If you want to know what’s trending in interior design—look at Airbnb.
Airbnb listings are no longer just places to crash. They’re now the frontlines of global design experimentation. From cozy Himalayan homestays to luxury designer villas in Goa, Airbnb decor has become a design forecast for what people want in their own homes.
In 2025, the platform is bursting with clues: people are craving authenticity, bold storytelling, and immersive design experiences.
In this blog, we decode the top Airbnb interior trends shaping homes worldwide, what they mean for Indian designers, and how you can use these ideas to elevate your projects.
Before Pinterest, we had magazines. Now, Airbnb is the real-life Pinterest, but with a difference—you can sleep in the space, feel the texture, smell the wood, and live the design.
Here’s why Airbnb design matters:
● It’s democratised luxury. You can experience high design without owning it. ● It reflects real-life use. Unlike showrooms, Airbnb hosts design for usability and aesthetics. ● It’s globally influenced. Hosts blend local tradition with global taste—ideal for cultural fusion design. ● It has data-backed popularity. Airbnb’s search and booking patterns show what aesthetics guests are paying for.
✨ 10 Airbnb Decor Trends Dominating 2025
Let’s break down what the most booked and most photographed Airbnbs are doing differently.
1. Earthy Maximalism: More Texture, Less Gloss
Gone are the flat, neutral minimalistic homes. In 2025, guests want tactile richness.
Airbnb Example: A Jaipur farmstay with cow dung plaster walls, antique charpais, and modern plumbing—booked 91% of the year.
2. Dark Interiors Are Trending—Especially in Bedrooms
Forget white-on-white. Moody, dramatic rooms are stealing the spotlight.
● Charcoal accent walls with mustard or forest green ● Black bathrooms with brass or matte gold fittings ● Dimly lit corners with paper or alabaster lamps
Why? Guests associate dark rooms with luxury hotel suites.
3. Handmade Over Mass-Produced
A shift toward the imperfect beauty of craft is visible.
● Locally made ceramic lamps, wabi-sabi bowls, handwoven dhurries ● Guests are even leaving reviews praising “handcrafted vibes” ● Vintage finds and upcycled objects have higher appeal than IKEA-style furniture
In India, “handcrafted + modern” = design gold.
4. Theme-Driven Micro-Experiences
Each room tells a story.
● Boho Jungle Room ● Royal Rajasthani Haveli Lounge ● Minimalist Zen Tea Nook ● Industrial Music Studio with Vinyl Wall
Guests want Instagrammable vignettes they can post about. This works brilliantly for compact urban Airbnbs (Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru).
5. Wellness-Focused Decor
Interior design is being influenced by mental health, yoga, and slow living.
● Meditation corners with floor cushions, incense trays, and bamboo blinds ● Essential oil diffusers, grounding colours, and sunrise lamps ● Stone basins, outdoor showers, soundproofing elements
Many hosts now include a “wellness” tab in the listing, and it’s boosting bookings.
6. Locally Rooted Global Aesthetic
Airbnbs are blending local culture with international style.
● Kerala homes with Nordic furniture and Kathakali murals ● Himachal stays using pine wood, but styled like a Japandi cabin ● Goa villas combining old Portuguese tiles with mid-century chairs
This fusion formula is dominating because:
● It feels rooted, not random ● It reflects travel culture ● It builds guest trust and connection
7. Vintage Glamour Makes a Comeback
Some Airbnb villas are leaning into old-school cinematic glam.
● Art deco mirrors, crystal chandeliers, velvet couches ● Poster beds with flowing canopies ● Black and white tile flooring with deep blue walls
Think: The Great Gatsby meets Jodhpur palace
This is particularly popular in Delhi farmhouses, Udaipur havelis, and Pondicherry bungalows.
8. Multifunctional, Small Space Design
Especially in metros, Airbnb superhosts are mastering 400–600 sq ft layouts.
● Murphy beds that become couches ● Wall-hung desks that double as breakfast counters ● Tall mirror placements to widen narrow spaces ● Use of reflective or translucent materials like fluted glass
Small, smart homes = high ratings + viral interiors.
9. Nature Integration: Indoor-Outdoor Blurring
A major 2025 trend: Biophilic design meets Airbnb.
● Skylights over indoor showers ● Indoor trees in double-height villas ● Window seats with forest views ● Rock gardens between bedrooms and baths
Listings that “bring the outside in” have more saves and shares than traditional ones.
10. Sustainable Aesthetics
Guests care where materials come from.
● Bamboo wardrobes instead of MDF ● Lime plaster instead of acrylic emulsion ● Upcycled driftwood decor ● Solar-lit garden paths, reused old tiles
Airbnb users increasingly search by eco-tags and read the “materials used” section.
💡 What This Means for Interior Designers in India
Airbnb listings are no longer side hustles—they are full-scale hospitality businesses. And homeowners are hiring designers for Airbnb staging.
If you’re a designer, here’s what you should offer in 2025:
● Quick-to-install, modular furniture setups ● Themes that reflect geography + global cues ● Materials that withstand guest cycles ● Decor ideas optimized for photography and guest comfort ● Eco-conscious design storytelling for listing pages
🏡 Case Study: A Designer Airbnb in Ambala That Went Viral
We helped design a 4000 sq ft farmhouse in Ambala as a luxe Airbnb stay. Here’s what we did:
● Exterior: Lime plaster, black-framed windows, rain chain water feature ● Interiors: Monochrome palette, cane lighting, Rajasthan marble flooring ● Decor: Old Punjabi trunks, reupholstered as ottomans ● Bathrooms: Exposed copper piping, terrazzo counters, and skylight showers ● Living Room: An indoor swing with handmade cushions and a black library wall
The listing was featured by Airbnb India’s official Instagram and booked out for 7 months straight.
🪴 Airbnb Decor Tips You Can Steal for Your Home
Even if you’re not renting your space, these trends work beautifully in any home:
● Create a reading nook with a view + vintage chair ● Install a full-length mirror near a window to reflect greenery ● Choose one design story per room (e.g., Zen bedroom, Colonial hallway) ● Use handmade local accessories—they’re cheaper and more soulful ● Focus on indirect lighting—guests love soft evening glows
📸 What Airbnb Teaches Us About Visual Design
Airbnb’s top-performing listings prove that good interiors are not about money, but about visual stories.
Here’s how top listings win the guest’s heart—and booking:
● The cover photo is everything—it has to show the “wow” moment ● The bedroom must feel aspirational, not utilitarian ● The kitchen must be photogenic, even if compact ● Reviewers often mention “aesthetic vibes” in top-rated homes
🧠 Bonus: What Decor Hosts Are Asking Interior Designers in 2025
Airbnb hosts today want:
● Bespoke headboards that photograph well ● Mud-free, slip-proof outdoor zones ● Convertible furniture for guest flexibility ● Easy-clean material suggestions ● Mood lighting that runs on a timer or smart system
This opens a new market for designers: Airbnb decor consulting.
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💬 Final Reflection: Airbnb Isn’t Just Changing Travel—It’s Redefining Design
In 2025, people no longer look at a hotel catalog for inspiration—they look at their last Airbnb. And the best ones are not designed by chance—they’re curated like a gallery, felt like a story, and remembered like a dream.
As designers, we’re no longer just building homes. We’re building experiences.
And if the rise of farmstays, tiny homes, and designer villas on Airbnb tells us anything—it’s that personal, soulful design is the new definition of luxury.
📞 Need Help Designing an Airbnb-Ready Space?
Want to turn your home or farmhouse into a top-rated stay?
Let’s build a space guests will never forget. 📧 Reach out: contact@mishulgupta.com 📍 Serving: Ambala, Chandigarh, Delhi, Goa, Himachal, and beyond.
