There can be nothing worse than having to live in a home that you can’t change or put your mark on. Well, you could change it but it may bite you when you go looking for your deposit. A bland and boring apartment or house is what I would view as a blank canvas and can be worked on pretty easily. But what if you are living with a fugly wallpaper or other unpleasant features you would prefer not see every day? This can be tricky and I often get asked ‘How do you make a rental your own and without losing your deposit?’
Now, this is not just for renters as I understand that many home owners want to revamp their interior without a massive budget. Or simply want to add design feature that are not permanent fixtures.
How do you bring an interior to reflect your personal style without completely re-designing the whole space? People say it is hard to start anything from scratch. But, it can sometimes be so much harder to create your vision in an interior when there is already so much going on. I completely get that. I even find it hard and this interior design thing is my thing! lol!
So don’t worry. I get you. No stresses my friends. There are a few little tricks you can do that will help make that rental your home, or even just your home more your own. I have compiled a few tricks below that I have used in the past and will definitely be continuing to use for a long long time (I have no plan to get on the housing market).
Have a look at my tips below and as always let me know what you think. xx
#1 The Walls:
PHOTO: Courtesy of Etsy Store Betapet
As mentioned above wallpaper or even painted walls can be a major cramp on your personal style. Or any style at all! I mean that colour or pattern that makes you think “okay, my landlord was drunk when choosing this and now I have to live with it..brilliant”! You have two options leave it.. nope! Orrrr you could use removable wallpaper. Yup, that is a thing now! And it is amazing… You simply peel & stick! No glue, no mess..and it’s easy to remove.. woohoo!! My favourite’s come from Etsy or Chasing Paper and, basically, the sky’s the limit with this. They come in every colour and pattern imaginable. Yay!
#2 Photos, Art, and Mirrors:
PHOTO: Courtesy of Domino
Hanging photos, art and mirrors is the ultimate way to make a rental feel more personal and basically like your home. But there is always the fear that the marks left over from hanging the frames or mirror will leave your pockets short at the end of your lease. Not anymore! Command strips from Command 3M will hold weights from 1 lb to 5 lbs and they don’t leave any marks on the walls! I am currently using these little strips in my home office. I have been warned by my landlord not to hammer in nails which is fine. I totally get it. What I love the next renter might hate. But I could not live in a home that doesn’t have some photos and I am a major lover or gallery walls. So with these little strips, I can hang to my heart’s content with no fear that my landlord will even know that anything was ever hung on the walls! Command strips are amazing whether you are renting or a home owner. I always advise my clients to use these instead of using nails. If you don’t need to damage the wall why would you? I will be doing a video tutorial on how to use these strips once my office design is completed. But for now, check out the Command 3M website for instructions on how easy it is to apply and take the command strips off. Where to Buy: You can get them from Amazon or if you are in Ireland I used to always buy them from Home Store and More.
#3 Change The Curtains:
PHOTO: Courtesy of Domino & Mydomaine
So most rentals will already have curtains in place. What I suggest is take the curtains as an opportunity to add your own style to your interior. You can pick up ready made curtains in so many high street stores now like Zara or interior stores like HomeSense. So how to pick the right curtains for your space. Well if your interior is a bit overloaded with colour and pattern just go for a simple voile or linen curtain. If the interior has very little colour and you want to add a pop, select a bolder brighter pair that suits your style. For example, I am a bit cray cray about this Jugulow interiors trends at the moment so I have just ordered a Palm Leaf Curtain from Etsy. I plan to use them in my bedroom which really does not have much going on in it. The palm leaf pattern and colour are sure to add a focal point to the space and add my individual taste to the room also :) What do you think? Do you not LOVE them?
#4 Plant it:
PHOTO: Courtesy of A Beautiful Mess
Okay I know I know I am always going on about plants but like I have said sooo many times before plants make an interior more inviting and homely. Incorporating lots of plants is a great way to either re-vamp a more bland interior or disguise certain elements you don’t love so much in your rental. Check out Design Love Fest and how she created this amazing plant chandelier! Sooo cute and such a beautiful focal point for any interior!
Do you have a go to when moving to a new home or apartment? let know what they are I would love to hear your ideas xx