Styling your Airbnb is one the most important things you’ll do when getting started as a host and you want the absolute best Airbnb decor that will make stand out against your competition.
Whether this is your first listing or you’re an experienced host, decorating your new Airbnb is always both a fun, but challenging task. Each property and place is different and provides a unique opportunity to provide guests with an experience they’ll never forget. As a seasoned Airbnb Superhost, I am giving you my best Airbnb decor tips that I’ve learned by setting up over 8 short-term rentals.
In this post you’re going to get Airbnb decor tips, suggestions for how to style your space, and a few design secrets I’ve learned after years of designing Airbnbs.
Once you’ve got these tips down, you’ll be able to get your Airbnb looking irresistible to potential guests in no time.
This post is all about the best Airbnb decor that will get you bookings & great reviews.
Best Airbnb Decor Tips for Hosts:
Less is More
When guests look at your listing photos, they want to see a sleek, clean and thoughtfully styled space. Especially in your listing photos, too much decor can start to make your place look cluttered and unattractive. Avoid overcrowding your airbnb with furnishings, wall art, and unnecessary decor items. Choose few and tasteful pieces that really work well for the space.
Feature a statement piece
Potential guests scroll through dozens of listings when searching for their next stay. You want your place to be clearly set apart, and one great way to do this is to showcase a statement piece in one of your rooms and make sure it is featured in your photos.
A statement piece is something that immediately draws someone’s eye when they enter a room and serves as the focal point of the space. It could be a piece of artwork or wall hanging, an area rug, or even a furnishing that really stands out.
Showcasing a statement piece is like putting a stamp on your listing, providing the potential guest something that identifies your place and cues them to save or come back to it while they search.
Bring in accent colors in a cohesive way
My formula for creating a well-designed Airbnb is to use neutrals when it comes to wall colors, furnishings & bedding. It’s hard to mess up with neutrals. With that said, it is a MUST to bring in some lively accent colors. This is your opportunity to have some fun with color, and don’t be afraid to go bold! Guests are looking for an out-of-the-ordinary experience and fun accent colors are a great way to give that to your guests.
For example, in my Airbnb kitchens, I love to accent a really cute tea kettle in a color within my palette, kitchen chairs, and even my Keurig, which comes in just about every color under that sun. Don’t be overly concerned with matching-matching. Different shades of the same color give you an even more refined look.
Lots of plants! And a little secret- Its okay use faux (Shhhh)
I sprinkle faux plants all over my Airbnbs. Hats off to you if you decide to use real plants, but caring for plants is just another task to add to your housekeeper’s list and why complicate their lives if you don’t have to.
Plants, faux or real, give an extra pop of color and a little bit of that “jungalow” look that guests are loving. Target and Hobby Lobby are my go-to for finding the best quality and real-looking faux plants.
Sprinkle Throw Pillows Everywhere
Let me convince even you throw pillow skeptics that they REALLY make a difference. Yes, it’s one more thing to keep clean, but there are easy solutions for that. Just look at these two photos of one of my Airbnb bedrooms without any throw pillows and one where I added ONE simple throw pillow! It instantly makes the bed look cozy and inviting. Many throw pillows now have removable covers for washing, which is a great way to keep them clean. But since most guests don’t actually use them, my cleaner has always found a quick spot check and spray of Lysol to do the trick.
Display artwork that reflects your local area
Whether your Airbnb is a vacation home or whether it’s an apartment in the city, your guests want to feel like they are getting the experience of being a true local. Your job as a host is to provide that experience for them by reflecting your unique location in your decor. If you’re on the ocean, decorate with a coastal style. If you’re in a metropolitan market, consider embracing a modern, contemporary, or eclectic style.
Don’t mistake this for theming your Airbnb decor. You don’t need to theme your place to have it look inspired by its local surroundings. For example, a “city” themed apartment might have photos of a cityscape, a sign that says “New York,” and other very literal elements that represent a city, Versus an apartment that is styled to reflect city life might embody an eclectic style that features colorful artwork from local artists, modern furnishings, and trendy touches.
Whether or not you choose a themed decor is a matter of personal preference, but be careful not to over-theme your place, as you run the risk of it looking cheesy or overdone.
Design a Gallery Wall
Gallery walls have been a hot trend for years and I can’t stop creating them! What I love about a gallery wall is that you have a million possibilities and can really customize them to fit your space. And an added bonus is that you can thrift your wall hangings and get some really unique pieces that you can’t find anywhere else.
When designing a gallery wall, I first choose the wall hangings by thrifting for a variety of sizes or frames or artwork that fit my theme. I try and either stick with all frames of the same color or within a certain color palette. Then, I swap out the artwork with artwork prints that I choose online. Here are some shops where I love to get prints:
NorthPrints (Vintage)
Prints2Paper (Contemporary & more)
Patina Print Shop (Vintage)
CherryAndInk (Boho/Scandanavian)
Use rugs to add coziness and style
Area rugs are a great way to cozy up a space by adding texture and style to a room. Some places to be sure to have a rug are:
- Underneath the bed
- In the living room
- In front of a fireplace
Make sure your style is cohesive throughout the home
When you’re shopping for your airbnb furnishings and decor, it can be easy to be opportunistic when you find a good deal, and end up purchasing items that don’t go together or even clash. Try to avoid this by planning ahead and choosing an overall style or look that you’re trying to achieve, then find pieces that fall within that style.
Likewise, when it comes to colors, first choose a color palette and try hard to stick within it when choosing your decor.
Paint or use wallpaper to create an accent wall
Similarly to a statement piece, an accent wall can serve as a great focal point and add a pop to your listing that will make your guest take that mental screenshot and eventually come back and look at your listing and hopefully book with you and not your competition.
Layer your bed to make it look ultra cozy
Some hosts prefer to keep their extra blankets in a closet so that the cleaner’s know whether the guest used the extra blankets or not. Regardless of whether or not you decide to do this to make cleaning simpler, definitely layer extra stylish blankets on the bed when you take photos! Layering the bed gives it an extra fluff and makes it feel so, so inviting.
Add in lamps for both style, functionality, and to create mood
There are so many reasons why you need lamps. First, they add another element of style and you can get them in so many different designs that fit your overall look. Here are some of my favorite inexpensive lamps:
Second, mood lighting is essential. There’s just something about the glow of a lamp that makes a room feel so warm and cozy. Don’t simply rely on overhead lighting.
Add a wreath to your front door
A wreath adds an instant touch of home. Guests use Airbnb over hotels because they want a home-like experience. So give them that extra sense of welcome by hanging a wreath on your door. Bonus if you change them out every season for a seasonal wreath. But if you’re like me and don’t have them time to do that, get a simple all-season wreath like this one.
Feature open shelving in your kitchen
This is a good two-for-one because you get to use your everyday items like dishes, glasses, bowls, and serving trays as part of your decor- and it looks FANTASTIC. If you don’t already have open shelving and you’re not ready to do a kitchen overhaul, you can get this look simply by removing your cupboard doors.
Sprinkle in some color with more faux plants, some artwork, and a few knicknacks. Pro tip: Once you’re done styling, Use a label maker to label where everything should go. Also get pictures for your cleaner to show them how you want the shelves staged every time.
These were some of my best Airbnb decor tips for all my hosts out there in the design phase of setting up a new Airbnb listing. I hope you found these tips helpful and best of luck with your new Airbnb listing!
If you enjoyed this post, you might also like:
15 Stunning Airbnb Living Room Ideas That’ll Get Your Listing Ranking
9 Gorgeous Airbnb Bedroom Decor Ideas You Need to Use in Your Short-Term Rental
