With house prices skyrocketing and younger generations having to wait years to get onto the housing ladder, more and more people are renting their homes. A rental property has some restrictions – for example, you may not be able to put nails into the wall to hang up pictures. However, there are a number of ways in which you can design and decorate your rented property to make it reflect your own style and truly feel like home.
If you’re renting an older property which has a little bit of wear and tear, go with it. Use shabby chic accessories, vintage rugs and antique style furniture to fit with the aesthetic. Even if the property’s furnished, you can add in more furniture which is to your own taste, but which doesn’t have to cost a fortune. A large, heavy wooden bookcase can serve three very important functions – it’s good storage, can lend a room a sense of style, and can cover up a large amount of wallpaper which isn’t to your taste!
Equally, if your rented home is new and modern, it needn’t feel impersonal and clinical. Think of it as a blank canvass where you can make your mark. Add in small but useful pieces to make it feel cosier, like a freestanding lamp or a coffee table. Many modern properties will have tiled or wooden flooring, so make your living room feel more homely with a rug – you could even have two or three different ones to add colour, interest and a sense of modern chic.