Styling Tricks from Six Daringly Designed Airbnb Homes
These gutsy design ideas from creative Airbnb hosts can help transform an ordinary room into a showstopper.
You know that feeling when you walk into a beautiful space and instantly feel like you’re somewhere special? Not every well-designed room can do that; the eye-catching effect usually comes from a unique accent or an unexpected detail. (Maybe it’s a playful piece of furniture or a bold use of color, or a collection that’s creatively displayed.) Want to bring that “wow factor” into your own home? Get inspired by these imaginative — and easy — ideas from six clever Airbnb hosts.
1. Blanket your bedroom in blue.
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
“Painting everything one color creates a kind of magic. The darkness of this shade [Rivington Blue by Abigail Ahern for Craig & Rose] creates mystery, too, which I like in an old room with 200 years of history. For art and furniture, I stuck to a limited palette: mostly pinks, reds, and turquoise. That keeps it stylish rather than on the wrong side of eccentric. I amped up the coziness with sheepskin and rugs.” — Tessa MacGregor, Superhost
2. Go old-school in the entryway.
Location: Catskill, NY
“Our home is a former schoolhouse that we restored and renovated. The chalkboard was already here, on an interior wall between the original boys’ and girls’ entrances to the school, so we kept it. Now it’s got an original drawing by my husband, Joel, and we placed a console underneath to add depth. We kept two smaller chalkboards on either end of the wall, too. Guests love leaving messages there for us or for future visitors.” — Zoe Florence, Superhost
3. Hang a single piece of quirky art.
Location: West Stockbridge, MA
“My husband, Nick Spain, owns an interiors and gardening firm, Arthur’s, and he decorated our home. The pieces in this sunroom are mainly soft neutrals, so we added the Peter Robert Keil painting of a rather drunk-looking clown smoking a cigarette to evoke a bit of debauchery. In the summer we love sitting in here with a cocktail and the windows flung open. It’s a relaxing and slightly mischievous space depending on how many cocktails you’ve had. We wanted art that would reflect that.” — Michael Bolognino, Superhost
4. Style your shelves like a boutique.
Location: Cape Town, South Africa
“I love everything vintage and unique. I’ve collected teapots from Xi’an to Tibet, hats from Tunisia to Turkey, and gallery finds from all over. It would have looked chaotic to place it all on these shelves, so I displayed only items that complement the green accents in the room. You need some method to your madness. Stick to a color or theme, or put similar items in small groupings instead of spreading them out with no rhyme or reason.” — Ilze Oosthuizen, Superhost
5. Give your kitchen a make-under.
Location: Montauk, NY
“This is a beach house, so we wanted the kitchen to feel bright and open but also relaxed. That’s why we used lots of plywood — a humble but beautiful material — on the floor, walls, and shelving. We sanded it and applied a super-matte protective coating, but it still has a natural, unfinished look. The stools tie in to other pink elements, like our front door and shutters, and the black metal lighting is a nice contrast to the wood.” — Steffen Ringelmann, host
6. Dial up the drama in a dining area.
Location: Austin, TX
“We painted the walls and moldings a warm, vibrant red that inspires conversation. Our table is a Craigslist score, and the seating is classic Chiavari banquet chairs paired with antiques. I reupholstered those with turquoise fabric for a pop of color. Mixing furniture makes a space more interesting and ‘lived-in.’ The chandelier is a big statement. Our designer, Anne Tollett, drew up the scale first so I’d understand how over-the-top it would be. When I saw that, I said, ‘Oh, hell yeah, let’s do it!’” — Rebecca Abdallah, Superhost
