Buying a vacation home is often a stressful and expensive, albeit exciting, endeavor. It can drain finances and put pressure on a family to travel to and share it with others, playing host and catering to the masses. And depending on your personality, the opportunity to decorate and set up a new space can either spread out before you with all the exciting promise of a blank canvas or send shivers of dread down your back. Either way, a vacation home is a lot of work. To help ease some of the pressure, take a look at the following five tips for decorating your new home:

Consider the Location

Work with what you have. As they say, it’s all about “location, location, location.” If you’re in the mountains, go with a more rugged style. If you’re at the beach, keep it light and airy. You don’t want to be kitschy, but you also don’t want to stray too far from the purpose of your retreat.

Go Bold

You have a primary house; this one’s a bonus, an excuse to try things you might not want to try in the home you use every day. And unless you’re sharing a property or have a timeshare (in which case, get out now by contacting Step Zero!), you don’t need anyone else’s approval. You have the final say about how you want your home to look. So try that different color scheme. Mix patterns. Display those treasures from your travels. A vacation home is the perfect way to experiment and grow your decorating style.

Keep It Clean

You probably won’t want to be doing much housekeeping while on vacation, so keep the clutter in your new space to a minimum. Choose furniture that is easy to clean and that’s functional. Scale back on the knick-knacks. You don’t want too spartan a space, but you also don’t want or need unnecessary things to maintain.

Be Luxurious

A vacation home, even your own, should feel luxurious. The things you put in it don’t have to be expensive, but they should be self-indulgent. Forget your inhibitions and incorporate things you have always wanted or that are missing from your primary residence. Want a freestanding icemaker? Get one. Never had a hot tub? Put one in. Wondered about wallpaper? Get out the paste. This is your vacation home. Make it special. Make it a true retreat from your normal, everyday life.

And Remember: You Can Never Have Too Many Beds

The chances are good that you’re going to have visitors in your new place. Make it easier on everyone by putting as many beds as possible throughout the home. Sofa beds, bunk beds and even cots and trundles will enable you to invite all the people you want. After all, a vacation home is meant to be shared!