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13 Striking Decorating Hacks for Renters

You don’t have to own your property to give it the personal touch. Often, landlords may object to you redecorating and personalising their property. Other times, they may allow it, but require you to return it to the previous design and style. This may cost you hundreds to spend or lose from your tenancy deposit. […]

You don’t have to own your property to give it the personal touch. Often, landlords may object to you redecorating and personalising their property. Other times, they may allow it, but require you to return it to the previous design and style. This may cost you hundreds to spend or lose from your tenancy deposit.

Not necessarily !

The following decorating hacks will give you some great ideas and inspiration for temporarily customising your rental property and making it feel like home.

Have your way with walls

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Wallpaper source

Temporary wallpaper is great for instantly making a bold statement in a room. Far from being a permanent fixture, you can simply peel it off when it is time to move out.

A new twist on picture hanging

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Picture line source

Many landlords don’t like pictures to be hung on walls in case they leave a mark. This ‘washing line’ effect is a great solution, as both ends of the line can simply be tied on to fittings around the room. It also allows you to mix and match pictures and postcards to suit the mood and the season.

Not so white goods

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Washing machine source

Domestic appliances are never the most attractive things to look at, even more so in rental properties when they are usually older models which have been through several tenants. Customising your white goods with tape is a great way to bring them back to life and create an instant design feature.

Freshen up your furniture

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Cabinet source

If you can’t make a statement with the fittings in your property, create interest with the furnishings instead.  Give less than perfect furniture a new lease of life by covering it with temporary wallpaper.

Hide behind the curtains

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Curtain source

Hide away clutter behind simple curtains. You don’t have to be a whiz with a sewing machine to create a basic curtain or screen, iron on tape is a quick and easy way of hemming material, then simply thread it onto a tension rod for an instant curtain.

Bring the outside in

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House plants source

Create interest and disguise a less than perfect wall with a selection of funky plants. Mix and match pots of different shapes, sizes and colours for an eclectic look, and then when you move on, simply take them with you.

It’s all in the detail

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Drawer handles source

Customise your rental furniture by sprucing up old cabinet handles. Simply unscrew the existing handles and replace with bright and quirky ones. Then, when it’s time to move on, swap them back over.

Throw on some colour

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Cushions and throw source

Give a shabby old sofa a new lease of life with some bright throws and cushions. This is a great way to introduce an overall colour scheme into the room and it can have maximum impact from minimal effort and expense.

Go all out on the tiles

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Flooring source

Floors in rental properties are often difficult to disguise, however with a bit of tape and imagination, it is possible to temporarily transform a shabby old lino into a retro delight.

A fresh outlook

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Window source

If the view out of your window is less than desirable or if you are overlooked from the street or neighbours, window stickers can be a very effective way of creating more privacy and adding a decorative edge.

Make a splash in the bathroom

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Bathroom wall source

Give a plain bathroom a bit of tlc by adding some detail to the walls. Specialist wall stickers can effectively bring interest to a plain wall, and for a cheaper solution, washi tape is great for creating simple geometric designs.

Stepping things up

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Stair stickers source

Shabby staircases can instantly be given a new lease of life with temporary stickers that attach to the stair risers. There are many different designs available so it is easy to switch up the style if you fancy a change.

Your name in lights

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Marquee letter source

Lighting is a great way of temporarily transforming a room, especially as it can be adapted to suit the space in terms of style of the lamps you choose to the type of bulb that you use. Stand-alone marquee letters have recently become popular, multitasking as both a light and an ornament.

Did you like this article ? Looking for more ideas ? Find more decorating hacks for your rental property at our friends – Jackson Woodturners.

Disclaimer

This article is provided as a guide. Any information should be used for research purposes and not as the base for taking legal action. The Tenants' Voice does not provide legal advice and our content does not constitute a client-solicitor relationship.

We advise all tenants to act respectfully with their landlords and letting agents and seek a peaceful resolution to problems with their rented property. For more information, explore the articles in our Managing your home category.

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