Lime green. Ferns. yellows, oranges red are vintage colours to pick up in a large rug. Add large colourful prints in simple black ikea frames. paint your own canvas or get a few friends to do some instead of painting the walls. just a few tulips or daffodils at the moment will add zing. A white painted coffee table with magazines with colourful covers. just add frivolity & the black will act as a foil for colour. I also love Gold with white for a modern twist. As it is a rental don't invest money in stuff you can't take with you. Only buy what you love. remember the interior design adage: Every room needs something black. (albeit not this much, perhaps!) It will be fine.

A room will naturally feel warmer when the floor is carpeted and your feet will enjoy sinking into a nice velvet or shagpile especially in the bedroom, also your downstairs neighbours will appreciate it, but nothing quite compares to the look and feel of a beautifully stained or varnished solid wood floor and a well laid and maintained floor will always add value to a home.

I have to agree with Crafty Countess about having a vinyl flooring. I would recommend Loose Lay by Karndean. The range comes in wood plank and stone tile effects, does not have to be glued down except around the edges of the room and damaged "tiles" can be easily replaced. They are made for commercial use, so are very durable and will retain their looks for years to come. From our own tenants, I've found that white or off- white works best. You'll never get a colour right for a tenant. In the past, we've hung curtains, which our tenants always ask to take down and put up their own. We've painted lightly fresh or richly cozy feature walls, which our tenants have asked to paint over. So we always use a neutral paint now. We allow our tenants to hang pictures, providing they repair and paint the holes when they move out and use wall stickups that they can take with them. The less colour you put in, the more you allow your tenants to make the space their own.

Hi Simone, We can't help but love parquet in a hallway and feel it would work well with the traditional look of your carpet and stairs. What colours are your surrounding wood floors? You're right that parquet wood floors have a mix of tones which could help the hallway to blend more seamlessly with the others. Here's some inspiration: Goodrich Natural Oak Goodrich Coffee Oak I hope that helps! Best wishes, Hannah | Woodpecker Flooring