Homeowners often turn to online platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and even Pinterest for home renovation inspiration. While these are undoubtedly great visual references, home design is more than just how it looks. To experience the ambience and functionality of a home design first-hand, you need to stay there. That's where booking an Airbnb in Malaysia comes in handy.
Whether you prefer the starkness of an all-white minimalist home or the warm, cosy atmosphere of a bohemian-style villa, our price-sorted list has you covered.
1. Melaka – Ultra-modern minimalist apartments (from S$58 per night)
Image credit: KH via Airbnb
Featuring curved lines and creamy white walls, this apartment in Melaka serves as a good inspiration for homeowners looking to redecorate their homes in minimalist style. The home design ticks all the boxes for basic minimalist interiors, including an uncluttered layout, neutral colour scheme and a lack of overt decoration.
Image credit: KH via Airbnb
This clean and ultra-modern minimalist home has four beds and can accommodate up to six guests. For just S$58 per night, we offer you a unique opportunity to experience minimalist home living before we fully renovate your home.
2. Kuala Lumpur – Jungalow-style lofts (from S$61 per night)
Image credit: Naibnb via Airbnb
Conversely, homeowners looking for more maximalist inspiration can stay at this jungalow-style loft in KL. Each room in the apartment is fitted out with rustic décor and plants that recreate the feeling of being surrounded by the jungle, giving a good idea of what a jungalow-style HDB could look like.
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Every detail, from the colour scheme to the thoughtfully selected furniture, exudes the luxurious feel that is unique to Jungalow homes. Bookings start from S$61 per night for four people, with a minimum two-night stay required.
3. Kuala Lumpur – Cozy Japandi Loft (From S$71 per night)
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If you find the Jungalow home too cluttered and green, switch to this cozy Japanese home, which probably exudes a more tranquil and Zen atmosphere that you prefer. The home is bathed in warm, ambient lighting, bringing inner peace and a sense of Zen to its weary inhabitants.
Image credit: Naibnb via Airbnb
Wooden furniture and tatami seating in the living area add personality to the simple décor and complete the look. This home décor will serve as inspiration for homeowners looking to incorporate a Japanese style aesthetic into their home.
Image credit: Naibnb via Airbnb
Staying at this home can accommodate up to four people from S$71 per night, with a minimum stay of two nights.
4. Selangor – New York Style Loft (From S$72 per night)
Image courtesy of Loft And Co via Airbnb
Homeowners interested in incorporating an industrial aesthetic into their homes can consider this New York-style loft apartment While it may be difficult to incorporate double ceilings in a regular HDB, the exposed brick, polished cement screed walls and striking black wall sconces are enough to inspire you.
Image courtesy of Loft And Co via Airbnb
But it's the efficient use of space that gives this home its New York style vibe. New York apartments are compact and space needs to be maximised, which is why the layouts of these homes are clean and open. The home's spacious layout can accommodate up to six guests, with nightly booking rates starting from S$72.
5. Johor Bahru – Black and white apartment overlooking the beach (from S$75 per night)
Image credit: Shyan via Airbnb
If the rustic industrialism of New York City apartments doesn't appeal to you, you might want to book this colonial-style apartment in JB instead. If you're looking to add some drama to your home renovation, this rental apartment with arched hallways and paneled walls might inspire you.
Image credit: Shyan via Airbnb
A monochrome black and white colour scheme sums up the bold aspects of the home, with sunlight streaming in from the beachfront balcony. Stays start from S$75 per night and can accommodate up to six guests.
6. Kuala Lumpur – Cozy Scandinavian Duplex (from S$78 per night)
Image courtesy of Jerry via Airbnb
Apart from its extremely festive Christmas tree, this two-storey apartment in KL serves as the perfect inspiration for anyone looking to bring a creamy Scandinavian look to their home.
Image courtesy of Jerry via Airbnb
Clean décor and light wooden fixtures give the room a relaxed feel, accentuated by atmospheric indirect lighting that transforms the space in the evening.
Image courtesy of Jerry via Airbnb
Scandinavian homes are renowned for being cosy, so if you want to test out just how comfortable they are, you can book a stay for up to four people from S$78 per night.
7. Kuala Lumpur – Minimalist white loft (From S$75 per night)
Image credit: Xander via Airbnb
All-white homes have been all the rage lately, and this home is a natural extension of that trend. Every inch of this Kuala Lumpur apartment is covered in different shades of white, making for a striking first impression.
Image credit: Xander via Airbnb
Despite the lack of color, the home doesn't feel sterile, but rather elegant with sleek furnishings and abstract, minimalist artwork. These unique touches are especially important in an all-white home like this one, as they keep the space from feeling cold and unwelcoming.
Image credit: Xander via Airbnb
Those on the fence about whether to go all-white when it comes to renovations can book a trial stay here Bookings start from S$75 per night and can accommodate up to four people.
8. Pahang – Coastal Bohemian Apartment with Sea View (From S$89 per night)
Image courtesy of (OOOU Homestay) Eric via Airbnb
This home is the epitome of vacation spirit, with the fresh smell of the ocean and the sounds of waves giving this apartment a sense of tranquility. But don't worry if your home doesn't have beachfront views like these, you can still channel coastal bohemian style through a few key elements.
Image courtesy of (OOOU Homestay) Eric via Airbnb
The light colors of the rattan furniture combined with the sand color scheme of the home give the house a tropical feel, but once you step out onto the patio, the tropical feel is fully realized with the bamboo walls, blinds, and rattan furniture.
If you're looking for a beach house vibe, you can book a stay here from just S$89 per night, but it can only accommodate two people.
9. Penang – Modern Rustic Heritage Shophouses (From S$101 per night)
Image courtesy: Wayne via Airbnb
Located in Penang's UNESCO World Heritage Site of George Town, this Airbnb is set on the second floor of a historic shophouse and blends the serene atmosphere of Scandinavian housing with a rustic industrial look, with double-volume ceilings creating an elegant feel.
Image credit: Wayne via Airbnb
The home is decorated with a mix of rustic décor and modern contemporary furniture, giving the space a sense of personality. Homeowners looking to create a sophisticated art gallery-like feel in their home will want to take inspiration from this Airbnb, which can accommodate up to four guests. Rates start from S$101 per night.
10. Kuala Lumpur – Minimalist Apartment with Lego Room (From S$124 per night)
Image courtesy of Hugo & Stella via Airbnb
The highlight of this Airbnb in Kuala Lumpur is the brightly coloured Lego bunk beds and slide in the living room – something homeowners with Lego-loving kids should consider.
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A LEGO slide is connected to the bunk beds by colorful bridges and ladders, sure to inspire play excitement in kids of all ages. The rest of the home is designed with a minimalist aesthetic, providing a calm, clutter-free environment for adults – the perfect balance with the playful energy of the kids' area.
The apartments can accommodate up to six guests, with rates starting from S$124 per night, and a minimum two-night stay is required.
11. Malacca – Colonial Peranakan Shophouses (From $140 per night)
Image credit: Tan via Airbnb
This renovated shophouse in Melaka is one of Airbnb's time capsules, dating back at least 100 years to the British colonial era. The home has a decidedly Peranakan style, with patterned floor tiles and vintage-inspired furniture.
Image credit: Tan via Airbnb
The twist here is the home's colonial interior design influence, with the presence of panelled walls and hanging pendant lights adding a decidedly British feel.
Rates start from S$140 per night for groups of up to eight people.
12. Penang – Oriental Townhouse (From $169 per night)
Image credit: Szu Fen via Airbnb
Part of Blue Mansion's carefully curated collection of restored properties, this Straits Eclectic-style townhouse in Penang is perfect for homeowners looking to incorporate traditional culture into their home renovations.
Image credit: Szu Fen via Airbnb
The home is a shophouse built in the early 20th century, so it has an inherent vintage feel, and its rustic beauty is further accentuated by fixtures such as a three-metre-tall Chinese-style door and a five-foot walkway at the front of the house.
Image credit: Szu Fen via Airbnb
Restored vents allow ample light into the 82-foot-deep home, creating a bright and airy atmosphere that blends in with the Zen garden in the home's courtyard. Rates start from S$169 per night for two people.
13. Petaling Jaya – Airy gallery-style terrace (From S$173 per night)
Image credit: Chia Family via Airbnb
If you're looking for ways to bring natural light into your detached home, take a look at this semi-detached terraced house. The open-concept layout and minimalist décor allow light to flow efficiently inside the home, creating a bright and airy feel.
Image credit: Chia Family via Airbnb
Nearly every element of the home, including the open concept, glass doors and glass block walls in the kitchen, has been thoughtfully designed to diffuse natural light throughout the home, which can accommodate up to 10 guests from S$174 per night.
14. Sarawak – Tropical Colonial Villa (From S$230 per night)
Image courtesy of Marcus & Peggy via Airbnb
Even if you don't own a villa, you can still be inspired by the tropical beauty of this Sarawak home, with jungle wallpaper, rattan lamps and plenty of green fittings.
Image courtesy of Marcus & Peggy via Airbnb
The use of rustic wooden furnishings further enhances the aesthetic and there is even a bamboo canopy by the pool. This villa can be booked for S$230 per night and can accommodate up to 12 guests.
15. Penang – Industrial Townhouse (From S$508 per night)
Image courtesy of Eddie via Airbnb
With its cement screed floors, raw brick walls and clean black fixtures, this townhouse in Penang will serve as inspiration for homeowners looking to bring some industrial style into their home.
Image courtesy of Eddie via Airbnb
In this case, the harsh edges of the style are softened by the addition of greenery, such as the trees that grow in Airwell's courtyard. There are seven bedrooms, and it can accommodate up to 14 guests, with rates starting from S$508 per night.
Airbnb home renovation inspiration you can book in Malaysia
Make your next trip to Malaysia a scouting trip for home renovation inspiration. Given its diverse culture and storied history, it's no wonder that the Airbnbs there reflect that fact. From ultra-modern homes to culturally rich Peranakan interiors, there's always an option for design inspiration.
More home renovation tips:
Cover images by Naibnb, Tan, Loft and Co, and Xander via Airbnb
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