Decorating
8 Ways to Put Your Stamp on Your Pad Without Leaving a Mark
Be inspired by these innovative (and landlord-friendly) displays you won't have to sacrifice your deposit for
Many renters feel baffled by how to decorate the walls of their home-for-now, especially if their rental clause prohibits hanging artwork. With a little lateral thinking, however, there are many ways to add art, pattern and design to walls without breaking the rules. Browse these images for inspiration: with ideas for even the tiniest budget, many would suit indecisive homeowners, too.
2. Display vignettes
Small cardboard gift boxes can be put to work as mini display areas for favourite ornaments, and add a touch of fun to any room. Craft something similar by sticking a number of boxes together with double-sided tape, and attach to a wall or simply rest on a table top or picture ledge. For an added splash of colour, glue scraps of patterned giftwrap onto the inside of each box.
More: 5 Easy Ways to Make a Wall Vignette for Your Home
Small cardboard gift boxes can be put to work as mini display areas for favourite ornaments, and add a touch of fun to any room. Craft something similar by sticking a number of boxes together with double-sided tape, and attach to a wall or simply rest on a table top or picture ledge. For an added splash of colour, glue scraps of patterned giftwrap onto the inside of each box.
More: 5 Easy Ways to Make a Wall Vignette for Your Home
3. Clip it up
The humble clipboard can also work well as an impromptu art holder, and is lightweight enough to be supported by a single nail or removable poster strips. Its informal look is perfect for craft rooms or for displaying pretty postcards.
The humble clipboard can also work well as an impromptu art holder, and is lightweight enough to be supported by a single nail or removable poster strips. Its informal look is perfect for craft rooms or for displaying pretty postcards.
4. Wow with a mural
Supersized wall murals make a big decorative impact on any space, but they needn’t be solely for homeowners. Look out for companies that offer a removable finish option, such as Tempaper or Surface View, in order to get the look without the commitment.
Supersized wall murals make a big decorative impact on any space, but they needn’t be solely for homeowners. Look out for companies that offer a removable finish option, such as Tempaper or Surface View, in order to get the look without the commitment.
5. Pop up some pegboard
More commonly used in retail units than the home, pegboard is a much underrated material and can be the renter’s best friend. Splash out on a sheet and go to town hanging prints or decorative items from pegs in its holes, safe in the knowledge you can easily move things around as your collection grows and changes.
More commonly used in retail units than the home, pegboard is a much underrated material and can be the renter’s best friend. Splash out on a sheet and go to town hanging prints or decorative items from pegs in its holes, safe in the knowledge you can easily move things around as your collection grows and changes.
6. Prop on a picture ledge
Super versatile, the picture ledge provides a slim space for displaying framed artworks that can be switched around without damaging walls. While most require a couple of drilled holes to attach them, your landlord may be happier for you to do this (and leave them once you move out) than make holes for your own personal pictures.
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Super versatile, the picture ledge provides a slim space for displaying framed artworks that can be switched around without damaging walls. While most require a couple of drilled holes to attach them, your landlord may be happier for you to do this (and leave them once you move out) than make holes for your own personal pictures.
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7. Decorative boards
Attaching an oversized print – or even a length of wallpaper – to a sheet of MDF can create an instant focal point in a room. Go for an extra-large sheet of MDF that you can simply lean up against a wall to avoid making any holes. You could even create a feature wall in this way, by pasting on a few wallpaper drops and supporting it behind your sofa or bed.
Attaching an oversized print – or even a length of wallpaper – to a sheet of MDF can create an instant focal point in a room. Go for an extra-large sheet of MDF that you can simply lean up against a wall to avoid making any holes. You could even create a feature wall in this way, by pasting on a few wallpaper drops and supporting it behind your sofa or bed.
8. Get creative with recycling
There are alternatives to full-on wallpaper. Here, an entire wall has been customised with cut-out fronts from Clipper tea packets, collected over a number of months and simply attached to the wall with Blu-Tack. For a more ad hoc look, the same approach could be applied to a wall of postcards: the key is to go bold to stop the look feeling half-hearted.
There are alternatives to full-on wallpaper. Here, an entire wall has been customised with cut-out fronts from Clipper tea packets, collected over a number of months and simply attached to the wall with Blu-Tack. For a more ad hoc look, the same approach could be applied to a wall of postcards: the key is to go bold to stop the look feeling half-hearted.
9. Corral a collection
If you have a passion for collecting, see whether you can incorporate this into your room design. This tie collection, for example, makes for an unusual and decorative wall display, as well as being easy to view and access when required. The added bonus of being lightweight means the ties can simply be draped over a piece of doweling held in place with a few small hooks.
27 amazing collections uploaded by Houzzers
If you have a passion for collecting, see whether you can incorporate this into your room design. This tie collection, for example, makes for an unusual and decorative wall display, as well as being easy to view and access when required. The added bonus of being lightweight means the ties can simply be draped over a piece of doweling held in place with a few small hooks.
27 amazing collections uploaded by Houzzers
10. Create a cameo
Walls needn’t be teeming with prints to make an impact. A couple of simple cameo designs can add a striking slice of pattern to walls, and small artworks might be light enough to be held in place with a blob of Blu-Tack. For heavier works, use removable picture hooks.
SHOW US
What’s your proudest landlord-friendly decorating moment?
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Walls needn’t be teeming with prints to make an impact. A couple of simple cameo designs can add a striking slice of pattern to walls, and small artworks might be light enough to be held in place with a blob of Blu-Tack. For heavier works, use removable picture hooks.
SHOW US
What’s your proudest landlord-friendly decorating moment?
MORE RENTAL TIPS
Houzz Tour: Clever DIY Tricks Add Value to a Rented Cottage in WA
How to Squeeze a Humble Workspace Into Your Rental
10 Things to Look Out for in a New Rental Apartment
Wallpapering probably isn’t an option for most renters, but a patchwork wall might require less commitment. Wallpaper samples can be relatively easy to come by in large DIY stores, or alternatively ask around friends and family for any leftovers. To keep the patchwork removable, stick onto walls with double-sided tape (do a patch test first) or hold in place with decorative washi tape.
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