10 Creative Ways to Personalise a Rented Living Space
Renting a home needn’t frustrate your decorating ambitions. As any interiors obsessive knows, where there’s a will, there’s a stylish way…
Most rented properties are subject to some rules and restrictions: perhaps you’re not allowed to hang up pictures, paint the walls or rip up the battered carpet. There will probably be a limit to what you’re prepared to do, too, in terms of investing in the fabric of the space. After all, you may be moving on soon.
This does not, however, mean you have to live in a space that in no way reflects your taste. Whether renting long term or just passing through, it’s possible to stamp some personality on any home. Simply see any restrictions as a challenge to your creativity, and not an obstacle to good taste! These gorgeous living rooms illustrate what’s possible…
This does not, however, mean you have to live in a space that in no way reflects your taste. Whether renting long term or just passing through, it’s possible to stamp some personality on any home. Simply see any restrictions as a challenge to your creativity, and not an obstacle to good taste! These gorgeous living rooms illustrate what’s possible…
Choose individual pieces
If you’re sourcing new furniture for your rented living room, shop smart. Rather than invest in a large corner sofa, pick smaller pieces that can be arranged to suit both your current home and any future space. A neat but stylish armchair like this will supplement a compact sofa and can be used at a dining table, too.
If you’re sourcing new furniture for your rented living room, shop smart. Rather than invest in a large corner sofa, pick smaller pieces that can be arranged to suit both your current home and any future space. A neat but stylish armchair like this will supplement a compact sofa and can be used at a dining table, too.
Take to the boards
Can’t wallpaper the walls? Wallpaper freestanding boards instead (sheets of ply would work) and then prop them against your walls. Genius! And flexible, too.
Check out how to nail the boho glam look
Can’t wallpaper the walls? Wallpaper freestanding boards instead (sheets of ply would work) and then prop them against your walls. Genius! And flexible, too.
Check out how to nail the boho glam look
Max those mantels
Mantelpieces are ripe for decorating. Adorning one in your rented living space will instantly personalise it and give the room a focal point that’s pure you.
Browse 10 clever design tricks that turn a rented property into a home
Mantelpieces are ripe for decorating. Adorning one in your rented living space will instantly personalise it and give the room a focal point that’s pure you.
Browse 10 clever design tricks that turn a rented property into a home
Make your own storage
Vintage wooden crates work beautifully as storage and, as this image shows, they can be stacked up to create a whole wall of shelving and stashing space. It’s an easy, inexpensive and stylish solution.
Vintage wooden crates work beautifully as storage and, as this image shows, they can be stacked up to create a whole wall of shelving and stashing space. It’s an easy, inexpensive and stylish solution.
Introduce textiles
Layer up your living space seating with cushions and textiles in colours and textures that please you and personalise your space. This is also an easy way to upcycle a battered sofa that’s already in situ, or to improve a bland, budget design.
Go for the more-is-more approach, too. A single throw on a tired sofa can smack of student life; an abundant, multi-layered array of gorgeous textiles is more dramatic and contemporary.
Layer up your living space seating with cushions and textiles in colours and textures that please you and personalise your space. This is also an easy way to upcycle a battered sofa that’s already in situ, or to improve a bland, budget design.
Go for the more-is-more approach, too. A single throw on a tired sofa can smack of student life; an abundant, multi-layered array of gorgeous textiles is more dramatic and contemporary.
Bring in lots of plants
Plants bring lush, living green to any room and improve its air quality. They are portable, too, so you can shift them around the room and take them with you when you move on.
Plants are also brilliant at concealing or softening a feature that can’t easily be hidden or removed, such as a fireplace.
Plants bring lush, living green to any room and improve its air quality. They are portable, too, so you can shift them around the room and take them with you when you move on.
Plants are also brilliant at concealing or softening a feature that can’t easily be hidden or removed, such as a fireplace.
Think vintage
Can’t hang things up or repaint the walls? No problem. Bring in some unusual vintage finds, like these house shutters, to give your living space a style all of its own. Keep your eyes peeled for any interesting items that would lean well against a wall – mirrors, ladders, oars, tin advertising signs… Then just prop and go.
Can’t hang things up or repaint the walls? No problem. Bring in some unusual vintage finds, like these house shutters, to give your living space a style all of its own. Keep your eyes peeled for any interesting items that would lean well against a wall – mirrors, ladders, oars, tin advertising signs… Then just prop and go.
Pop up some posters
It’s often not possible to bang picture hooks into the walls of a rented home, so make like a student and simply put up some posters instead. Fix them with washi tape or Blu-Tack, which won’t mark the paintwork or wallpaper beneath.
It’s often not possible to bang picture hooks into the walls of a rented home, so make like a student and simply put up some posters instead. Fix them with washi tape or Blu-Tack, which won’t mark the paintwork or wallpaper beneath.
Hang out
Find ways to display decorative finds that don’t involve hammering nails into walls or putting up shelves. This planter is hung from the side of a cabinet, but you could also drape, hang or loop something like this over an existing curtain pole, door knob or temporary over-door hook.
TELL US…
How have your personalised a rented living space? Let us know in the Comments below.
Find ways to display decorative finds that don’t involve hammering nails into walls or putting up shelves. This planter is hung from the side of a cabinet, but you could also drape, hang or loop something like this over an existing curtain pole, door knob or temporary over-door hook.
TELL US…
How have your personalised a rented living space? Let us know in the Comments below.
Sponsored
The inevitable central ceiling light in a rented living room brings little to the party, light-wise. But rather than ignore it, make a feature of it with a sensational shade. This living space illustrates how striking a large statement shade can look.
Supplement this with layers of lighting from portable pieces. Add task light for reading (an adjustable floor lamp is ideal), plus plenty of ambient light to create a warm atmosphere and mask a multitude of sins! Think table lamps, rope or fairy lights, and candles.