One of the major downsides to living in rented accommodation is that you’ll have limited freedom to renovate. Since the place doesn’t actually belong to you, you typically won’t be allowed to tear down walls and throw up new ones. In most cases, even painting the walls might present a challenge, since you’ll need to be able to restore the property to the state it was in before you move out.
But this needn’t imply that you have absolutely no ability to make changes. Let’s take a look at a few popular tweaks, and whether they might be appropriate for your rented home.
Speak to your Landlord
It’s fair to say that some landlords and letting agencies are more lenient than others when it comes to redecorating. It might be that yours will give you the permission you’re after if you want to make specific changes. Make sure that you don’t take liberties, and that you’re upfront and honest about the scope of the desired changes. Remember that the worst thing they can say is ‘no’.
Re-cover the sofas
When it comes to changing the look of your living space, removable throws and soft furnishings are your friends. You can easily change the entire look of your sofa, and by extension your lounge, and then just as easily change it back.
Use Stick-on Tiles
If the splashback in your kitchen is looking a little unappealing, then you might use stick-on tiles over the top of them. Naturally, tiles like this aren’t quite as appealing as the real thing – but they do allow you a degree of flexibility.
Layer Rugs
Stacking different rugs in the centre of a living space can help you to conceal an ugly stretch of carpet, or to bring the room together. Pick out rugs that match your existing décor. You can often find great options if you’re willing to trawl through your local charity shops, or local marketplaces and online stores.
Hang pictures with command strips
You don’t want to be creating additional holes in your rented walls. You might end up losing your deposit over the sake of a single nail. So, use command strips to hang up pictures instead. These are little bits of extra-strong double-sided adhesive. You can go as large as you want with the picture itself – but it makes sense to err on the side of something smaller, just in case it falls off in the middle of the night.
Plants
Houseplants have a proven positive effect on our mental wellbeing, and thus there’s no real possibility of having too many of them. Install potted plants in your kitchen and office spaces. If you can grow edible herbs, so much the better.
