Inside some of the Most Beautiful Vacation Rentals: with Styling Ideas to Steal
Interior Styling Blog for Real Homes: Ideas, Advice & Inspiration
Hi, I’m Sandra, this blog is about interior styling for real homes. If you love interiors and want your home to feel stylish, pulled together, yet still personal, you’ve come to the right place. I’ll be sharing styling advice to help you edit, layer, and finish your home with confidence, alongside articles on what’s happening in the interiors world — from design events to colour stories - so you get the full picture.
I also take you on tours of beautifully styled homes from around the world, offering inspiration and styling ideas to steal for your own space. Ultimately, I’ll show you how a little bit of styling can be transformational and take your home to a whole new level.
In today’s post, I’m showing you a dozen of the most beautiful Airbnbs around the globe for inspiration but also with ideas you can incorporate into your own home or vacation rental.
Photo credit: Photograph by Prashant Ashoka courtesy of Airbnb
I always believed that hotels were the place to find interior design and styling inspiration, but there are some vacation rentals with just as much wow factor, like Casa Etérea in Mexico pictured here, which is so breathtakingly beautiful inside and out that it landed the cover of Architectural Digest - one of the world’s leading interior magazines. And this stunning Airbnb is not alone. As you will see throughout this article, many of these extraordinary stays have been featured in prestigious publications including AD, Condé Nast Traveller and Vogue.
The vacation rentals I have chosen to feature are incredibly special properties that the owners have poured their hearts and souls into, creating spaces that exceed all expectations. Spanning a wide range of interior styles, I show you a variety of vacation rentals from a 16th-century luxury townhouse in a medieval French village, to an award-winning design-led contemporary property in LA and an old fisherman’s shack filled with vintage treasures in Tasmania. But before we explore a couple of rooms from each property and uncover their styling takeaways, let’s look first at the elements that help create these magazine-worthy spaces.
What makes the vacation rentals featured here so special?
There are many different elements that go into creating beautiful interiors, including layering, intentional styling, texture, consistency in colour palette and materials, and the overall atmosphere and feel. If you want to create a stylish home or vacation rental, here are the key factors that most of these beautiful properties have in common, and are worth taking into consideration.
The power of a cohesive interior scheme
In many of the vacation rentals featured here, there is a cohesive thread running from one room to another, with repeated colours and materials creating a sense of harmony throughout the property.
Styling finishing touches and design details
It’s the finishing design details and styling touches that elevate these interiors. Finishes such as handles can make a real difference to doors and cabinetry, while home decor pieces like vases, vessels and artwork are often the final layer that can make an interior look stylish and finished.
Considered interiors and attention to detail
Every detail in these interiors feels intentional, from the choice of materials and soft furnishings to the carefully curated styling and vignettes on surfaces such as shelves, tables and consoles.
Lighting for atmosphere and style
Rather than relying solely on overhead spotlights, lighting is thoughtfully layered throughout, with a combination of hanging pendants, wall fixtures, table lamps and floor lamps working together to create more ambient atmosphere. In contemporary design-led spaces, integrated floor, shelf and ceiling lighting is often used as an extra layer.
Layering textures and different materials
One thing these vacation rentals do particularly well is combine a variety of hard materials such as wood, stone, plaster, concrete and metallics, all bringing different textures, patinas and contrast to the interiors. To make the spaces feel warm and inviting, soft furnishings are usually in tactile fabrics such as linen, wool and velvet, which are used for cushions, throws and upholstery.
Turning outdoor spaces into an extension of the interior
Some of the world’s leading hotels, like the Four Seasons and 1 Hotels, style their outdoor areas with the same care and attention as their interiors. These vacation rentals also have gorgeous exterior spaces, where you’ll find outdoor sofas, daybeds, coffee tables and dining sets styled with outdoor soft furnishings including cushions and rugs.
Creating a strong sense of place and connection to nature
Many of these vacation rentals reflect their surroundings through their interiors, whether located in the desert, countryside, mountains or by the coast. By incorporating natural materials, plants and earthy tones they create a more seamless connection to nature and bring the outdoors inside.
Interiors that reflect the architecture
These properties feel harmonious both with the architecture and surroundings. Cottagecore styling with floral wallpaper would feel out of context in a sleek modern house overlooking the sea, just as palm prints, coral decor and rattan can look disconnected in a rural country house with a wood-burning stove.
Luxury touches for that five-star feel
To create that premium hotel-inspired feel, many owners add the kind of luxurious details you would find in a top hotel, like high thread count bed linen, rich velvet, silk or linen accent cushions, tactile wool or cashmere throws, along with high-end products such as Aesop for guests to use.
Vintage and retro pieces full of charm and character
Even if your style is contemporary, vintage pieces will always enhance an interior. This could be in the form of a gilded mirror, a timeworn chest, a vintage chandelier or other collected antique objects. Retro-inspired pieces are staples in stylish hotels, from record players and radios to iconic furniture designs, such as chairs like the Wishbone or Eames chair, all adding timeless appeal.
Sensory feel and atmosphere
The most memorable interiors create an emotional connection through mood and sensory details. Scented candles, diffusers, vintage pieces, soft tactile textures and ambient lighting all contribute to a sense of soul.
If you would like to read more about actual styling you can read my article on Interior Styling: What is it and How To Create a Beautiful, Cohesive Home
The mirrored house in Mexico with stunning interiors
Photograph by Prashant Ashoka courtesy of Airbnb
This extraordinary mirrored house was built on a rugged volcanic landscape discovered by travel photographer and writer Prashant Ashoka. Over the course of three years, he created something so visually striking, both inside and out, that the property and its iconic copper bath gained cover status on Architectural Digest and featured in publications including Forbes and The New York Times. Set against a textured concrete panel, with the dramatic landscape behind, the copper bath is undoubtedly the property’s standout focal point.
What also makes Casa Etérea so special is its strong connection to the outdoors. Vast floor-to-ceiling windows give guests panoramic views and that immersive feeling that they are bathing in the open air amongst the pomegranate and olive trees. Designed by local studio NAMUH, the interior palette is brimming with tactile materials including stone, wood, leather and jute. Greenery has also been brought inside through the willowy tree-like plant next to the bath, while natural elements such as the wooden stools, side tables and woven pendant lights soften the contemporary architecture.
Styling takeaway: Casa Etérea has more than its fair share of standout features. Cast your eye around the bedroom above and, aside from the freestanding bath, the oversized woven pendants and are a real focal point, as is the tall plant beside the bath. These features work well because the rest of the room is pared back with white linen on the bed and neutral tones on the walls. When choosing a statement piece for your own home, allow it to be the focal point by keeping the rest of the interior understated.
Photograph by Prashant Ashoka courtesy of Airbnb
The kitchen at Casa Etérea is, to me, one of the most beautifully designed interiors, layered from top to toe with natural materials in interesting patinas. From the exposed wooden rafters and the textured concrete walls, to the sleek marble kitchen island paired with walnut bar stools, every element has been carefully considered. What makes the space particularly striking is the contrast between the more dramatic architectural materials and the softer touches, such as the sheer white curtain and vintage-style rug.
Aside from the materials, what really catches your eye in the kitchen is the rather special collection of nine hand-blown blue glazed ceramic pots. The deep black shelving creates depth and contrast and is the perfect setting to display the pots - almost gallery-like. This repetition of objects creates impact and gives the room that intentionally styled feel. Other decorative pieces, including the earthenware vase with delicate branches, white fruit bowl and rustic wooden dishes, introduce additional textures, tones and organic shapes into the space.
Styling takeaway: Displaying a collection of objects together, like the blue glazed ceramic pots here, creates a strong visual impression. Repetition in this way works beautifully in interiors as it instantly gives a space a cohesive feel. To display a collection, group together attractive objects such as vases, vessels or pots in similar colours or tones. You don’t need to have exactly the same size objects for a collection, and grouping vases in various shapes, heights and sizes can still look striking and create real visual impact.
Stylishly chic interiors in France
Photographer Helen Cathcart courtesy of Airbnb
No. 5 Saint Paul is an elegant 16th-century provincial townhouse in medieval Saint Paul de Vence, steeped in character and full of original features such as wooden beams, arches, aged doors and traditional tiles. It caught my eye as it is so incredibly stylish and I wasn’t surprised to find out that it has also been featured in the prestigious interior magazine, Livingetc. The property has been beautifully reimagined into a vacation rental by UK-based design duo Katie and Oli, who transformed it into rooms that feel luxurious and modern yet authentic at the same time. Each of the three bedroom suites have that boutique hotel feel, with their own individual colour palette, while sharing a cohesive thread running throughout the house. Limestone walls and carefully considered furnishings are in rich, luxurious textures, in particular the striking green finish on the wall pictured here, which acts as both a headboard and dramatic focal point in the room.
Styling takeaway: One of the standout design features is the considered combination of three different tones of green throughout the room. The textured walls, accent cushions and two glass vessels prove how using different shades of the same colour can work beautifully together to create a rich and cohesive interior scheme.
Photographer Helen Cathcart courtesy of Airbnb
This spacious suite has heaps of Provencal elegance and style. The recessed shelves are a detail that has been cleverly carried through from the arch in the previous bedroom and are a real focal point in room and styled with handmade vessels and a brass candle holder. The limestone walls create the perfect backdrop for the intricate aged wooden doors, while vintage pieces such as the ornate bedside shelf and candelabra wall sconces add character and charm. I particularly admire the use of colour introduced into the room through the ochre-toned cushions, which look particularly striking against the white French bed linen and seat cushions on the iron accent chair.
Styling takeaway: Luxurious bed linen, like the French linen sheets pictured here, instantly gives a bedroom that five-star hotel feel. Crisp white linen always looks timeless and fresh, and is the perfect base for layering coloured accent cushions, throws or textured bedspreads.
Relaxed desert interiors in Joshua Tree inspired by nature
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Joshua Tree House
The Joshua Tree House by Sara and Rich Combs has appeared in major publications including Vogue, Architectural Digest, and Dwell for its stunning desert aesthetic and focus on slow living. The property became so popular that the couple later authored their own book At Home in Joshua Tree, and launched an online shop so guests could recreate their desert-inspired interiors at home. Originally a 1949 hacienda, the building was transformed by Sara and Rich a decade ago into the beautiful retreat it is today.
I came across this incredibly talented couple when I featured their JTH Tucson in Arizona. What makes both places so special is Sara and Rich’s emphasis on sensory living - encouraging guests to slow down and reconnect with their surroundings. Throughout both properties, you will find what Sara describes as her ‘visual reminders of rest’ in the form of hammocks, hanging chairs, stacks of blankets, cushions, yoga mats and board games, all designed to encourage guests to embrace a slower pace. To find out about their other stunning property, the JTH Tucson in Arizona, you can read my full feature Inside JTH Tucson: One of the World’s Most Stylish Vacation Rentals.
Styling takeaway: Throughout the interiors, warm earthy tones have been set against bright white walls to create a cohesive desert-inspired colour palette, showing how white can act as the perfect backdrop for warm accent tones.
Photo credit: Courtesy of The Joshua Tree House
Sara and Rich’s philosophy is centred around blurring the lines between indoor and outdoor living, which is why their outdoor spaces are as thoughtfully styled as indoors, integrating with the interior rooms. Layered with a beautiful array of cushions and throws for comfort and style, the terrace at the Hacienda, pictured here, is a natural extension of the home itself.
Staying in Joshua Tree is all about embracing unplanned days so guests can take in what’s around them - whether it’s an incredible sunset or spotting an owl perched in a palm tree. Perhaps the most important aspect of The Joshua Tree House is that it is immersed in nature - wide-open spaces where the sun and/or moon are always in sight, offering guests a sense of escapism and reconnection.
Styling takeaway: Treat your outdoor space as you would your interior, styling the area like Sara and Rich have here with a selection of cushions, an attractive coffee table, together with potted plants to create an outdoor room feel. If you would like to read more about outdoor styling, you might enjoy my post Outdoor Living Space Styling Ideas for Patios, Terraces and Gardens, which includes outdoor sofas, rugs, cushions and more.
Rustic interiors in an ancient Cornish engine house
Photo credit: The Stack courtesy of Unique Homestays photographed by David Curran
Originally an engine house in the mining region of Cornwall in the UK, The Stack is an extraordinary Grade II-listed tower set over five floors which has been transformed into a luxury vacation rental. As a fairy-tale-style tower in such an idyllic rural setting, it has also become a popular wedding location. Its historic architecture - from ancient stone walls and aged wood to the arched windows - is visible both inside and out and forms a huge part of the rustic aesthetic.
Every corner of the interior has been beautifully styled, like the window seat pictured here, where a vintage brass bed warmer is displayed against the rough stone wall, creating a gorgeous vista complete with sumptuous cushions in velvet and wool. Stylish touches, such as a rustic wooden tray styled with earthenware and flowers, give it that inviting feel - the kind of spot where you would want to sit, linger and read a book.
Styling takeaway: Look at every corner of your room and ask yourself where you could create a small styled moment like the window seat here. Also think about incorporating a unique decorative piece, like the bed warmer hung on the wall, to add personality and visual interest to your space.
Photo credit: The Stack courtesy of Unique Homestays photographed by David Curran
The rustic beauty of The Stack inspired heritage brand Toast to use it as a location to style its range of artisan soft furnishings and homewares. The bed has been layered with soft furnishings including lambswool blankets, patterned throws and linen cushions, in a mixture of muted earthy tones. Blending these tactile fabrics with artisanal handcrafted ceramics has created an incredibly cosy and inviting bedroom that works so beautifully with the rugged charm of the former engine house. An aged wooden headboard and bedside tables complement the original stone walls perfectly, while the layered accessories soften the rugged architecture, making the bedroom feel cosy and inviting.
Styling takeaway: For that rich layered look, dress your bed with more than one bedspread or throw and incorporate accent cushions in different patterns or textures alongside the pillows. Mixing different textures on the bed gives it a thoughtfully styled look.
LA mid-century modern interiors with architectural appeal
Photographer Yoshihiro Makino courtesy of Airbnb
Known as the Pink House for its light pink-toned exterior, this vacation rental is incredibly magazine-worthy, having been featured in Vogue, Wallpaper, and Dwell, and often cited as one of the best Airbnbs in LA. It’s the design-led, architectural features, created by Los Angeles firm And And And Studio, that give the property its distinctive edge.
The interiors, which balance a Scandinavian-minimalist aesthetic with mid-century character, feel sleek yet airy, with vaulted ceilings and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows that flood the space with natural light. In keeping with the custom-made cabinetry and marble worktops, the kitchen boasts high-end Sub-Zero and Wolf appliances. Lighting has clearly been carefully considered as a key part of the interior scheme, with mid-century modern-style pendants featuring throughout the property. In the kitchen pictured here, this same style of design is subtly repeated in the sculptural lamp on the worktop.
Styling takeaway: This kitchen is a great example of how smaller design details can elevate an interior. The unusual angled wooden handles stand out against the white cabinetry, proving how even functional elements can be beautiful design features.
Photographer Yoshihiro Makino courtesy of Airbnb
This dining area is full of so many stylish and considered design features, from the fluted wall and the banquette seating, to the large window which creates a strong indoor-outdoor connection. Just outside, large tropical plants including the bird of paradise and a deep fuchsia flowering climber bring a lush sense of nature inside. However, the standout feature has to be the mid-century-style pendant light suspended above the wooden dining table, which acts as a sculptural focal point and, when lit, is a great source of warmth and atmosphere.
Styling takeaway: The type of light fixture you choose can completely transform a room and is undoubtedly one of the key elements of a beautiful interior scheme. When I am designing a living or dining area, I often choose the lighting first and build the rest of the scheme around it.
Modern Baroque interiors on the Amalfi Coast
Photography Vincenzo Tambasco courtesy of Airbnb
This historic villa, perched dramatically on the cliffs of Positano on the Amalfi Coast, feels so extraordinary that it could easily belong in a movie. Not surprisingly, it was actually used as a location for filming the Netflix series Sense8, adding to the whole cinematic feel of the place. Villa San Giacomo’s breathtaking position high up on a cliff reminds me of Axel Munthe’s world-famous gardens in Capri, which also had spectacular views across the sea.
Originally built in 1741 by wealthy merchants, the villa was later owned by an aristocrat who lived there for decades. Today, the it belongs to the founders of the well-known Italian fashion brand Antica Sartoria, who have incorporated their own textiles throughout the villa. Inside, the interiors beautifully juxtapose contemporary furniture upholstered in the owners’ patterned fabrics with Renaissance paintings, 18th-century frescoes, and ornate chandeliers. Many of the couple’s textiles used can also be found in local Positano boutiques.
Styling takeaway: Although the villa exudes a rich Baroque aesthetic, as a nod to its coastal setting overlooking the sea, the couple have upholstered furniture in soft blue and off-white tones featuring motifs including shells, starfish and knotted rope, while other chairs boast elegant stripes. It’s a great example of how coastal styling can feel tasteful rather than overly themed or twee.
Photography Vincenzo Tambasco courtesy of Airbnb
The owners purchased the villa in 2011 and spent two years lovingly restoring it while preserving many of the original features, like the patterned wall tiles in the kitchen and the original terracotta flooring. Rather than striving for perfection, they intentionally left parts of the villa slightly undone to retain that timeworn sense of history and authenticity. The classic kitchen pictured here, complete with a traditional pizza oven, is one of the villa’s most atmospheric rooms and a place where guests can improve their culinary skills while fully immersing themselves in Italian cuisine.
Styling takeaway: Original features that are slightly timeworn or distressed can add huge amounts of character and charm to a home, especially in a period property. Whether it’s a distressed vintage cupboard or a weathered floor, imperfect details often create a stronger sense of place, even in contemporary interior schemes.
Interiors inspired by nature on an English farm
Photographer Sandra van Aalst
I photographed and styled the Old Stables at Warborne Farm in the South of England, which went on to be featured in magazines globally. Owners George and Kate cleverly transformed the stables, once home to five working horses, into a unique and sustainable vacation rental, thoughtfully weaving in finds from the original farm. Contemporary finishes, such as the polished concrete floor, are juxtaposed with rugged reclaimed materials from the farm, including the corrugated wall in the dining area; this, together with steel worktops, adds an industrial edge to the barn and a subtle nod to its agricultural history.
In addition, Kate repurposed pre-loved chairs, giving them a new lease of life with beautiful fabrics, while vintage pieces such as an old medicine cabinet have been used to display crockery. Plants, herbs and flowers bring greenery into the interiors and soften the harder industrial finishes, while tactile fabrics and the circular wool decor art add warmth and texture. The barn is also full of unique handcrafted details, from the wooden bed crafted by George to the elegant black cardboard pendant lights made by Kate’s father.
Styling takeaway: Rustic interiors feel more individual when you mix old with new. Here, reclaimed and rustic wooden vessels sit alongside more contemporary materials. Home decor pieces, such as wooden trays, vintage chopping boards and aged vessels all help bring in a touch of rustic to an interior.
Photographer Sandra van Aalst
This has to be one of the most unique bedrooms I have ever styled and photographed. George hand-crafted the entire bed frame from silver birch trees found on the farm, which, with the raw bark, has that natural, rustic feel. The rugged timber stands out beautifully against the black-painted brick and is softened with a patterned bedspread, crisp white linen and textured cushions. In addition to the bed, there was even enough timber left over for a clothes rack and small bedside table, just large enough for a book or glass, adding to the handcrafted feel of the room.
Styling takeaway: To contrast with the rugged wood, the bed has been dressed with a mixture of textures and crisp white cotton bed linen. The black and white patterned bedspread helps break up the darker tones of the wall, while the grey and mustard cushions add a more tactile feel.
Artistic interiors in Melbourne filled with colour and personality
Photographer Jonathon Griggs courtesy of Airbnb
Material Girl - an artist-curated stay - is rated within the top 1% of vacation homes. The creative duo behind the guest house is Bonnie Ashley, a well-known Melbourne textile artist and screen printer, and Neil Downie, a furniture and cabinet maker. Together, they are also behind the celebrated Australian lifestyle brand Bonnie and Neil, known for its vibrant, hand-screen-printed textiles and eclectic interior style. Material Girl has been beautifully curated with Bonnie’s colourful fabrics and artful pieces she has collected, alongside bespoke furniture handcrafted by Neil.
The kitchen, described as a ‘jewel box’, is a feast for the eyes, rich with colour, pattern and texture. Metallic gold-leaf cabinetry made by Neil is paired with a patterned fabric skirt in place of traditional cupboards, all set against a warm terracotta tiled floor.
Styling takeaway: To create a more artful, eclectic interior, try incorporating touches of metallic into your interior. If full gold cabinetry feels too bold, you could include smaller metallic details such as a vintage gold frame, antique brass handles, a brass lamp base, or even a side table with metallic legs; these can instantly elevate a room and work well across many different interior styles.
Photographer Jonathon Griggs courtesy of Airbnb
The living room centres around an original fireplace, with collected pieces like the ornate vintage mirror bringing that subtle metallic element through from the kitchen into the living space. Colour and pattern light up the classic white, which gives a classy, airy feel. The patterned curtains showcase Bonnie’s striking screen-printed fabric in blue and lime green, while the deep blue is reintroduced in a velvet accent cushion on the sofa. The property also features high-end pieces like a Gubi "Beetle" chair in the study, as well as layered lighting, with pendants, table and floor lamps, like the one pictured here, adding warmth and atmosphere throughout.
Styling takeaway: When working with a predominantly white interior scheme, including white walls and sofas, introduce soft furnishings like cushions and curtains in colourways such as blue that look striking paired with white, creating a fresh and sophisticated feel. Greenery, whether plants, flowers or vases filled with foliage, like in the living room here, always looks striking against an all-white palette.
Historic English 17th-century manor with timeless character
Photographer Sandra van Aalst
I photographed and styled this rather grand 17th-century English manor on the Isle of Wight for a magazine feature that appeared in 25 Beautiful Homes in the UK and Wohnen in Germany. While renovating the property, owner Victoria carefully preserved many of its original historic features, including the carved fireplace and panelled drawing room pictured here, as well as the mullioned windows and the exposed wooden beams throughout the house. To soften the richness of the dark wood, Victoria chose neutral-toned linen upholstery, while the burnt orange velvet ottoman introduces a bold, more modern touch to the otherwise traditional scheme. Styling-wise, Victoria had already placed white ceramics on the shelves, so, in keeping with the palette, we added a few more pieces to the fireplace and shelving for the shoot, as well as some fresh green foliage displayed in a white ceramic jug.
Styling takeaway: White ceramic vessels help break up the large expanses of dark wood, while also adding a fresher, more contemporary feel. In a dark room like the drawing room above, pops of colour, like the burnt orange ottoman, introduce a much-needed splash of colour.
Photographer Sandra van Aalst
The orangery was my favourite room to photograph as it was full of architectural texture, from the original honey-toned stone to the aged flagstone floors. These rugged surfaces were beautifully juxtaposed with the crisp white sofa and velvet patterned cushions in aqua, taupe and ochre, which add richness to the scheme. The flagstone floor gives the space that country house feel, while the dark, ornate chandelier introduces contrast and definition against the soft, neutral tones. Victoria’s interior design style is quintessentially English but with subtle Scandinavian influences, which can be seen in the classic-style white sofa and pared-back palette. If you’d like to read more about this historical manor, visit my full feature Stylish Home Tour: A 17th-Century Manor Styled with Quintessential English Charm and a Scandi Twist.
Styling takeaway: This look is all about balancing rustic elements with more refined pieces. The exposed stone walls and floor bring texture, history and character to the room, while the crisp white upholstery helps lighten the scheme. To recreate this look, introduce colour and texture through accent cushions and layered textiles, like Victoria has done here with rich velvet in beautiful tones, which add a more luxurious touch while softening the rugged architecture.
Norwegian cabin with interiors designed for a relaxed stay
Photographer Dana Purington courtesy of Airbnb
Here is the stunning bedroom of WonderInn - a mirrored cabin with vast floor-to-ceiling windows that bring the forest and natural surroundings right inside. After converting a van into a small living space and travelling around Australia for six months, Jeremy Hermans and Erle Bjølgerud went on to create WonderInn, located just 40 mins outside Oslo. The retreat is part of the tiny house movement where guests are encouraged to experience compact living with a reduced carbon footprint.
The bedroom showcases Scandinavian interiors at their best, layered with luxurious velvet throws and pillows in rich earthy tones. Reindeer antlers create a striking feature above the bed, while soft sheepskins add warmth and texture. The walls and ceiling are clad in pale natural wood, giving the room that true cabin feel, while the black-framed doors bring a more contemporary edge to the space.
Styling takeaway: Scandinavian style has become a timeless interior aesthetic and blends beautifully with other design styles. To recreate the Nordic look, introduce pale wood, even if it’s just through a stool or side table, alongside layered natural textures, sheepskins, and earthy-toned soft furnishings. Mix these with antlers, lanterns and other decorative touches.
Photographer Dana Purington courtesy of Airbnb
This is the Leffe Cabin - a truly small stay experience with a warm, cocooning feel inside the arched-roofed cabin, yet a strong connection to the snow-filled landscape outdoors. This annex of the main cabin at WonderInn Delta has been designed for two guests, offering an unforgettable indoor-outdoor sleeping experience immersed in nature.
Styling takeaway: The Scandinavian way of dressing a bed is quite different, as I learned from my Norwegian friend. Rather than using one large duvet, two single duvets are often used and, instead of being laid flat across the bed, are casually rolled at the top for that relaxed Nordic look. A large bedspread is then placed over the duvets to introduce colour, texture and that effortlessly layered Scandinavian feel.
Vintage interiors in Tasmanian coastal shack full of charm
Photo credit: Photographer Jonathan Rose
Former scientist-turned-author, educator, and style guru Sarah Andrews transformed a humble shack on Tasmania’s rugged coastline into what Vogue described as the island's ‘best stay’. Both the setting and interior have been praised for their sublime beauty and have even been likened to a kind of living poem, celebrating all that feels wondrous, mystical, and deeply connected to nature.
From a styling perspective, what makes Captains Rest truly special is Sarah’s incredible eye for thoughtfully chosen vintage pieces, all brimming with character and personality. Almost every item is vintage and, as a result, there is a strong narrative running throughout the property. Here, Sarah has styled the built-in day bed with rich green velvet cushions and textured linens to create a look that is elegant yet informal. This gorgeous vista, complete with a vintage table and antique artwork, has been featured in magazines including Vogue and Australia’s Best Homes, to name but a few.
Styling takeaway: With Captains Rest, the interiors are less about following a particular colour palette or design trends, but far more about an immersive emotional experience. To create this artfully styled and authentic look, you need a mixture of vintage items, personal artefacts, dried flowers and grasses, as well as foraged natural pieces.
Photo credit: Photographer Jonathan Rose
As well as styling Captain’s Rest, Sarah has taught others how to style and create vignettes in a natural and beautifully considered way. She effortlessly weaves natural elements into her displays, using seed pods and dried flowers styled amongst wooden utensils. What stands out most in the kitchen are the way Sarah cleverly blends vintage treasures with artefacts and practical everyday items to create spaces that feel artistic yet relaxed. On the kitchen shelf pictured here, a stack of earthenware dishes sits happily next to a vintage bust, for a stylish yet lived-in look. To read my full article and see many more rooms at Captain’s Rest, check out Stylish Home Tour: Inside the Vintage-Styled Captain’s Rest by Interior Stylist Sarah Andrews
Styling takeaway: To achieve this artful layered look, try mixing more rustic or vintage everyday items such as utensils, rolling pins and chopping boards, as these will instantly look more stylish than metal or plastic. You can then, like Sarah, introduce a few natural pieces like dried flowers, shells or pinecones.
Rustic luxury in a converted cattle barn with warm, natural materials
Photo credit: Photographer Mark Watts courtesy of Airbnb
It’s understated luxury at Shippon, a converted cattle barn in South Devon, where raw materials, like the hand-poured concrete kitchen, are paired with jewel-toned forest green tiles to echo the surrounding landscape outside. Named as one of the most wish-listed design Airbnbs in the UK, the barn is modern rustic design at its very best, with original stone walls, weathered timber, lime-washed walls and polished concrete floors. Owner Andrea Martin, a builder and developer, transformed the derelict building into a unique stay in collaboration with architect and interior designer Julie Boultby.
Stylish takeaway: One of the most striking design elements at Shippon is the thoughtful combination of contrasting materials and how rustic finishes such as the weathered oak and concrete are elevated by more luxurious details such as the glossy deep green tiles, proving how combining raw materials with refined finishes can create a contemporary yet authentic space.
Photo credit: Photographer Mark Watts courtesy of Airbnb
A hand-carved sycamore dough trough sink is undoubtedly the standout feature in the bathroom, bringing an authentic agricultural feel to the converted barn. Concrete floors introduce a modern edge beneath the original stone walls, while weathered oak, also used on the ceiling and carefully restored by Angela, adds warmth and texture to the space. The striking curved deep green walls and hand-poured concrete vanity continue the material palette seen in the kitchen, helping create a cohesive feel throughout the whole barn.
Styling takeaway: A bathroom is the ideal place to move away from the ordinary white basin and opt for something more unique and characterful. This could be a handmade ceramic sink, a copper basin, a reclaimed drinking trough or even an interesting piece you have discovered in a vintage shop or on your travels that can be repurposed as a unique basin.
LET’S SUM UP
I hope you have been blown away as I have by these stunningly beautiful vacation rentals. Whatever their interior style, each property shows how considered interiors, thoughtful styling, layering, texture and atmosphere can make a place truly special. Hopefully you have gathered plenty of styling tips for your own home or vacation rental - or perhaps even discovered your next dream stay!
If you enjoyed this post here are a couple of others you might like to read my full features on the following vacation rentals:
Stylish Home Tour: A 17th-Century Manor Styled with Quintessential English Charm and a Scandi Twist
Inside JTH Tucson: One of the World’s Most Stylish Vacation Rentals
Stylish Home Tour: Inside the Vintage-Styled Captain’s Rest by Interior Stylist Sarah Andrews
