1. Get sticky with it
Understandably, landlords aren’t thrilled with the concept of tenants painting the walls because if they do it badly, it can be pretty costly to fix.
One excellent idea is to use stickers to jazz up the walls. You could get some plain red round stickers from your local newsagent (like the ones that shops use to show that items are sold) and stick them all over a feature wall in a funky polka dot design.
Use coloured tape to decorate walls with spots, stripes or geometric designs.
You could also use washi tape to make a custom designed wall runner or do stripes on the wall. Most stickers will remove easily from the walls when you move out.
2. Go faux
Another thing landlords generally don’t love is when their renters change the flooring. It can be expensive and labour intensive – and is a pretty permanent intrusion if you’re not the owner.
However if you hate the brown carpet in your rental flat and you need to do something about it, you could consider faux flooring. There are lots of options, for example click together wood panelling or custom cut rubber flooring. If you’re strapped for cash you could also consider rugs and carpet off cuts.
3. Renew & refresh
If you’re feeling a bit restless and need to do some re-decorating, try a simple ‘refresh’. Get new covers for your couch, try some cushions in a punchy colour or even just get a few new tea towels for your kitchen.
A little home ‘botox’ is the perfect way to refresh a rental on a budget.
4. Get artsy
Art doesn’t have to be expensive – you could make a feature wall out of magazine covers or art tea towels. Check out Etsy for cute prints that you can stick to your walls.
Art needn’t be expensive – make a feature wall out of photos, frames or art prints.
If you’re worried about the paint, just use string to hang your pictures and use pegs to secure them.
Photos make for wonderful artwork as well. You can get cheap prints of your Instagram account that would be perfect for making an inexpensive art features on your rental walls. Or simply group your photos by colour or in a striking shape.
5. Go green
It’s sometimes difficult to feel truly at home in a rental but if you place a few potted plants around the place it will start to make it feel more permanent.
Try succulents in the bathroom, hard-wearing peace lilies in the shade outside and ferns in the cool dark areas inside the house.
The best bit about stocking up on greenery is that when you move, you can take them with you!
6. Embrace temporary storage
You’re never going to have exactly the same amount of storage in every home that you rent and if you move around a lot this will mean you will often have excess shelves or not enough cupboards or both.
Consider cardboard furniture and storage as a sustainable option.
If you’re a regular renter it might be time to consider cardboard furniture and storage. You can get almost anything made from cardboard these days – beds, drawers, shelving – and the best part is that when you move out and you don’t need your drawers because your new place has plenty, you can simply recycle the your extras.
7. Setting the mood with lighting
You don’t have to use the lightbulbs that came with the house so if you’ve got bulbs that are too dim or too bright, replace them with lightbulbs that you like.
Also, don’t underestimate the importance of light shades. They can be attached and removed, often without a trace and can change the entire mood and ambience of a rental without permanently damaging the ceilings.
8. Get reflective
Mirrors are an absolute must when renting. They add space and light to any room and they give the decor of your home a very polished look. Full length mirrors are fantastic at the end of corridors and flatter, smaller mirrors look great when hung together on a wall.
Check out discount interior design stores. They often have little packs of decorative mirrors that have wall-safe adhesive already attached to the back.
9. Invest in wall mounts
There are several difference kinds of wall mounts on the market these days, it would be a shame not to make use of them. You can get specifically designed wall mounts with hooks, clips, rungs and even small shelves.
Lots of them are designed to bear heavy loads too so don’t be shy when using them for furniture and shelving, just make sure they’re within the weight limit of the mounts that you’re using.
They’re also designed to be easily removed for when you move out. Perfect.
Check with your landlord
Even though these shouldn’t be an issue, it always pays to check in with your landlord about changes. Sometimes they’re open to it, and might actually let you make more significant changes if you help with the cost or effort. Having the conversation helps protect you both if anything goes wrong (and avoids assumptions).
No comments:
Post a Comment