SETTLING INTO RENTED accommodation can be tricky, especially if the furniture or overall design isn’t to your taste.
It’s not just the four walls around you that make a house a home, it’s what’s inside too, but it can be tricky to put your personal stamp on a place if you don’t have full creative control.
“You might not be able to turn a rented place into your dream home, but there are some small changes you can make that’ll really transform each room,” says Denise O’Connor, MD of Dublin-based architecture firm Optimise Design.
Unsure where to start? Here are Denise’s tips…
Many landlords will be open to tenants re-painting, so if you can agree on a colour palette that both parties are happy with, stock up on supplies and get going.
“Painting is the best way to completely change up a room without massive investment,” says Denise. Even soft greys, taupes or one feature wall can be a vast improvement on bland magnolia decor. “Your landlord may even be willing to offset painting costs against your rent,” she adds.
If your lease doesn’t allow re-painting or you don’t want to take on the responsibility, there are simpler ways to mix up the colour palette in your space. Here’s Denise’s advice:
Accessories are a great way to make a property feel like your own and bring some of your personality in. Rugs, cushions and artwork can all be brought with you when you leave.
Most design elements of a rental property can be upgraded without too much investment on your part. “If the landlord has bare bulbs or outdated pendant light shades, replace them with more contemporary options,” suggests Denise.
“Even the most beautifully styled room will look flat under inadequate lighting,” warns Denise, who adds that many rentals lack atmospheric lighting, and rely instead on dim lamps or harsh ceiling bulbs.
“Control the lighting levels by using a mix of table and floor lamps rather than relying on one single overhead bulb,” she suggests.
If your rental has a good source of natural light, don’t cover it up with heavy blinds and curtains. Choose coverings made from lighter fabric that’ll allow light to be reflected back into the room.
Most landlords rent out properties with the expectation that the tenants will add some personal touches, so don’t get yourself too worked up about marking walls by hanging frames and canvasses.
“Hanging art in your home with a single nail or a screw is an acceptable practice in most rentals,” explains Denise.
If your lease strictly rules against hanging things up, you can still display frames and artwork on mantelpieces, open shelving or the tops of cabinets, while larger framed items and canvasses can easily be propped against bare walls.
Rather than staring at the same patch of stained carpet or magnolia wall for the next year, Denise suggests considering inexpensive ways to cover up parts of the property that you cannot make changes to.
“Large floor mirrors not only double the size of a room but also cover up walls, and layered rugs are a great way to add texture and colour to floors,” she says. ”Ask a carpet supplier to cut up a large piece of carpet to size and edge it in a contrasting colour, and you have a budget-friendly rug that’ll liven up a space.”
“If I could only buy one thing on a tight budget to liven up a space, it’d be a large mature house plant,” says Denise. Opt for pops of greenery with smaller potted flowers and succulents, or invest in a larger hanging plant or feature plant that’ll least years. “There’s no reason you can’t bring a house plant with you when you move out,” she says.
Above all, don’t get frustrated if you can’t make your vision of a minimalist space or rustic country home come to life in your rental accommodation. “By all means put time and energy into making your place feel like your own, but when planning updates, do bear in mind that you may only be living there temporarily,” says Denise.
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