No Nails, No Problem: Renter Friendly Decorating Tips And Tricks.
Renting a home doesn’t mean you have to settle for bland walls and outdated decor, with a little creativity you can transform your space into a stylish, functional space without risking your security deposit.
Whether you’re looking for temporary upgrades, budget-friendly hacks, or landlord-approved changes, these 5 tips and tricks will show you how to make your rental feel like home—without making any permanent commitments.
Personalise With Art Work
I find one of the easiest ways to make a space uniquely yours is through the addition of art work. Art allows you to express your personality, values and interests and by surrounding yourself with pieces that you have a connection to, it will uplift and boost your mood while in the space itself. It creates a personal and welcoming atmosphere within your home.
You can simply replace existing pieces that may be already on the wall, just remember to keep the existing pieces for when you move out or opt for command hooks and strips. You can add small framed works to shelving and sideboards or even leave larger, heavier frames standing up against the wall in a layered pattern if you do not want the hassle of hanging up.
Shop The Look Below!
Add Layers With A Rug
As mentioned above, I would steer away from using peel and stick on surfaces such as floor as they simply are not durable enough to walk on. However, that does not mean you will be left staring at a floor you do not love, there are other options for you such as click-in faux wood flooring, but that still takes a bit of time and thinking through.
The easiest way to change the look of a floor is through the addition of runners and rugs. It adds more depth and feel to the space but can also act as a divider from one space to the other without actually having anything physical to divide the space, for example, having a rug in your living room might divide it from the adjacent dining area or vice versa.
I would not go too crazy with rugs as it can easily overwhelm the space but if you think critically about the space and where you want to cover certain parts of the floor, it will make that subtle change to the feel of the space.
Decorate With Cushions And Throws
One of the best ways to make a space feel like an actual home is through the addition of cushions and throws. Yes, it’s as easy as it sounds and by adding soft furnishings ,you’re adding more depth and personality to the space. It is also great for covering up existing sofas and armchairs that you cannot remove and may be worn and outdated. Obviously, it is not the greatest solution in the world but it makes for a temporary solution to make your space that little bit better and more enjoyable for yourself as it disguises an eyesore. It also makes the space warmer and more inviting.
Peel And Stick
One of the most common renter-friendly ‘hacks’ is the good old peel and stick tile. If you’re like me and catch yourself at 2am in a rabbit hole of home renovation videos, you’ll know how much people love to use the peel and tick option as an alternative to the real deal. I think it is a great short-term option for changing up a backsplash or even using a laminate film on counter tops, however, I would not use it on surfaces such as floors or bathroom surfaces as the materials are not durable enough for them areas and you might actually end up wasting money rather than saving it.
But saying all that, it is a good option for covering up outdated backsplash tiles in the kitchen and really will make a difference. You can use laminate film to update surfaces that might be worn down or not to your liking but I would be weary of using heat around those surfaces as it can lift or melt the film. For a flawless application of the film, I would recommend using a card to draw out air bubbles and a heat gun or hair dryer to fold down the edges.
Add Charm With Unique Furnishings
A lot of rental accommodation may already come with furniture but many do not and this serves as a blank canvas and an opportunity to make the space truly yours. Instead of going straight to generic furniture suppliers, take time for yourself and carefully pick and curate a theme for your home and browse through local furniture makers, second-hand or thrift shops, marketplace or Etsy for those really gorgeous and unique pieces.
If your accommodation comes with existing furniture, you can still source some pieces yourself and maybe instead of being in the mindset of replacing certain furniture pieces, you can try and work with what you already have and try find pieces that compliment what you have already.
For example, you already have a brown leather sofa, what pairs well with leather as a material and brown as a colour? I personally think softer fabrics like chenille, boucle or linen go well with leather. You can play it safe with cream furnishings or maybe deeper greens and reds go well with brown. So with that, you can either furnish the area with cushions, throws, rugs or find an accompanying piece like an armchair that have the qualities mentioned above.
