10 Tricks to Make Your Rental Feel Like a Home You Own
You don't need a paintbrush or permission to drill holes in the wall to add your own personal stamp to your rental property
Nelly Reffet
29 July 2014
Houzz Australia Contributor. Interior Designer at Twinkle & Whistle based in Perth, Western Australia. Creating inspiring and "real" homes for every budget is my bread and butter. Well, make that "baguette and olive oil", in honour of my Mediterranean-French heritage! I believe a beautiful space is not a privilege of wealth and I love nothing more than witnessing how a considerate design positively affects my clients' life.
Houzz Australia Contributor. Interior Designer at Twinkle & Whistle based in Perth,... More
With house prices soaring, home ownership is becoming a distant dream for many Australians. But being a renter shouldn’t stop you from living in the stylish home you desire. Okay, so you might not be able to mount huge artworks on every wall, paint your bedroom in your favourite shade of wasabi green or re-tile the bathroom, but fear not. Just as the number of renters has increased, so too have the products catering to them. From temporary wallpaper to removable decals, as well as the odd bit of crafty creativity, it’s easier than ever to personalise your rental home on a budget… without compromising your lease agreement. Here are 10 ideas to get you started…
1. Pick up some plants
Plants and flowers are a no-fail tip to liven up any space. They not only look good, as living organisms, many also help clean the air and remove toxins. When occupying a space that has been inhabited by a variety of unknown people before, it can feel good to imagine the air being renewed and purified.
Check out our favourite indoor plants
Plants and flowers are a no-fail tip to liven up any space. They not only look good, as living organisms, many also help clean the air and remove toxins. When occupying a space that has been inhabited by a variety of unknown people before, it can feel good to imagine the air being renewed and purified.
Check out our favourite indoor plants
While plants are a common addition to living areas, don’t limit yourself to these rooms. Many plants would love the micro-climate of a wet room and, due to their small size, are a perfect addition to bathrooms.
Kitchens can also benefit from plants. Whether your rented kitchen is modern, sleek and white, or an outdated brown tragedy, plants will be a welcome visual distraction without cluttering.
2. Update a wall with decals
Decals have become popular lately and for all the right reasons: they can be added and removed with no fuss; they come in a huge range of designs and colours; and they are inexpensive. Popular in children’s rooms, they are also great for small feature walls, such as an entry.
Decals have become popular lately and for all the right reasons: they can be added and removed with no fuss; they come in a huge range of designs and colours; and they are inexpensive. Popular in children’s rooms, they are also great for small feature walls, such as an entry.
3. Add elegance with removable wallpaper
Available in a wide range of designs, temporary wallpaper caters to any style and can add all the drama, fun and elegance you desire. It doesn’t leave any mess and can be re-used on walls as well as inside wardrobes, bookcases, etc.
Here are some creative ways to use wallpaper at home
Available in a wide range of designs, temporary wallpaper caters to any style and can add all the drama, fun and elegance you desire. It doesn’t leave any mess and can be re-used on walls as well as inside wardrobes, bookcases, etc.
Here are some creative ways to use wallpaper at home
4. Decorate with washi tape
The wonderful washi tape is quite underrated in the decoration world and still fairly unknown. When used well, it can make a very powerful, somewhat whimsical statement. In a nursery, it can be used to create the cutest designs.
The wonderful washi tape is quite underrated in the decoration world and still fairly unknown. When used well, it can make a very powerful, somewhat whimsical statement. In a nursery, it can be used to create the cutest designs.
In this minimalist room, a fun reindeer-shaped washi tape design adds the right amount of style to lift this space from bare to balanced.
Blogger Maya of House Nerd used washi tape to decorate her bedroom’s builder-grade light switch. This unexpected touch adds an extra dose of individuality to the room.
5. Get creative with storage
Rentals often lack storage, which in turn can lead to unsightly clutter. Improve this situation by adding furniture or accessories that can help with storage as well as making a statement. Here, a stack of white suitcases act as a side table, and can also be filled with magazines or items that are not frequently used.
Discover more clever storage ideas
Rentals often lack storage, which in turn can lead to unsightly clutter. Improve this situation by adding furniture or accessories that can help with storage as well as making a statement. Here, a stack of white suitcases act as a side table, and can also be filled with magazines or items that are not frequently used.
Discover more clever storage ideas
You don’t need paintbrushes to be creative. Using common items in a less common way can add interest to any room. Here, an old ladder displays beautiful fabrics. You could do the same to store and show your own scarves, towels, or bedsheets.
Bookcases can be a perfect combination of storage and decoration. When styling bookcases effectively, balance is key. Make sure to leave some space in between items so they can ‘breathe’; alternate ordered rows and free-styled ones; display items of different sizes and shapes; and maintain some consistency with colours. In this room, white is the backdrop used to balance an eclectic mix of books and decorative items.
Here is some inspiration for your bookcase makeover
Here is some inspiration for your bookcase makeover
6. Add the art without the holes
If you are not allowed to hang anything on the walls, try to use what you already have to make a decorative statement – consider a fireplace mantel, existing shelving, or the top of a cabinet to display art and decorative pieces. Make sure to use items that are big enough to be seen from anywhere in your room.
If you are not allowed to hang anything on the walls, try to use what you already have to make a decorative statement – consider a fireplace mantel, existing shelving, or the top of a cabinet to display art and decorative pieces. Make sure to use items that are big enough to be seen from anywhere in your room.
You can also opt for a large canvas or mirror to decorate your walls from the floor up. In this bedroom, the mirror is sitting on the floor and against the wall, which adds depth to the room, bounces light around and conceals most of the wall.
7. Add rugs, rugs and more rugs!
Your rental has horrible flooring? It might be a blessing in disguise! Layering rugs is a great way to conceal a not-so-good-looking floor, as well as add texture and colour.
Your rental has horrible flooring? It might be a blessing in disguise! Layering rugs is a great way to conceal a not-so-good-looking floor, as well as add texture and colour.
Choose rugs of different sizes, colours, designs and materials for a bohemian feel. Or for a more modern look, place a large, neutral rug on the bottom (a jute or sisal rug would be ideal) and add a bolder one on top.
8. Make it modular
Rentals tend to be temporary homes. Opt for furniture that can be moved around and reconfigured so it can more easily fit into another home. As an example, instead of a sofa with chaise, which limits the possible configurations, opt for a simple sofa and an armchair: you will have the same seating space but will retain flexibility with the layout.
Rentals tend to be temporary homes. Opt for furniture that can be moved around and reconfigured so it can more easily fit into another home. As an example, instead of a sofa with chaise, which limits the possible configurations, opt for a simple sofa and an armchair: you will have the same seating space but will retain flexibility with the layout.
Several small occasional tables, as seen in this room, are also a great alternative to one large coffee table.
8. Throw in some textiles
Textiles must be the easiest, quickest way to make a space yours. Scatter some cushions and a chunky throw; cover a chair with a sheepskin; find a funky upholstered stool; replace a door with a curtain on a tension rod; use colourful towels in an all-white bathroom… The possibilites are endless when it comes to textiles!
Textiles must be the easiest, quickest way to make a space yours. Scatter some cushions and a chunky throw; cover a chair with a sheepskin; find a funky upholstered stool; replace a door with a curtain on a tension rod; use colourful towels in an all-white bathroom… The possibilites are endless when it comes to textiles!
9. Replace the lighting
Just like any model or actress will tell you – it’s all about lighting! Even the best-styled room will look flat under inadequate lighting. If your home lighting relies on bare bulbs or outdated pendants, replace the shades (you might also want to replace the light bulb with one of a different intensity or mood, i.e. warm or cold) and watch the difference! In this simple hallway, the pretty pendants attract the eye to the upper part of the room, enhancing the features of this character home.
Check out our top tips for using pendant lighting
Just like any model or actress will tell you – it’s all about lighting! Even the best-styled room will look flat under inadequate lighting. If your home lighting relies on bare bulbs or outdated pendants, replace the shades (you might also want to replace the light bulb with one of a different intensity or mood, i.e. warm or cold) and watch the difference! In this simple hallway, the pretty pendants attract the eye to the upper part of the room, enhancing the features of this character home.
Check out our top tips for using pendant lighting
When dealing with lighting, try to remember this simple rule: no less than three layers of lighting – ambient, task and accent. Ambient light is the general one, often provided by ceiling lighting. Task lighting is intended to provide light for a specific function (such as a floor lamp above a chair as depicted in this picture).
Accent lighting draws attention to a particular object or a very small area, for decorative purposes. Table lamps, low-wattage downlights, or even candles can be used as accent lighting. Even when turned off, lighting accessories can be highly decorative.
10. Create vignettes
If you cannot make large-scale changes, you can still inject beauty and style with small touches. Vignettes are perfectly curated little pockets of a home. They can be made of a collection of vases, a book display, a flower arrangement on a hall table, or simply a few candles on a tray.
If you cannot make large-scale changes, you can still inject beauty and style with small touches. Vignettes are perfectly curated little pockets of a home. They can be made of a collection of vases, a book display, a flower arrangement on a hall table, or simply a few candles on a tray.
Create vignettes where they will be seen on a frequent basis. This coffee table vignette, with its collection of blue and white Chinese ceramics, combined with native flowers and shells, is a statement to its owner’s personality and story, and surely makes this person very happy!
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TELL US
Are you a renter? Have you made any changes to your home so it better reflects who you are?
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What a great list! as a land lord, there are a few of these that i hadn't even thought about. I think this Article: Make a rental property feel like home might add a few interesting tips into the mix! My personal favorite is making small upgrades to the kitchen, its an inexpensive way to make a huge difference!
I agree Darren, I've gotten some of the best returns on investment when I upgrade kitchen and bathrooms.
See our website if you're looking for removable wall stickers. We have a great selection of designs. Or upload your own designs and create something bespoke for your room - Inkmill Vinyl