7 clever ways to decorate your rental (and make it feel like home)

At flatfair, we make sure that hefty deposits don’t hold you back from renting the home of your dreams. As part of our philosophy, we believe you should be able to decorate your new place in each and every way that makes it feel like, well, home. True, you may not be able to knock down walls or replace the bathroom, but little touches can make a huge difference. Here we share our top seven tips for putting your own stamp on the place, from décor and lighting to furnishings – without breaking your contract or upsetting your landlord in the process.

1. Get creative with curtains

Take down the tired drapes that have been hanging in your new home since, well, who knows when, and get playful with textures and tints. Curtains don’t have to be expensive to brighten up a bedroom or a living room – you could go light and breezy with these softly-coloured voile panels from John Lewis, striking yet simple with this leaf design from Dunelm or even art deco with these V&A inspired drapes from Debenhams.

2. Potter with plants

Not only do plants bring a welcome breath of fresh air to any room (quite literally), but they also add a splash of colour and texture wherever you pop them. You can pick up plants of all sizes at your local garden centre, or you can head to trusty Ikea. If you really want to go low maintenance, you could even plump for artificial shrubs from the likes of Patch.

3. Hang some wall art

You don’t have to go hammering nails into walls if you want to hang a piece of art or two. Check out these completely removable picture hanging strips – they come in all kinds of sizes so you can mount large or small frames on walls, without causing any damage at all. If you’re looking to pick up some arty but affordable prints, why not head over to Desenio and take a look at some of the gorgeous paintings, prints and canvases that could brighten up your walls?

4. Throw your ideas around

Even the most tired of sofas can be given a new lease of life with a colourful throw and some funky new cushion covers – so can your bed! Trusty IKEA has a wealth of bright and brilliant options that won’t break the bank, while Habitat and Heal’s offer a range of beautiful pieces that may cost a little more (but are worth every penny).

5. Lighten up

You don’t have to go crazy in the lighting department to brighten up your new place. First up, be sure to stock up on light bulbs so you can replace any that are starting to get tired. Next, take a look at room lighting options that can help you create more of an atmosphere in the evenings, especially in your bedroom and living room, and give spaces more character. We love this tripod floor lamp from Made, as well as this sleek and stylish teal table lamp from Wayfair.

6. Get cosy with rugs

If you’re not too keen on the carpets (or you get cold feet on laminate floors), get cosy and creative by investing in a rug or two. You’ll be surprised how much more homely a rug can make a room feel, whether you go for 70s sheepskin, multicoloured or something bold but simple.

7. Go for storage that’s ‘outside the box’

You can pick up some really quirky, characterful storage options, like this old wooden tea chest from the likes of Magies Vintage, or even from local charity or furniture shops. They’re a great option for storing all those bits and bobs you don’t want cluttering up the place, and they can also serve as a coffee table, or a surface you can use to show off framed photos or trinkets.

At flatfair, we want renting to be an enjoyable, affordable experience for everyone. As you can see, there are all kinds of weird and wonderful ways to make your rented home feel, well, like home, and they don’t have to cost the earth either. However you choose to furnish your new place, we wish you a happy stay.

Check out flatfair for more information on our wonderful world of deposit-free scheme.