Make a home your own
Desperate to bring decor va-va-voom to your rental without upsetting the landlord? GABRIELLE FAGAN asks an expert for her top tips for tenants
FACED with grubby paintwork, stained floorboards and peeling wallpaper, it can be hard to know how to lift the interior of a rented flat. When homes guru Medina Grillo found herself in this situation she was determined to find ingenious ways of transforming her pad into a stylish space – without falling foul of her landlord.
The result is her award-winning interiors blog, Grillo-designs.com, where her affordable ideas and simple, clever DIY projects have inspired so many, and new book, Home Sweet Rented Home: Transform Your Home Without Losing Your Deposit.
“I’m an average renter trying to make a house a home,” says Medina, a 31-year-old nurse and mother-of-one.
“It’s difficult to stamp your personality on a place when your landlord’s uncomfortable with you drilling a hole to put up a picture. But there are ways.”
Her rental rescue tips cover everything from poor lighting, cramped spaces, and ugly appliances, to all the ways you can change and personalise a space. “My ideas are great for renters – but they also work for homeowners on a budget, and interior lovers who like to change their decor a lot,” she says.
Medina’s own home showcases her talent.
She’s experimented with removable wallpaper, carpet off-cuts to beautify a dreary staircase, storage created from old crates, and nifty ways to hang pictures and art, without damaging walls.
For the practicallyminded, the book includes easy DIY projects – a ‘leanagainst-a-wall’ shelf unit, and stylists’ tricks, including dressing a bed so it’s a statement in a bedroom.
To avoid problems, communication is key, she stresses. She always asks a landlord in writing via text or email before she does anything in a property, and also offers to make good when she leaves..
Check out what you can do to turn a rented home into a dream pad.
THE MAGIC OF REMOVABLE WALLPAPER
“REMOVABLE wallpaper can transform walls. There are so many creative ways it can be used,” declares Medina who, in her own home, has wallpapered the lower half of a hall wall.
She suggests in a bedroom it could act as a faux headboard, or jazz up alcoves or an un-tiled wall above work surfaces in a kitchen.
In her dining room, she has a painted chalkboard wall which she’s created using chalkboard sticky paper, which can be removed.
Tenant tip: Check with your landlord before embarking on wallpapering. Existing paper will need to be removed first. Removable paper can’t be applied to all walls (for example, textured or bumpy walls).
STEP UP YOUR STAIR STYLE
“STAIRS are often the first thing someone sees, and we all know first impressions count for everything,” she says. “It’s possible to make each step pop, by adding statement features”
Medina’s staircase is one of the most popular features on her Instagram. She’s carpeted each stair tread and painted the risers black, stencilling numbers on each one.
Tenant tip: Ask your landlord’s permission if you want to replace a carpet. (If the carpet was worn and damaged when you moved in, you
could ask for a contribution to costs.)
You can buy online pre-cut carpet treads and staple them in place. Alternatively, a patterned runner could be fixed to stairs using Velcro or a staple gun.
BRING A FLAVOUR OF YOUR PERSONALITY TO THE WALLS
“ONE of the easiest ways to make a house or apartment feel truly your own, is to hang things on the wall,” says Medina
Think outside the box, she urges, and don’t confine yourself to photos or art, consider framing decorative tea towels, vintage newspaper clippings, fabric scraps or wallpaper samples.
Ditching a traditional 2D flat look and using multi-dimensional objects such as straw hats and baskets will add to the interest, says Medina, who’s done that to great effect.
Tenant tip: Avoid using nails which damage walls. Attach clipboards with adhesive strips or hooks so you can change or rotate art or photos.
Use adhesive strips which are suitable for the wall surface (most require a smooth, clean wall) and the weight of what you want to hang.
MAKE YOUR OWN STORAGE
“WOODEN crates are a fantastic (and fairly cheap) way to create storage,” points out Medina. “Add wheels and you can move them wherever you fancy. Try adding removable wallpaper to the back of each one, or paint them a bright colour.”
Tenant tip: If you’d prefer not to use a screwdriver and screws to secure crates, they can be stacked and fixed using heavy duty adhesive.
If surfaces and shelves are in short supply, she suggests creating a leaning shelf unit (which only needs one screw to anchor it to the wall for safety reasons). A ‘lean-against-the-wall’ unit can be simply made out of structural plywood, but its best to get it cut at the DIY store when you buy it. The shelves are attached to the backboard by screws, so won’t be strong enough for heavy books, but could be sturdy enough to hold a mixture of lighter items
HIDE UGLY APPLIANCES
A CURTAIN could be the answer to cover up dishwashers or washing machines – which in a rental property, may be past their best looks-wise, says Medina.
“Creating a cabinet skirt to sit under your counter is the perfect way to hide unsightly appliances,” she says.
Tenant tip: Use old bed sheets or curtains with hems already in place. Just cut to size and create a channel at the top for a tension rod (ideal for hanging lightweight curtains) or use curtain hooks with clips.
DRESS THE BED
TURN a dull bedroom into a stylish sanctuary by dressing the bed like an interior designer would, and really paying attention to your choice of bed linen, throws and cushions.
“The addition of some pattern and colour can elevate the bed to a focal point,” Medina promises.
“For a minimal, classic look, stick to pale neutrals and crisp white, but mix rich textures and abstract prints in accessories, so the bed doesn’t end up looking too plain.”
For a bright and bold look, colourful throws or decorative cushions contrasted with plain white sheets works well, she says.
Tenant tip: A decorative valance sheet may be considered old-fashioned but it can be great for concealing an ugly bed frame.
THROW A RUG DOWN
“A PATTERNED rug is a brilliant way to add colour and drama to a bare room,” says Medina. “If the floor carpet has to stay, layer rugs over it, which will also ramp up the feeling of comfort and warmth.”
■ Home Sweet Rented Home: Transform Your Home Without Losing Your Deposit by Medina Grillo, Mitchell Beazley, £15