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5 Decorating Tips Every Renter Should Read to Make a Space Feel Personalized

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Whether you’re fresh on the scene or an old hand at the rental game, making a house into a home is not so simple when you are faced with the limitations and legalities of a rental property. Without the freedom to rip up carpets, knock down walls, and build storage, you need to get a little bit creative to ensure you are using the space to its full potential. Here are some great tips for making a living space your own without risking your deposit when it’s time to move on!

1. Color

Our number one rule of thumb is to keep the main color palette neutral. When choosing the main pieces for your home, such as a dining table, bed, dresser, or TV unit, stick to a uniform neutral like white, black, and natural timber.

You may not always be blessed with a property with fresh white walls, neutral carpets, and beautiful wood floor boards, so organic, colored furniture ensures longevity as it works with almost any interior color palette.

If your space is relatively small, glass and clear plastic furniture is a good option as it won’t clutter the space visually like heavy timbers and block colors will. The furniture has a “ghost” affect and suits all color schemes due to its lack of hue.

For those of you who crave more colorful character in your home, this is where styling gets fun! Instead of investing in a bright red couch that looks great in your current space but may clash horribly with the carpet in your next residence, add vibrant accents of color with trinkets and homewares. Cushions, rugs, candles, frames, and artwork allow you to add your favorite tones to your living space without committing to a long term mishmash of color. You can update and change these items as often as you wish for a fresh, new look.

2. Wall Decor

More often than not, you will find yourself in a place with few to no wall hooks. This isn’t ideal when it comes to bringing personality into your home through wall art and photo frames. Luckily, there are some great hook products available that feature double sided tape guaranteed not to ruin your walls.

3. Storage

Storage can sometimes be minimal and insufficient in a rented space, but that doesn’t mean you have to resort to stacking plastic storage tubs in the corner for all to see. Instead, explore creative and aesthetically pleasing storage options such as cane wicker chests, vintage suitcases, and woven baskets and drawers — all of which can be found at good discount stores, department stores, and homewares stores.

4. Lighting

Lighting is essential to how you feel in your home. If you are in a space that lacks a lot of natural light, you will need to improvise to create a beautiful and relaxing light.

A combination of lamps, candles, lanterns, and string lights give you complete control over the mood and how much light is shed — not to mention how delicious your place will smell if you opt for scented candles. You can even try filling glass jars with battery operated tea lights; the effect is magical!

If too much light is your problem, you may want to block some out and increase your privacy. This is also easily fixed. All you need is a retractable curtain rod and your choice of curtain fabric. If you’re a little bit hands-on and crafty, you could always custom make your curtains to perfectly suit your space.

5. Multipurpose Furniture

Choose flexible furniture to make the most of the space you have. Most of us love a big, comfy, modular lounge to sink into, but a fixed shape offers more options. Go for a reversible modular lounge that allows you to switch the chaise from side to side depending on your space.

Multipurpose furniture is great too, like a coffee table with built-in storage, or a stool that doubles as a side table. Chairs and tables that can be compacted and stored away are also ideal for rooms with limited space.

Other Tips for Making a Rental Feel Like Home

  1. Use rugs to cover up ugly carpet and cozy up your interior.
  2. Display treasured items like art and photos to personalize your space.
  3. Replace tired, blind, or outdated curtains with ones that suit your style.
  4. Indoor plants work wonders for freshening up a room.
  5. Use lamps to bring warmth and ambience to a space.

We write about products we think our readers will like. If you buy them, we get a small share of the revenue from the supplier.

This article originally appeared on our sister site, Homes to Love.

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