Have you just picked up the keys to your brand-new apartment and moved your belongings in, but something still doesn’t feel right? It’s missing your personal touch that truly makes a property feel like a home. Decorating seems like the obvious choice, but with strict limitations for rented properties, knowing what you can and can’t do to settle yourself and make it feel more your own is challenging.
So, how can you decorate a rented apartment without damaging it? From choosing your furnishings to adding character with pictures and wall hangings, you can explore various options to decorate your property without losing your deposit. Even better, decorating doesn’t need a big budget. You can style your new living space for less to create your ideal style and cosy vibes.
To help you learn more about available options, the experts at The Home Crowd have written this short guide to explore. Keep reading to learn more about decorating your new rented home…
How Can I Decorate My Rented Property Without Damaging It?
At The Home Crowd, we understand the importance of feeling safe, comfortable and relaxed in your home. With rented properties typically provided as a blank canvas, with neutral colour schemes that can accommodate a variety of styles, there are many different options available to you that won’t result in losing your deposit when it’s time to leave.
Unfortunately, to protect your deposit, you won’t be able to paint your new home or change any of the flooring, doors, or physical interior features. These are all protected by your contract, which usually states in one way or another that you need to return the property in the exact condition you were provided with. While this can feel limiting, there are a variety of other ways in which you can style your home.
Our Top Tips To Decorate Your Rented Apartment Without Damaging It
One advantage of that ‘blank canvas’ design usually provided within rented properties is that it’s already decorated, meaning it’s only the styling left! That, in essence, is left for the renter to decide. So, if you want to add a splash of colour, create that industrial feel to your home or make it feel as boujee as possible, you can still achieve this without the worry, stress and mess of home decorating. Explore some of our experts’ top tips below.
1. Plants, Plants, Plants!
The quickest, simplest and most effective way to personalise your rented property is through plants. Whether you enjoy the colour and boldness of bright-coloured flowers or the minimalist feel of a large cheese plant, plants offer a touch of nature into our homes that reflect our styles.
Not only that but having plants in your home also offers a range of health benefits. The Royal Horticultural Society has published research that proves that indoor plants inside your relaxing spaces, bathroom or home offices offer advantages that range from improved wellbeing to increased productivity. One reason is that plants help to improve our air quality, meaning that we breathe in purer, fresher air. Being that one step closer to nature can also help you to:
- Reduce stress
- Improve your attention span
- Reduce blood pressure
- Reduce headaches
And more! The next question is, what plants are you going to choose?
2. Style Your Furnishings
How can you make a dull sofa more interesting? Cushions. How can you turn a boring room into a cosy, atmospheric environment? Curtains, blinds and rugs. How can you make a dull bed look like a five-star hotel? Throws, blankets and pillows. So, if you’re wondering what the secret to interior decoration is, home furnishings are the answer.
As the New York Times states, get to know your surroundings by taking measurements and choosing what colours or patterns you like. From there, you can create a floor plan of where you want your furniture to go and where you want to place all your accessories. Pinterest and Instagram are great ways to explore and visualise what styles you want to create, and finding the furnishings you wish on a budget will follow with a small amount of research.
4. To Fairy Light, Or To Not Fairy Light?
Choosing the proper lighting for your home is essential. With the right ambience, you can make your rented property feel warm and cosy on the darkest days or bright and vibrant on productive days. This brings us to the age-old question: to add fairy lights or not add fairy lights?
Fairy lights offer unique styling options on a low budget, and research has shown that these tiny LED lights boost our energy and overall happiness. So, these little lights aren’t only an Instagram trend; they’re well-loved for an excellent reason, making these the ideal accessory to decorate your rented property.
4. Add Leaning Mirrors
Mirrors have been a well-trusted home accessory for decades. From providing additional natural lighting in the darkest of corners where we need it most to make a small room feel infinitely bigger, they offer a variety of benefits that make our homes truly feel their best. For this reason, it’s no wonder they’re one of the most desired home accessories on the market.
Can You Hang Things On Your Walls When Renting?
Yes and no. The answer to whether you can hang things on the walls of your rented property relies on how you plan to hang them. Your lease agreement will state that you are not allowed to damage the property in any way, which includes making holes in the walls with nails or pins. However, you can add home furnishings to your walls in other ways without damaging the interior.
For example, wall-safe adhesive strips are a great tool to add framed pictures, posters or paintings on your walls without drilling holes or damaging the paintwork. For curtains, you can also explore your options with damage-free brackets that work by applying a damage-free adhesive to the walls that can be easily removed once you want to remove your curtains. If you wish to explore options with pins, you should seek your landlord’s permission before adding them to your home.
Find Your Ideal Rented Property In Doncaster Or Sheffield With The Home Crowd
If you’re looking for a new rented property in Sheffield or Doncaster, you’ve found the right place. At The Home Crowd, we offer a variety of serviced apartments that are located in the city centre. Whether you’re looking for a short-term contract or a long-term letting, we provide it all. Explore our website to learn more, or contact one of our helpful team members to discover what we offer for your needs.