheap but has such exceptional coverage that it’s actually a great value. It is the most durable and easiest to clean Flat paint that I have ever come across. My husband is a very very messy cook and cooks twice a day. The wall behind our range is flat Natura and gets scrubbed down nightly. It looks as good as it did 2 years ago when I painted it. I could paint a wall behind you while you watched TV and you wouldn’t know I was painting unless you looked. I often touch-up the walls and baseboards in our listings during the cleaning/flip. It would be a big pain in the butt and a loss of income if I had to shut down to do the painting.
Furniture.
It’s better to buy high quality used furniture than it is to buy cheap new furniture. High quality used furniture is cheaper than cheap new furniture. It will also last longer, be more comfortable and just be, well, nicer. Two of our apts have couches (the other is a studio) and have been open about 2 years now.
One of them has a custom-made, silk velvet, down-filled couch that is luxurious and fashionable and easy to clean that was used but in like-new condition (I imagine someone like my grandma did not allow anyone to actually sit on it) when I bought it for $60. It still looks new and fancy.
The other apartment has an Ikea couch that cost $500 and looks 2 years old now. The cover can be washed but it fades and stretches and looks ‘less-than’. I can buy a new cover but that will cost me $100, still more than my high-quality used velvet couch. I’m not suggesting a velvet couch for a lakehouse (nor judging the idea either ,) but you get the gist. I think @RiverRock mentioned leather furniture and agree with him on that.
Yes, storage for extra bedding. Storage generally! Always