7 Ways to Make Your Serviced Accommodation Instagrammable (Without Resorting to Neon Signs)

By Louise Wynne, Founder of WildKind Interiors

Let’s be honest folks, if your holiday let or serviced accommodation isn’t Instagrammable, you’re probably leaving money on the table (I hate that expression but it does the job).

And I don’t mean putting a “But first, coffee” sign on the wall and hoping for the best.

I’m talking about spaces that photograph beautifully and feel fabulous in real life. The kind that gets booked again and again and again, because the photos stop the scroll and the reviews do the hard work so you don’t have to.

Whether you’re on Airbnb, Booking.com, or working with corporate lets, first impressions online matter. And in 2025, the scroll-stopping properties are the ones that blend good design with a little personality (not just in 2025, let’s face it).

Here’s how to do it well without turning your place into a Pinterest cliché.

Texture and pattern galore in this compact 1 bed holiday let that’s packed full of personality.

1. Design with the (Instagram) Lens in Mind

Most people view your property on a screen the size of a phone. That means your rooms need to pop even when they’re reduced to thumbnail size - especially on Airbnb or booking platforms.

Create Clear Focal Points

When someone glances at a photo, their eye needs somewhere to land. That could be a bed with an eye-catching throw, a statement piece of art, or a beautifully styled coffee table. If everyone shouts, no-one gets heard, right? Same with interiors!

Take a look at one of my all time favourite interior designers Kit Kemp. She an absolute master at mixing pattern and introducing colour in unexpected ways.

Keep Lines Clean and Croppable

Interior photos often get cropped in weird ways, especially on booking sites. Make sure your furniture placement and styling look balanced from multiple angles, not just when you’re standing in the doorway.

Think in Layers

Flat rooms fall flat in photos. Add depth with layered textures: velvet cushions, boucle chairs, wool throws, and tactile ceramics. It makes the room feel rich, even through a screen.

Don’t Forget the Second Element of Interior Design: Line

If everything is on one level, the room will feel super boring. Add height with floor lamps, tall headboards, floor-length curtains and wall panelling, to name but a few.

Use Symmetry - or Completely Break It (one of my favourite tricks)

Symmetry is naturally pleasing in photos, but breaking it intentionally can be even more powerful. Think mismatched cushions with off-centre placement, two matching console tables dressed with mismatched accessories of similar height, or offset artwork.Interior

Designer Kelly Hoppen is all about the symmetry, and does this to perfection, if that’s more your thing, check our her interiors for inspo.

Pop of Personality

There are so many ways to add the human touch to your design: a custom-coloured kitchen island in a surprising shade, built-in shelving styled with vintage books, textured ceramics, and sculptural pieces, a dramatic oversized headboard, or a stand-out piece of furniture in an unexpected shape.

The trick is making it feel curated yet homely. Not easy, but very possible!

Colour doesn’t have to be loud. Colour drenching in this room show a full on commitment to colour that gives a calm, zen feeling.

2. Cohesive Doesn’t Mean Copy & Paste

The main reason clients come to me (or any designer, for that reason) is that you want to stand out from the crowd. You don’t want a cut-and-paste job from the last 10 Airbnbs because you know that’s not what gets eyes on your property.

If you’re creating your own holiday let design, once you have a concept, build on that to create a scheme that’s intentional across the whole property but gives each room its own vibe. Guests love all of that.

“I’m having the floral room!” 

“I want to stay in the green room!” etc. etc.

So how do you make this work?

• Use a consistent base palette across the property, but shift the mood by changing the accent colours and pattern.

• Give the rooms some identity, based on what they’re used for. The bold one (principal bedroom), the calm one (snug), the playful one (cloakroom).

• Keep the flow going through repeated textures or finishes; black metal details, brass taps, or reeded glass. This ties the whole scheme together visually and makes it look like it’s been designed by a pro.

A statement headboard, exposed brickwork and a healthy dose of colour makes this principle bedroom a real show stopper.

3. Add the Instagram ‘Shot-Worthy’ Details

People love to share the unexpected. I absolutely, definitely don’t mean gimmicks for the sake of it. I mean visuals that surprise or delight.

• In a cute cottage: a reading nook with layered lighting and cosy textures.

• Anywhere there’s a view: can you make use of it and frame it with curtains and a comfy chair?

• An open kitchen shelf styled with earthy pottery, cookbooks, and potted herbs.

• And finally, my favourite: a hit of unexpected colour in a calm room - like a coral velvet chair in a sage and ivory palette. Yum!

These are the kinds of Instagrammable styling moments that guests notice, and share.

Lighting at all levels to give atmosphere.

4. Glow Up

Natural light is your best friend, but most guests arrive late afternoon. Make sure your lighting design flatters every corner.

• Use warm white bulbs (avoid those harsh blue ones at all costs).

• Layer lights: ceiling, floor, wall, and table lamps all working together (though not at the same time!).

• Don’t forget dimmers. Nothing kills the mood like overhead glare, especially when you’re chilling, watching TV or eating.

Urgh. Harsh lighting at dinner time is a crime and I do not want to feel like I’m under interrogation!

Read this interesting piece from Pooky.com, on how to make the most of your dining room lighting.

Packed with charm, this cosy 1-bed proves that clever pattern and texture go a long way.

5. Create a Sense of Lifestyle

You’re not just selling a bed for the night. You’re selling the dream of calm mornings, slow breakfasts, and stylish escapes, right?

• Add some local touches: can you find art or ceramics from a nearby gallery? How about including a postcard rack with guides to the best spots in town, and definitely not just the touristy ones. Guests will thank you for it.

• Set the bathroom scene with spa-style robes, rolled towels, a bar of handmade soap, and a little stool with a candle and a book. It screams boutique hotel but without the price tag (and it’s not expensive to set up, either).

• Bring in texture and warmth with natural materials: woven baskets, linen cushions, wooden trays, clay planters. I know I bang on about texture a lot, but it’s so underrated.

Leave a handwritten welcome note, a bottle of fizz or a hamper of local goodies. Even ‘just’ some milk and a loaf of fresh bread speaks volumes. It’s the detail that sticks.

Don't forget communal spaces!

6. Encourage the Tag

A gentle nudge never hurt anyone, so encourage that Instagram moment!

• Create a little guest welcome book or sign with your Insta handle.

• Include a show-stopping feature: a wall mural, a stunning roll-top bath, or a super cool kitchen bar.

• Think about the hashtag moment without using a hashtag! Just ask yourself: Would someone photograph this? And more importantly: Would they want their friends to see it?

7. Let’s Talk About the Neon Elephant in the Room

Last but most definitely not least, we need to have a word about the overdone stuff. You know the ones… once upon a time they were fun and fresh.

Now? They’re the design equivalent of a flat white in a Caffè Nero. Everyone’s at it (btw I love flat whites but that’s not the point here!).

Here’s my “what’s been done to death, and what to do instead” list:

✘ The “Good Vibes Only” Neon Sign

It’s been done. And done. And done. Unless your target market is 21-year-olds on a hen do, skip it.

✓ Instead: Try a bold piece of local art, a textured feature wall, or clever lighting. Still visual, still fun but less “we bought this online in a panic”.

Agreed?

✘ Fake Ivy Walls

Kill. Me. Now. (And this coming from someone who uses faux greenery all the time in her staging-for-sale jobs, so I know I sound a bit hypocritical here!)

But there are plants… and then there are plastic plants glued to the wall. These make every property look like a once on-trend bar designed in 2012.

✓ Instead: Go for real or realistic individual plants in great pots. Or use botanical wallpaper if you want that lush feel.

✘ Letterboards with Forced Quotes

“Eat. Sleep. Chill. Repeat.” Please no. Once fun. Now just giving eye roll moments. ✓

Instead: Let your styling do the talking. A beautifully set breakfast table or a stack of interesting books can say much more than a quote ever could.

Final Word from Me

Instagrammable doesn’t mean overdone or inauthentic. You’re not building a set, you’re creating a space that feels great to be in and just happens to photograph beautifully. It’s about thoughtful design, not throwing in on-trend pieces for the sake of it.

If you want help creating a property people actually want to stay in (and shout about) I’m here.

WildKind Interiors specialises in serviced accommodation interior design that delivers on both ROI and the wow.

Get in touch, and let’s make your property the one people remember (and rebook).

Louise Wynne has been designing, styling and installing showhomes since 2006. Combining interior design and styling with her colour psychology expertise, Louise gets to the heart of her clients' requirements.