Some people find that living in a rented apartment suits them far better than living in house or apartment that they’ve bought themselves. Different strokes for different folks - some say renting is wasting money, others say it’s better because it doesn’t tie you down like a mortgage does and your landlord has to make the repairs and do the maintenance for you! There are pros and cons for both. However, one thing that can be a big con with renting, is the fact that redecorating can be a minefield. Some landlords might not want you to personalise the property too much, while others might not mind. Living in a property that you haven’t really personalised or made to suit your tastes can be a little rubbish, so this guide aims to help you.
Of course, some landlords won’t mind you doing what you like to the place, and in other cases, you may need to change the place back to the way it was before when you move out. This post will cover pretty much everything. Read on to learn more:
Speak To Your Landlord
Before you start doing anything to your rented place, speak to your landlord. Getting permission to update the place will put you at ease and give you an even better idea of what you should and shouldn’t do. In some cases, the landlord may even offer to pay for the materials because they don’t have to pay for an expensive painter and decorator. Even if you have a contract that says no decorating, it can’t hurt to ask your landlord about it if you feel like decorating so you can be certain. If your landlord agrees, it can be a good idea to get the agreement in writing so that you don’t encounter any issues later on down the line.
Bear in mind that it is definitely a waste of money to pay for anything you won’t be able to take with you if you only plan on living there for a year. Only spend a lot of money redecorating if you plan on renting for a while. There are plenty of cheap additions you can make to a rented property that will look great, give it personality, and make it feel more like home.
Painting And Decorating
A good landlord will redecorate every three years as good practice anyway. If yours hasn’t, ask about it. It’s a good idea to keep up a good relationship with your landlord to ensure they do things like this - although nothing to do with redecorating, they should be doing safety checks every year at the very least. If your landlord isn’t doing these things and doesn’t seem to care much about your safety or happiness in this property, it might be time to move.
A Feature Wall With Frames
To start off decorating your rented home and making it feel more like yours, you could create a feature wall. Feature walls are fantastic as they draw the eye to a blank wall in a room and make a statement. Choose the rooms you do this in carefully, as this shouldn’t be something that you do in every room. Depending on how many rooms you have, one or two rooms should suffice.
But how do you create a feature wall in a rented property? With frames! Frame pictures in frames of different sizes and styles, and really have fun putting it all together. You can find lots of examples of things like this on Pinterest, so take a look and see what you can come up with. You can also create a feature wall with paint and paper, but whether you can use this will depend on your landlord.
Wall Hangings
Wall hangings are a brilliant way to add personality to a room. They can be put behind beds and sofas, and even used as throws and blankets to add more personality around your place. They look especially good in a bohemian themed room, but there are no limits as you can find a ton of different styles.
House Plants
House plants help to bring the outside in. They bring beautiful greenery to your decor, purify the air, and bring happiness to people who look at them. Make sure you have no shortage of houseplants in your place! You can buy fake house plants if you can’t commit to real ones, but the real ones are always beneficial over fake ones. Include multiple plants if you want to have lots of texture in your decor. Just make sure they are easy to maintain!
Make sure your house plants aren't toxic for pets and kids, either.
Rugs, Throws, And Cushions
Adding rugs, throws, and cushions to your home is a fabulous way to re-decorate and communicate a theme without having to do anything permanent or drastic. You can even layer these things to create a really plush feel. You can create the cosiest atmosphere with the help of some great rugs, throws, cushions, and other textiles.
Look For Pretty Bed Linen
Pretty bed linen can become quite the feature in the bed room, so have a look for some high quality options that won't irritate your skin or fade after the wash. Decorating your bed so that it looks really pretty and like you want to jump on it every time you enter the room will bring your bedroom to life. Don’t forget to add cushions and throws to your bed for extra oomph.
Use Wallpaper Panels
If you can’t wallpaper your rented home, buy some panels and wallpaper them instead. You can then hang them or even just lean them against the wall to bring some life to it. It’s a great alternative to just rebelling against your landlord altogether! You can get some really amazing wallpapers these days depending on what you want to create in your home. You could go floral, polka dot, or even flamingo. The options for wallpaper these days are endless!
Add Personality To Furniture
Adding more personality to your furniture is a great option for those who love a little DIY. You could use decals or even material to reupholster your old furniture. There are also special paints that can be great for this, so give yourself a small project and see if you can create something fun that goes perfectly in your rented home.
Statement Lighting
Statement lighting is an amazing way to bring your rented home to life. Invest in great lamps, and bulb covers that bring a little something different to the room. You’d be surprised at just how much something like this can change the feel of a room.
Make sure the lighting you choose is suitable for the room that it’s in, and ensure that it’s in the right place. For example, having task lighting in the kitchen is important, so don’t purchase accessories or fittings that hinder that.
Swap The Hardware
Perhaps you could purchase better hardware. This is easy to replace and shouldn’t perturb your landlord too much. You can easily put the old hardware back if you need to. How about introducing chrome hardware or something cool like this to add texture?
Wall Decals
Wall decals are ridiculously easy to use. They take minutes to apply, and if you select a great wall decal, will look as if they have been painted on! Then when it’s time to move out, they’re really easy to remove, too. You could add butterflies, flowers, or even words depending on what you want to add to the room.
Be Aware Of Colours That Are Tough To Paint Over
There are some colours out there that are tough to paint over, such as dark purple. Painting a wall this colour could cause more problems than you’d like in the long run. People like Schemel-Tarrillion know things like this and can decorate rented homes the way they should be decorated without causing long term problems. If you get professional help, you can worry less about causing damage to the rented property.
Hang Or Lean Mirrors
Mirrors can change the whole look of a room, so you want to make sure you select some great designs to bring your decor to life. Ornate mirrors can bring a vintage vibe to your decor, for instance. However, attaching them to the wall is a little too much trouble than it’s worth. Hang or lean them instead and it’ll be easy to take them with you when you go, and you won’t have to worry about damaging the wall.
Hopefully, this guide to re-decorating your rented home has given you some great ideas and you now feel more confident. You shouldn’t have to live in a neutral home with no personality if that’s not your thing. Speak to your landlord and have a good idea of what you’d like to do so you can double check anything specific with them easily. Leave any of your own thoughts and ideas below.