In today’s economic climate, many choose to rent property before buying their first home. Renting offers an array of flexibility as tenancies start from as little as 6 months, making it easier to move if careers and relationships change. Despite the benefits of renting, there’s an element of hesitancy as you wonder whether it can truly feel like home.

Having spent many years living in rented accommodations, there’s quite a few tips I’ve discovered along the way to make a house or flat feel more homely. Homes are made when a personal touch is added, and this can be done with accessories, small furnishings and textiles.

Refurbishing the carpets, walls and furniture is usually out of the question but there’s plenty of small improvements to be made to your living space without breaking your tenancy agreement. Check with your landlord before making any structural changes to the property. The general rule is if it can be restored to the original design, there shouldn’t be an issue.

Small Furnishings and Textiles

If you’re in the initial stages of searching for a rental, keep an eye out for places that have a basic decorative style. This includes simple, neutral palettes with little colour and pattern. These ‘blank canvas’ style properties are enhanced with you’re own personal touch without causing a decorative clash.

If the property you currently reside in is busy with bold shades and eccentric designs, you should avoid adding anything that’s too eclectic. Consider packing unfavourable small furnishings into storage to reduce the visual chaos. Our perception of space can be altered by making simple adjustments to a room’s layout. Try moving furniture around to see if it works better for the ergonomic design of the room and take away anything that doesn’t offer practical benefits. For example, removing a few cushions from the sofa if they’re stacked in abundance. The simpler the better!

An elegant kitchen cabinet door embellishment can do wonders for updating a tired looking kitchen while keeping in line with the simplicity approach. T bar kitchen cabinet door handles offer a contemporary edge in polished chrome finish and can be featured in any interior style.

Furnished homes are a brilliant, budget friendly option. When selecting additional small furnishings, choose a colour scheme which complements the existing interior and adorn with throws, cushions and a rug to give the room some more comfort. In the lounge area, add a sofa footstool, ottoman or pouffe to exaggerate the comfort of the space.

Accessories

Accessorising a property with photo frames of loved ones automatically makes a space feel more homely. Seeing loved ones framed on the window sill will encourage feelings of joy and familiarity. The same thing goes for wall art. If the rental comes furnished with wall art, you can take it down and replace it with something that’s more your style. Wall art can help tie in colour schemes throughout the property for a cohesive fit.

Having your own possessions on display can help make a space feel more personal. Opt for the simple storage solution of over door hooks to hold towels and robes on the bathroom door. This style of coat hook enables temporary placement, avoiding the need to drill and stick to surfaces. Super versatile in design, these coats hooks can also be placed on the back of a bedroom door and inside wardrobe doors to hold coats, handbags and scarfs that tend to clutter smaller rented spaces.

We hope to inspire your interior projects by offering a variety of high-quality products that excel in both aesthetic and performance. For more home inspiration, check out our previous blog Interior Tips for Small-space Living.