I Design Vacation Homes With a Sense of Place —and a Reason to Come Back
You have great taste and a property with potential. I bring the design eye, operational thinking, and obsessive attention to detail that turn the two into something memorable — a home guests want to experience, photograph, and return to.
I believe the best vacation homes don’t just look beautiful. They belong exactly where they are, reflect the people behind them, and give guests something to remember long after they’ve left.
For me, thoughtful design is about more than aesthetics. It’s about creating spaces with a sense of place, layers of personality, and an intuitive understanding of how people actually live and experience them.
That’s where my background in design and operations comes together: creating homes that feel personal, function beautifully, and make you want to come back.
Nicole Brill
Founder & Designer
Sunshine Getaways
The Backstory
A Designer’s Eye &
An Operator’s Brain
I didn’t take the traditional route to interior design — and that’s become one of the most useful things about the way I work.
For 15+ years, I built my career in operations and executive support, learning how to anticipate problems, build systems, organize complexity, and make things run seamlessly. I also ran a professional organizing business, helping people turn chaotic spaces into functional ones.
I always wanted to be an interior designer.
When the opportunity came to create The House of the Golden Turtle, those two halves of my brain finally had somewhere to meet: the design vision I’d been developing for years and the operational discipline I’d been practicing professionally.
Today, I bring both to every project. I care deeply about how a room looks and feels — but I’m also thinking about how guests move through it, what will hold up, what needs to be intuitive, and what has to happen behind the scenes to keep the experience feeling effortless.
Endless Inspiration
The Places That Shape My Perspective
I’m always curious about the way a place makes you feel.
It’s why travel is such a big part of my design vocabulary. I notice the tile underfoot at a hotel in Italy, the landscaping outside a Palm Springs house, the lighting in a great restaurant, the mix of old and new in a room that somehow just works.
My inspiration doesn’t come from one design style — and neither does my work.
I collect ideas from places, fashion, architecture, hospitality, gardens, art, and the way people actually live. Then I edit.
The result might be glamorous or relaxed, traditional or mid-century, colorful or quiet. What matters most is creating something that feels authentic, considered, and entirely its own.
A collection of moments and details captured through my lens.
Design Philosophy
A Sense of PlaceLayers of PersonalityA Little Unexpected
I don’t believe in dropping the same “vacation rental look” into every property.
A Palm Springs home should honor its architecture. A mountain cabin should feel connected to its natural surroundings. A coastal home should take inspiration from the sea — without requiring a single wooden anchor on the wall.
Sense of place matters.
I like to start with what already belongs: the architecture, the setting, the owner’s taste, and the pieces worth keeping. Then I elevate it with beautiful materials, layers of texture, color and pattern, and usually one or two choices that are just a little unexpected.
The goal isn’t to make every Sunshine Getaways property look alike. It’s to make each one feel unmistakably like itself.
And because these aren’t just beautiful homes — they’re investments — every creative decision also has to earn its place. It needs to photograph beautifully, function intuitively, hold up to real guests, and contribute to an experience worth remembering.
Beautiful enough to inspire. Comfortable enough to exhale. Distinctive enough to remember. Smart enough to perform.
Where It Came Together
Vision Became Reality
At The House of the Golden Turtle, my design instincts and operational background work hand in hand. We designed it, we operate it, and guests have been validating the combination ever since.
Recognized among Airbnb’s highest-performing homes.
A track record of strong rental performance.
Consistently exceptional guest experiences.
Guest experiences that inspire glowing reviews.
Why We Connect
You Don’t Need Someone to Give You Taste
You need someone who can understand yours, sharpen it, challenge it when necessary, and actually execute it.
You Know What Quality Feels Like
You’ve traveled, stayed in beautiful hotels, collected pieces you love, and developed a design perspective of your own.
The Vision Is ThereThe Execution Is Stuck
The ideas exist. The decisions, sourcing, coordination, and endless details are what keep the project from becoming the place you can already see in your head.
You Value Both Beauty and Performance
You want a property that feels distinctive and personal, while making smart decisions about durability, guest experience, and long-term value.
You Want Someone Who Gets Both Sides
Design, hospitality, guest behavior, operations, and investment thinking should support one another — not compete.
The Difference
What Sets Us Apart
Operational Mindset
I don’t just think about how a space looks. I think about how it functions, wears, cleans, photographs, and feels to someone encountering it for the first time.
Owner + Operator Experience
I understand the financial pressures and guest expectations because I own and operate vacation property too.
End-to-End Execution
From concept through installation — and, when we’re managing the property, through the everyday guest experience — the vision doesn’t get lost between handoffs.
Proven Results
The design recognition, guest reviews, repeat stays, and operating performance provide evidence beyond my own opinion.
Industry Perspective
Design That Feels Personal
“What I love about Nicole’s sense of style is that it is personal, eclectic, inquisitive, comfortable, durable, functional, and posh. But more than anything, I love her sense of imagination. She creates homes that are dreamlands.”
— David B., Short-Term Rental Property Manager
Celebrated
Professional Affiliations
- Interior Design SocietyMember
- VRON Palm SpringsMember
Ready to Talk?
Tell me about your property, what you love about it, and what you’d love it to become.