How to style your rental property without risking your deposit

When you move into a rented property, you are usually very limited in what you can do to make it your own. Many landlords want you to keep the place exactly how it was when you first moved in, others like mine are more open to you putting a creative spin on the place. I’ve been incredibly lucky with my place that I moved into as a rental stop gap nearly 13 years ago. The stipulations were that as long as no interior walls were knocked down and there is a bathroom and kitchen present when I move out, it’s fair game to what I can do. Others aren’t so lucky and will have their deposit snatched away if there’s so much as a speck of dust in the wrong place at the end of the tenancy. These top tips will help upgrade your interior and make the place more like you without risking your deposit or upsetting your landlord.

Soft Furnishings

One of the easiest ways to upgrade a room with ease is to update the soft furnishings. From a trendy rug, to some fabulous curtains and complementary cushions and throws, you can update several rooms on a budget by just changing these around. Stores such as B&M, Home Bargains and Dunelm are perfect for shopping on a budget for the whole home. Inject pops of colour, push for a hygge Scandi vibe or stay minimalist and neutral with ease

Update the Lighting

Such a small change can make a huge difference. From swapping over the ceiling light shades, to placing table lamps and standard lamps in darker areas can make a room instantly look more attractive and cosier. With most rentals being painted in a harsh whites and bland magnolia shades, well place lamps can distort that colour scheme and create a beautiful, relaxing atmosphere.

Plants, Plants, Plants

Plants make a huge difference to your living space and over the last year or so, their popularity amongst the younger generation has increased tenfold. An ivy for the bathroom, or a Momstera for the lounge makes a nice focal point as well as being fairly simple to look after. Posies of flowers make a beautiful centrepiece for any table and brighten up the home.

Gallery walls and prints

A gallery wall is one of the best ways to inject your personality into your new home and whilst some landlords may not want you to put holes in their perfect magnolia walls, you can use command strips to hang as many prints as you want. These are fantastic for temporary wall art as they simply peel off and leave the wall free from any marks. You can find brilliant options for gallery walls using sites such as Desenio or Etsy for more unique prints.

A signature scent

Incorporating a scent into your home can create a relaxing environment and cosy atmosphere for you to relax in. Use diffusers in areas such as hallways and bathrooms, candles in the lounge and bedroom and tie it all together with matching handwashes and hand lotions throughout the house.

With these tips, you can change a blank canvas to something that reflects your personality and style, without your landlord having to worry and speak to his landlord insurance providers.