How To Make A Rented House Feel Like A Home
When it comes to renting a property, you can often be restricted in what you can do. For example you may not be able to put holes in the wall, wallpaper or install a new kitchen. However, this doesn’t mean that you cannot make the house your home.
There are many different ways to personalise a rented property and make it feel like a home rather than someone else’s house. Let’s take a look at a few.
Know Your Boundaries
Before you embark on this decorating journey, it’s always a good idea to talk to your landlord and ask him exactly what changes you are allowed to make to the property.
A lot of landlords will not allow tenants to paint the walls of the property, but there is no harm in asking. The general rule is to leave the property in the state that you found it in, so some landlords aren’t against you adding a new coat of paint if you agree to paint over it when you leave.
If you do decide to paint the walls, we suggest going with a neutral colour that will be easy to paint over and nothing too shocking to surprise the landlord.
Surround Yourself With Things You Love
This may seem a little obvious, but a great way of adding a personal touch to your rented home is to surround yourself with things that you love and reflect your personality.
Filling your house with special mementos such as family photos, gifts from friends or items that make you think of home will go a long way in turning your empty space into a place that feels like a home.
Get Creative With The Walls
Just because you can’t paint the walls, doesn’t mean that you have to settle for the plain shade of white.
If you’re looking for a way of decorating your property’s walls without leaving a permanent effect, have you considered wall stickers? Wall stickers (also known as wall decals) are a fantastic way of adding some style and colour to your walls without the risk of damage.
Wall stickers can come in a variety of designs, from beautiful trees to mosaic patterns to even text. The stickers themselves don’t leave any marks or residue, making them ideal for a rented property.
Remember that if these did cause any damage, you would need to repair the walls when you left.
Consider The Flooring
Many rented properties will come unfurnished, and will likely leave you staring at a blank laminate floor.
To make the floor feel a little more homely, try using some rugs. The addition of rugs to your home will not only provide a comfy, warm feeling underneath your feet but can also act as a statement piece and completely change the whole look of a room.
Never underestimate the power of a rug.
In order to get your deposit back, you will need to keep the floor in a good condition so covering it with rugs will ensure that minimal damage is done.
Pictures Can Make A Difference
It can feel frustrating not being able to hang up a picture of you and your loved ones or a beautiful work of art, but you don’t necessarily have to make a hole in the wall to hang your pieces.
A quick and easy option to hanging your pictures is to use stick-on hooks. These hooks are stuck to the wall using a high performance adhesive and can be removed easily without leaving any damage to the wall. They can also hold a lot of weight too, so there is no need to worry about your pictures falling.
Investing in some bold and colourful artwork can give your home a totally unique look, and can transform the feel of a room. It doesn’t just have to be pieces of art either, you can hang vinyl records from your favourite bands or even a funky looking clock. Make the walls reflect your likes and you are guaranteed to feel more at home.
Remember that if the hooks did cause any damage when they were removed, you would need to repair the walls when you left.
Use Storage To Highlight Your Items
When you move into your new home, you’re likely to bringing a fair amount of things with you. It will probably take you a while to unpack, but doing so will automatically make your new space feel a little more familiar.
It is easy enough to pack all of your belongings away to keep neat, but where is the fun in that? Using the likes of modular bookshelves to display some of your favourite possessions will allow you to feel more at home when you are surrounded by all of the new furniture. An added bonus of investing in some storage is that you can take these items with you when you move.
Books, family photos, ornaments and even collectibles are ideal display items and are sure to become a conversation starter when people enter your new property. The use of modular furniture allows you to creatively display your items whilst being easier to take down and move whenever you decide to.
Live In Stylish Comfort
Some rental properties will offer some furniture like sofas and chairs as part of the deal, but they might not necessarily be up to your taste.
While it may be great that you don’t have to fork out for a place to lounge, you might want to consider getting yourself a nice throw or some cushions to make it feel like your own. This doesn’t just apply to the sofa, but the bedroom too. You’d be surprised how luxurious you can make a bedroom by treating yourself to a beautiful set of bedlinen.
You can do the same for curtains as well, and it works as a good investment for the future as you can take these along to your next home. Colour co-ordinating your cushions and curtains can give off a very powerful look and make the room feel more cohesive.
Summary
These are just a few ways that you can feel more at home in your rented properties. We know the restrictions of living in a property that you don’t own can sometimes be difficult, but these tips should help you give the property that personal touch.
Have you got any tips for tenants looking to personalise their rented homes? Be sure to let us know.