DESIGN THAT DOUBLED REVENUE:
Inside Allison Cannella’s Coastal Investment Story
Meet Allison Cannella — Florida’s ultimate it-girl of elevated living. Florida Keys native and Delray Beach local, she’s a University of Florida double-grad (undergraduate and law school) and General Counsel for the nation’s largest private owner and operator of communications infrastructure. Also, a wife and mother, Allison’s résumé is as impressive as it is multifaceted and real estate investment has been a longstanding personal passion.
A seasoned investor since 2013, she took on her first major renovation in Palm Beach County in 2019, purchasing a Boynton Beach duplex and “house hacking” her way through a deeply personal transformation. She renovated the west unit while renting the east unit back to its longtime owner, naming the project Gone Coastal—a fitting metaphor for a period marked by transition, divorce, and the uncertainty of the COVID era.
The finished west unit blended relaxed coastal ease with Palm Beach polish, becoming both a sanctuary and a statement. But the property’s story wasn’t finished.
By 2025, the original owner of the east unit vacated to receive nursing care, revealing a space in urgent need of a full rehabilitation. With a demanding career and a young family, Allison knew this renovation required a different approach and a higher level of support.
Enter Exhale Designs.
Allison was already well acquainted with the Exhale standard. After self-managing her properties for more than a decade, she partnered with Exhale Designs and its sister company, Exhale Vacation Rentals, to reimagine another investment on the Intracoastal. The result was immediate and measurable: within one year, the property more than doubled its annual revenue, driven by Exhale’s strategic design vision and white-glove, concierge-level property management.
Exhale Designs specializes in transforming seasonal and short-term rental homes through a deep understanding of what today’s Florida guests expect—effortless luxury, thoughtful flow, and environments that feel both aspirational and inviting.
For Gone Coastal East, the Exhale team elevated Allison’s vision even further. As a design-forward general contractor with a network of trusted subcontractors, Exhale curates and coordinates the best vendors for each project—whether that means outdoor lighting and landscaping or a full gut renovation. Every decision is intentional, every partnership strategic.
Once construction is underway, Exhale’s in-house designers shape the story of the space—layering textures, tones, and sensory moments that invite guests to immediately slow down and, quite literally, exhale. Behind the scenes, meticulous project management keeps timelines tight, budgets aligned, and stress at bay, guided by a solution-first mindset and a firm “no is not the answer” ethos.
Just three and a half months later, Allison walked back into Gone Coastal East to find the Palm Beach fantasy she had always imagined: an effortless seaside escape.
The response has been immediate. Fully booked for the 2026 season, Gone Coastal East is already one of the area’s most coveted stays- proof that thoughtful design, the right partners, and impeccable property management can transform even the most daunting projects into dream destinations.
For future bookings and private viewings beginning in 2027, contact Exhale Vacation Rentals.
ELONA DIAMOND
Director of Guest and Owner Experience
Exhale Designs | Exhale Vacation Rentals
T: (561) 821-4488
elona@exhalevacationrentals.com
www.exhaledesigns.com | www.exhalevacationrentals.com
