Rented Homes
With property prices being the way they are, it is common for many of us to live in rented homes well into adulthood, if not forever. However, just because you don't own your home doesn't mean that you can't make adjustments to make it work for you.
An excellent book on this subject which I recently downloaded is Medina Grillo's “Home Sweet Rented Home” which I would thoroughly recommend for anyone feeling frustrated with their rented home and looking for some ideas.
“‘Lots of magnolia!’ I remember saying to the agent with a little frown … ‘Are we allowed to paint the walls?’ … ‘yes,’ he replied, looking me straight in the eyes. ‘Magnolia’”
Depending on how flexible your landlord is and how long your tenancy contract is, you may be able to negotiate making some more permanent changes (if you have a good relationship with your landlord, its always worth asking, they may be open to your ideas, as a positive makeover of the property could benefit the them too) however for this post I will focus on some low impact alterations which can be reversed again at the end of your tenancy.
Declutter & Organise
Before making any design or aesthetic choices about your home I would always recommend doing a sort through of your belongings to see if there is a better way to organise things or if some items can be thrown away (or donated or recycled).
Having too much stuff, or their belongings being disorganised, is one of the main reasons many people feel unhappy in their home. If we can just create a bit of space, some visual calm, and an efficient system of organisation so that we can find everything, this can solve many problems without spending any money or making alterations.
This can be a daunting process and it can be difficult to know where to start. Professional organisers, such as myself, can help with this by guiding you through the process in small manageable steps, as well as keeping motivation up by celebrating your achievements with you. But if you’re not in the position to hire a professional, why not ask a friend to sit with you and keep you focussed.
Once you have space to really consider how you would like your home to feel, give everything a good clean and let’s begin!
Hanging Artwork
A great way to instantly personalise a space is by hanging artwork. The size and weight of your artwork will determine the type of fixing you will need, but unless you choose a very heavy item most pieces can be hung with lightweight hooks such as the ones below:
Adhesive hooks
These can vary in quality, but I have found that the 3M Command hooks and velcro picture strips are very effective. (I have some fairy lights attached to the ceiling using their 'decorating clips' which have been up for the best part of a year so far and still holding strong!) They also sell packs of refill strips which are useful if you don’t want to use the hooks themselves.
They have a few different types of hook for different applications and weights so always make sure to find the best option for your needs.
Always give the surface a good wipe clean and allow to dry before applying the hooks, and follow the instructions on the packet, this often involves waiting a period of time before putting weight on the hook.
Removing these hooks is easy and shouldn't leave a mark if done correctly. If the hook has been up for a while it can be helpful to warm it using a hairdryer before removing.
Adhesive hooks cannot be used on bumpy walls, and are not recommended for use on wallpaper, so if this is the case you will need to use something different.
Low impact three pin hooks
I much prefer using these kind of hooks to the traditional metal hooks with a single nail. They are much easier to put up in my opinion as you don't need to position the nail with your fingers, risking an encounter with your hammer. Again they come in different sizes for varying weights, so choose the correct size for your artwork. (Please also note how much the hook protrudes, as I recently bought a pack with a very shallow hanging space and they wouldn’t take most pictures I tried with them.)
Because the weight is spread between three pins, each one is very thin and so the holes left behind are minimal and can simply be painted over if needed.
Clips
Instead of framing and hanging your photographs and postcards, try using wooden clothes pegs or other clips. This creates a casual and very flexible way to display artwork, and can also be used for small trinkets. (To attach the clips use adhesive strips as mentioned above, or hang from strings/wires)
Leaning
A beautiful way to display artwork without using any fixings at all is by leaning. Large artwork can be placed on the floor to lean on the wall, and smaller pieces can be arranged on a shelf. By layering different sized artworks you can create interesting arrangements, and because they are not fixed you can easily swap pieces around to keep things fresh.
Customising Furniture
If you are living in a furnished flat there are some great ways which you can customise the existing furniture to make it your own without damaging it or spending lots of money.
Handles and knobs
By carefully unscrewing and replacing the handles to kitchen cabinets, wardrobes, and chest of drawers, you can give these areas a totally new look.
There are a huge variety of handles and knobs available, at many different price points, so search away! You can afford to be quite bold with these small items.
Make sure to store the original handles somewhere safe to replace at the end of your tenancy.
Removable wallpaper
Although designed for walls, removable wallpaper can also be used to personalise furniture. Adding a patterned paper to the inside of cabinets or bookshelves is a really easy way to add some personality to a space.
Headboard
Many beds have a removable headboard and this allows for a really simple alteration to a bedroom, by replacing the headboard you can add a pop of colour and texture, your own style, and even storage.
Covers
Using throws and cushions can disguise an ugly sofa (and also allow for easier cleaning) and there are also companies which make special covers in various sizes which slip straight over your existing sofa.
The idea of a tablecloth can often conjure ideas of grandparents homes, but there are actually some really lovely ones available these days if your dining table needs some personality.
Large rugs can be used to cover carpets or other floor coverings which don't appeal to you, and can also help a space to feel cosy. Make sure to purchase some anti slip underlay if your rug is not backed to keep it from bunching up.
Lighting
Changing the lighting of a space can totally transform how it feels, and with the rise in availability of “smart” lighting controlled by apps, we have more options than ever when it comes to lighting our homes.
Floor/Table Lamps
By using lamps rather than ceiling lights, we can have much more flexibility. Ceiling lighting is generally designed to produce a bright, even amount of light throughout the whole room, which is fine for everyday use, but if we want to create a relaxed atmosphere, concentrate on a specific task, or add some dramatic areas of dark and light, moveable lamps are key.
You may like to buy a lamp which is a beautiful object in its self, as a feature piece of furniture, but what I tend to focus on is the type and direction of light. Using the same table lamp with a flexible neck, we can shine it directly on our desk to light a task area while writing, or we can point it at the wall or ceiling to produce a soft glow as the light reflects to us. I could talk about direct vs indirect light all day, but I will be publishing a post purely on lighting in the near future so watch this space!
“Smart” Lighting
Several manufacturers now make lighting which can be controlled from your smart phone, the most prevalent of which is Philips Hue.
By combining different coloured LEDs inside their fittings you are able to control the exact colour of lighting you want, as well as the brightness.
Many people will recoil at the thought of coloured lighting, imagining something tacky and over the top, but the best feature of these systems in my opinion is the ability to change the “colour temperature” of lighting.
I will go into colour temperature more in my lighting post, but as a quick summary “cool” light has a blue tint to it and is closest to natural daylight, while “warm” light has a yellow tint to it and is closest to firelight.
Many of us are aware of the effects of blue light on our circadian rhythm (our body’s natural wake/rest cycle) and so it is recognised that using dimmer, warmer lights in the evening can help us to wind down to sleep much more effectively than bright cool lights.
For this reason alone I think smart lighting can be great, and this doesn’t even touch on the fun you can have with other colours if you should wish!
There are plenty of other ways to improve your rental home, including maximising storage and adding plant life, so please get in touch if you are interested in a consultation!
For more inspiration check out my Pinterest board dedicated to rented homes.
Sources:
Home Sweet Rented Home – Medina Grillo (Amazon link)