5 Quirky Decor Ideas to Make Your Rented Home Your Own

Renters are expected to outnumber homeowners within the next 20 years as the housing market continues to plunge into crisis and more people, especially young individuals, are forced to rent for longer periods. This is the result of increasing housing prices which have made it difficult for people to get onto the property ladder. In fact, Resolution Foundation found that up to one third of young adults in the UK will never buy a house.

For many, renting is the only viable option financially, although this ultimately works out costlier than being a homeowner in the long-run and means you’ll never have a place of your own. What’s more, it’s harder to make a rented property feel like your home considering landlords often don’t allow tenants to make many, if any, decorative changes. It’s likely the property owner has decorated in neutral colors such as magnolia and cream which can be very dull, and in most cases, you’ve probably just got to stick with it. Renters are often unable to repaint or use drawing pins, nails, hooks, or anything that may damage the walls either — even blue tack.

Despite this, there are many ways of making your home feel cozy and personal without going against your landlord’s policies. Here are some quirky ideas to spark some inspiration.

Photo credit: Pexels

Hanging items on your walls is one way of adding a personal touch to your rented home, and the good news is that you don’t need to drill nails into the walls to hang up a frame. For instance, adhesive strips and hooks that are specially designed to hold the weight of a frame are ideal as these can be removed without leaving any marks. But if you’d rather avoid hanging things, you can lean them up against walls and furniture, such as a bookcase or shelf.

While most people opt for their favorite piece of art (there’s nothing wrong with that), choosing something that’s more sentimental can give your home the extra flourish it needs. This could be a family heirloom, a memento from your graduation or even a sports shirt, especially those that have been signed or previously worn by a star player. The latter can be particularly special since your favorite team’s colors and badge can help you feel more connected to your club or national side. “It would be a crime to fold it away in your wardrobe where it will go unseen and unappreciated. These items are statement pieces, clearly deserve to be framed with care and displayed proudly on your wall”, expert framers at Soho Frames note.

Houseplants are a fantastic way of adding joy and life to your home without breaking the bank. Indoor plants are very popular right now, especially among millennials, who find caring for plants meditative and can connect with nature inside their own homes.

As renting becomes a long-term approach, some have even joked that plants are the new pets for millennials — many go so far as to name their green friends! Decorating your home with plants will incorporate color, atmosphere and freshness to your once-drab looking home. Not only do they look good but they also clean the air and remove toxins, so you can never have too many.

The best starter plants include succulents and cacti, snake plants, peace lilies, jade plants and peperomia. You can place these almost everywhere in your home — even the bathroom — but remember that all varieties have different requirements. You will have to consider the lighting available, as well as the temperature and humidity, so be sure to do your research before heading to your local garden centre. Then, hang planters from the ceiling (you can do this with command hooks), place pots on shelves and window sills, and stand large varieties like Monstera and palms to conceal boring areas of rooms. For more character, use different colored plant pots. Surrounding yourself with plants will deffinitely make you feel happy at home.

It may be the case that your landlord has picked plain colors and furnishings, including the carpeting and flooring. And you might not be allowed to pull up the carpet and replace it unless your landlord agrees. Fortunately, you can spruce up your home with colorful rugs instead, adding some variety in the process. Investing in a large rug is a great idea as it can instantly cover up any flooring you don’t like, keep your feet warm and provide extra protection for your rented property should you accidentally spill anything. Rugs can also easily be moved so you can switch up your interiors whenever you get bored.

There are many rug styles to choose from, including shaggy ones, patterned rugs and traditional antique design, all of which can add a cozy feel to your home and brighten it up. You may be put off by the cost of these furnishings but it’s possible to get beautiful rugs at more affordable prices on second-hand platforms like GumTree or eBay. Antique and charity shops can also be a rug goldmine.

The right lighting can completely change the look and feel of your home, helping it appear more warm and inviting. However, your landlord’s choices again might be quite basic. As such, you should replace lighting fixtures for something a little more your taste that matches the interior design style you are going for, which is usually fine to do provided you keep hold of the original ones.

But if you’re not allowed to change the actual fixtures and wiring, there are other ways to light up your home exactly how you want. For example, table or floor lamps help to add another layer to your house and allow you to experiment with different shapes and colors. A grand floor lamp is ideal for your living room, enabling you to create a cozy atmosphere without the main light switched on. LED strip lights can also be a fantastic touch, brightening up different areas of your home, and best of all, these cause no damage so you needn’t worry about upsetting the property owner. Placing these behind your TV set up offers a warming glow for your movie nights.

Curtains tend to be overlooked in a rented property. When you move in it’s likely these furnishings will be boring and plain, but it’s so simple to swap curtains for something better suited to your taste. Although this depends on the fixtures already installed. It might just be a case of purchasing a new pair for the curtain pole. This is the fun part as there’s no need to make any amendments to the lighting attachments and you can pick any style curtain you wish in any color or texture.

If you want to change the fixtures, you can do this without damaging the walls. Command hooks are good for lightweight curtains, while other options include tension rods, twist and fit rods and brackets. Meanwhile, if your property is fitted with unappealing plastic blinds that you can’t remove, this is the perfect opportunity to install curtains. Your home will be warmer and more inviting, and you can take them with you when you move again.

Published in: Ideas | Author: Kat