Inspiring Conversations with Bailey Rankin Barclay of Rankin Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to Bailey Rankin Barclay.

Hi Bailey, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to Nashville from Cincinnati in 2011, went to Belmont where I got a master’s degree in music, and then I worked full time as a singer for years. I was performing in and managing one of the top party bands here in Nashville, among other various “gigs” a Nashville singer find themselves in. The music industry was my lane until the pandemic put a pause on everything. As a lover of interior decor, a DIY hobbyist, and someone who can’t sit still, I began refinishing and selling furniture. This was the start of Rankin Design! Next, a friend let me redesign their home. I made a deal with them – I’d only charge hourly minimum wage in exchange for the fact that I had zero experience. I made over their entire house, one DIY project at a time. After investing in a few power tools and a really expensive photoshoot, I walked away with almost no profit, but had enough high-quality content to impress someone (hopefully). The problem was I didn’t know ANYONE in this industry. I could call up 50 guitar players, but not a single contact in my phone was someone in the interior design space. I had a website, but no potential clients. At least I would still have my music career once the pandemic was over, right?

In 2021, just as the music industry picked back up, a foot injury and botched surgery put another pause on my performing career. Thankfully, in the most Nashville way (this town where it’s all about who you know), I was able to break into the design industry through a friend from college! His sister had remotely (from California) designed a local Airbnb, and needed someone with a good eye to be present during the photoshoot. I’m so glad he thought of me! I had been saying for months that I would love for my budding design career to focus on short term rental design. I saw it as the only way for me to employ the bold and wacky design styles I love! After that photoshoot, I asked my friend if I could call his sister and poke her brain. The timing was too perfect. She had just been hired at a start up called Showplace, which was adding short term rental design as a service. The concept of Airbnb designers was still somewhat new, but Showplace was getting enough clients that they needed to expand their design team. I was hired as their first freelance designer and I gained so much necessary experience working for them. It was a great entry-level position for me where I could build a portfolio. I’ve worked for a couple of these start ups offering design services, but I knew one day I would need to break out on my own. I slowly started getting my own clients and proving that I could handle all aspects of the business. I can now confidently say that Rankin Design is a competitor in the field of short term rental design.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road is never smooth for a private contractor! There is so much risk and it is feast or famine. I’m used to this as I’ve never had a normal 9-5, but I was way more confident relying on my voice to find work. Up until recently, it was still up in the air whether I would be a musician that designs on the side, or a designer with some music on the side. I was keeping my income streams as diverse as possible to mitigate risk, but at a fork in the road. Should I put all my eggs in one basket and go all in on Rankin Design? I was working for a couple design firms, subbing in for my old band, and I directed a performance ensemble at Belmont. Designing for other companies gave me a lot of flexibility as well as a consistent flow of clients. The fact that I just had to design and didn’t have to run a business allowed me to keep music in my life. I was also considering becoming a full-time professor at Belmont and relegating design work to a side job “when I have time.” A full time job teaching music meant health insurance for my family! Did I mention I was pregnant at this fork in the road? Add in the fact that my husband is a full-time musician facing the same level of risk as a business owner and private contractor. I decided to apply for the full-time position at Belmont, knowing deep down it wasn’t what I really wanted. I had to play it out, though. Being a professor, teaching voice, that was the plan! If I didn’t get the job, I would fully commit to design. I didn’t get the job 🙂

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rankin Design?
I specialize in the design and installation of short term rentals. When Airbnb first became popular, most people were using their second hand furniture or getting everything from Ikea, with very little concern for aesthetics or amenities. Now, it’s a hugely competitive industry with big investor money. Design used to be an afterthought and now it’s crucial to use a designer who specializes in this field. I’m not just designing a property to look beautiful, I’m designing for a business and its profitability. I have to understand the market and what type of design styles perform the best. I research competitors and analyze data to maximize my client’s ROI. What is the minimum amount of beds we need in this property? What amenities perform best? Will a hot tub or a game room be more profitable? What type of visitors are most likely to book? In Nashville we cater to the bachelorette groups but in the Poconos we have to make properties family-friendly. It’s my job to create a design that drives bookings and 5-star reviews.

What sets me apart is my consideration for the installation process. This is where so much can go wrong! You have a great design, now how are you getting all that furniture, decor, and essentials to the property and set up in the most cost-efficient and time-efficient way? Time is money and I know I can help clients get their property set up faster than anyone else. I know which vendors are unreliable or take too long to ship furniture. I know which tv mount is quick and easy to hang. I’m also pretty handy and have personally done every task within the installation process. I’ve driven the moving truck, moved the boxes in, hung the wallpaper, assembled the furniture, and made the beds. I know how hard that work is! So, as I’m designing, I’m considering every step of the process. How long do we have to set up the house? How many people will we need to hire to meet the deadline? I’m not going to pick that bed frame because I know it takes 2 people 2 hours to put it together and I don’t want my clients spending more money on labor than they paid for the cheap bed! I also create all my designs in 3-d with VERY detailed installation instructions. Since I can’t be at every property doing the finishing touches, I have to make sure all details are covered from where to hang the art to how the kitchen appliances are staged on the counter. I know it sounds like over-kill, but there are homes I designed early on that I will never show anyone because they were installed so poorly! Now, I leave nothing to chance.

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I like that it really is a small town in a big city. If you are kind and do a good job, you’ll get work. What I dislike is that even if you’re at the top of your game, hustling, and seemingly thriving, this city is still just barely affordable and not supportive of young families. I just had a baby in April and we’ve had him on a waitlist for daycare since July of 2024, when I found out I was pregnant. We’re told he might get in by September 2025. Not to mention, if I wanted to go on a family outing, there are limited options where you aren’t paying $25 to park, $16 for a glass of wine, and $7 on the kiddo’s ice cream cone! I know this is an issue in most cities, but if you’ve been here for more than 10 years, it’s hard to get over the major shift that happened when Nashville really hit the map.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://RankinDesignNashville.com
• Instagram: Rankin.Design

Image Credits
Natia Cinco, Natchez Photography, Misfit Homes, Smith Family Media Group, Among The Trees Lodging