When living in a rented flat or apartment you don’t have to be limited by design options just because your new rental is desperately lacking some inspiration. Home Dzine stated, “There are plenty of other ways to add personality, inject colour, and layer living spaces with interest and texture.” The only possible negatives when renting a flat or apartment is that you can’t drill into walls or paint walls your favourite colours without the permission of your landlord or managing agency. Let these apartment/flat decorating ideas inspire you to fill your rental with style and personality.
- Give the walls a fresh coat of paint or if money is tight paint one wall in your bedroom for an accent wall, this is a relatively affordable way to liven up space but be sure to ask your landlord as they may not be open to it.
- Update all the fixtures such as old and outdated curtain rails/switchboards and light fixtures. Replace cold LED lights with power-saving warm bulbs. If you do decide to make these changes be sure to keep the old fixtures so that when you leave you can take your new fixtures with you leaving the old ones behind.
- Buy a few plant pots and plant some colourful flowers and shrubs or herbs to brighten your balcony or garden. These can move with you if you move home.
- Paint the bathroom tiles (with permission of course), yes you heard right. You can paint tiles for a fresh look by using tile paint that can be found at any hardware shop. The paint will give the bathroom a fresh look by hiding any spots of mildew or mould.
- If you’re an artist or know of one, why not borrow or buy some art to spruce up your living space, when you move the art can go with you, you might just have to spackle the holes that you leave in the wall.
- If you have a balcony or patio area, why not use temporary decking or even some artificial grass to give the space more of a green feel.
- Swap out your cabinet knobs, often rentals come with boring outdated knobs, why not replace them with fun quirky knobs for a touch of change, again keep the old bits and bobs to replace when you leave.
- Use blinds instead of curtains. Spaces can transform when the right blind is used instead of thick heavy curtains taking up a lot of much-needed space!
- Indoor plants can be a great way to transform a space and most of them offer benefits such as mother-in-law’s tongue (Dracaena trifasciata). This plant actually cleans and purifies the air.
- Add an area rug to your living space, something that is large enough to make a statement but not big enough to overpower the space. It will keep your feet warmer in winter and make your space more liveable. The Every Girl said, “Rugs are the perfect way to add a little colour in your space. Even the brightest rug won’t be overbearing because they are not at your eye line.”
Moving into a flat or apartment may call for you to put on your thinking cap to turn it into a home. Luckily in this day and age, we have access to a wide range of options to turn your space into a home. Please consult your landlord or managing agency should you want to replace or paint anything on the property as you will ultimately need their go ahead as it is their investment.