I furnish mine with second hand chic. 
For example, I have vintage Hawaii chairs that I have painted and recovered. This chair was on its way to the dump when I saved it. Mind you recovering this pillow meant I just went to Walmart and picked out a fabric with a Hawaii themed pattern, wrapped it around the cushion and pinned the back. Shabby aloha chic. If they want fancy or elegant they need to move on to Aloha travertine.
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BTW, is the Audrey Hepburn poster from IKEA? I see it a lot.
She NEVER goes out of style. 
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I think the guests would be able to recognize Ikea furniture when they look at the pictures before booking. If the unit is budget priced I think Ikea furniture and dƩcor is fine. I have some cheap Ikea kitchen utensils but no Ikea furniture. If one is looking for budget furniture - craigslist or thrift stores can be a good source.
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Wow. I guess Iāve been lucky. My rooms are furnished with Walmartās cheapest and no one has complained. Serviceable, everything they could need, but cheap cheap. Except the beds, which have pillow tops. But no headboards, just frame, box spring and mattress.
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IKEA furniture is inexpensive and with some creativity it need not lack personality.
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If the photos of the accommodation show the furniture (ikea) then it should not be an issue.
You can also dress up furniture with other Ikea furniture. For example an Ikea sofa, dressed up with a fancy throw. Or a cabinet with a contrasting vase on it. Presentation is key.
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I donāt have anyting against ikea, but I must admit i get a bit turned off with places where I immediately recognize ikeaās cheapest lines (like the small white square tables, the posters/paintings, the chairs) - its not the ikea thing, but the fact that itās clearly the cheapest items from there which makes me feel like this is really a business and this host probably has 5 other apts like that. I have nothing against it, itās practical and clean and modern - but i like abit more caracter or at least to mix it up with a funky table from the flea market or an old lampā¦
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Like others, I selectively use Ikea pieces, and mix it up with other purchases.
Conversely, Iāve used vintage mid-century (quality) pieces, and have had people indicate in their reviews that the pieces with Ikea 
Actually, they are the original items that Ikea knocked-off!
Basically, as they say, you canāt win!
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Yes, thatās exactly it @whamser. I know I said I was an Ikea snob but Iām not really. My rooms are 100% flea-market, charity shop (thrift store) furnished but the kitchen and bathroom make full use of practical Ikea stuff. And I do love their meatballs and jam.
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Almost seems as though there is an IKEA backlash going on. Maybe itās become too much of a good thing. If they came to Hawaii they would have customers lining up for miles to get in. Something like IKEA is badly needed.
Yes, itās the usual thing. Ikea? OMG thatās so '90s. Airbnb? omg thatās so noughties (is that really the right word??) . Weāre all swinging in hammocks eating kale in the jungle now, thanks to that new app that I canāt tell you about because itās invite-only.
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I do too, Kona! I tend to find IKEA bland and cheap. That is the whole concept I am trying to replace. Plus, I charge enough that I think my furniture is on par with guests expectations. Portland is a huge vintage shopping mecca, and I spent a year hunting, refinishing, recycling and rehabbing many pieces to mix in with my own stuff, and about $2000 worth of new āmid-century modernā. I actually have an IKEA side glass side table and some lucite chairs, but most IKEA will fall apart in a year or soā¦ People want the whole Pacific Northwest experience up here, so I fall in line. My decor is often mentioned in my reviews. Here is my listing - the chairs and table were both thrift shop, and I recovered them. What do you guys think?
www.airbnb.com/rooms/11273124
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Very pretty and seems like a good value for a whole self contained apartment. I love how bright it is for a basement.
When I was young and bought my house I used to go to estate sales and thrift stores all the time. I still have many items in my house that are used. Now I check craigslist though. I once found a mid-century modern danish teak chest at Goodwill for about $20, before it had become trendy to have. I just put it in my closet and stored junk in it. A few years ago I gave it away to a friend. Now I see similar items selling for $500+ online. Ah, the good old days
I got my two-room vacant rental unit set up from scratch with Ikea furniture. I was on a budget. It was also super convenient because I could get everything I needed in one place. I paid special attention to the bed (a metal frame model that is extremely solid) and I did get the mattress from Tuft & Needle, not Ikea. So far, no complaints. If/when the furniture wears out (Iām betting the couch and the dresser will be first to go), Iāll replace with more thoughtful purchases. But for now, itās all clean and somewhat coordinated, and guests have said they like that.
Yes it is! Nothing wrong with ikea.
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You hate IKEA, yet you know how their showrooms, their pictures, and the bedding look like? Now thatās strange.
Iāve just bought a brand new IKEA bed for my Airbnb guest room, complete with crappy mattress, and I always emphasize that this is an alternative to the old bed, which is still there, in the same room, which has a much better mattress. All the guests choose the IKEA bed, no-one wants to use the old one.
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One of our apartments is furnished with some very nice Danish design peices - there is one single IKEA TV stand.
However, Danish design being what it is, a lot of items are inspiration for the IKEA look.
We had a revue last year where the guests disparingly mentioned the furniture was all IKEA which really upset my husband who wanted to email them to educate them on Danish Design classics!
Our second apartment is 80% IKEA furnished - but weāve had guests comment on how they love the Danish design interior - the irony!
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I suppose it depends of what pieces you are using. I have had Ektorp sofas and chairs for years, because they are the most comfortable sofas and chairs I have ever sat in! Have them in my Air and my own home I LOVE them Their bedding does leave a lot to be desired though. It tends to be very thin and a bit scratchy in my opinion. Sheets and duvet covers should be the absolute best you can afford, I find people will forgive almost anything if the bed is heavenly!
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K9KarmaCasa - Funny thing, Craisglist has morphed into something else entirely in Portland. In the Bay Area it was lots of private sellers of things - now it is discount furniture outlets, contractors and computer repair. I have found several Facebook pages that are well moderated and sell specific things. One is all furniture, another is just vintage and some are for garage sales only. Good places to find thingsā¦ I am looking for a shower chair now to host my first handicapped guest.
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