Personalise your rented space

There is a large number of people who rent out a home or an apartment. But it does not mean that you cannot decorate a rented place. Those who rent out a space also feel the need to call it their own, and give it their personal touch.

However, renting a place can present some challenges when it comes to decorating. Even though you may not be allowed to make permanent changes to the place, you can still make it your own. A few creative ideas and smart planning can make your temporary space feel like a home. You need to evaluate what you have to work with. You should know that there are some things you can’t change while renting.

If your kitchen has a particular colour, there is nothing you can do about it. Rather than fighting these issues, decide to work with the permanent decor elements. Painting walls with the colours you like may be difficult in a rented house. You can look for other options to bring in an element of colour in your house. Add colour by way of fabrics. You could choose colourful drapes, pillows, beddings, throws and rugs. You could also use paintings on the wall. Bright artefacts have the power to jazz up any wall. You can choose art for your wall in the form of photographs, paintings or prints. Adding mirrors in different forms or shapes in rooms can open up the space.

Lighting

Examine your lighting situation. Determine which space in your home lacks light. When bright lights are not needed, you may opt for a bulb that produces a softer light. Lamps can be both functional and serve as a decor piece. Add candles and plants. Having a nice light fixture of your own choice in your living or dining room can all add a personal touch to the rented home. Plants add a living element to a room and candles add visual warmth. Add personality with decorative pieces.

Use of fabrics

Use fabrics instead of blinds to brighten up the rooms where painting is not an option.

Solid or patterned curtains in bold colours on the windows add interest and colour to the rooms. Use fabrics in different ways. Hang a curtain in a doorway to add colour and also to ensure privacy for other rooms. Purchase some basic wooden frames. Stretch some stylish fabric over the frames and hang them on your walls.

Go for prints that draw the eye and complement each other, as well as your furnishing. Place a room divider with a fabric screen against one wall. Attach a floor to ceiling length of patterned fabric to a blend wall, which will also act as an artwork. Using fabrics can create some wonderful design effects.

They are fairly inexpensive. An advantage when you use fabrics is the fact that they can be picked up easily and taken to a new home when you move. Cover dingy or ugly floors with area rugs and scatter rugs.

Anchor the living room furniture with a large patterned area rug. Purchase furniture that is versatile and can work in many different homes. The style should fit in with the overall design of your rental home, but should also work for a home you might move into later.

For example, a sectional sofa that fits in the living room perfectly might not work for another home. Opt for a sofa or love seat and chairs that can be arranged in numerous ways to work within the space. Pieces that can be updated with slip covers are nice as you can instantly change the look and feel of the room by choosing a different pattern or colour. When you are planning to decorate your own rental space, think about things that you can take with you. You can take the electrical fixtures that you purchase. For the outdoors, you can add a lot of statements by creating a container garden which can be even brought indoors to add elements to your home décor.

For a rented house, it is advisable to keep your furniture light. You may go for wrought iron-wood combination furniture. If you buy a sofa it should have a separate mattress. A sofa with combined mattress becomes heavier than a separate one. You can use the package box as a table to keep extra stuff in a corner after covering it with beautiful upholstery. Opt for table lamps or a standing lamp instead of permanent lighting solutions.

Folding dining tables are a good idea over static ones. For some extra decoration that has nothing to do with use, you can use silk plants. They are cheap, durable and movable to any home and, without any doubt, look beautiful.

(The writer is an interior decorator.)