Personalise a rental

Make your rented space feel like home, without losing your deposit

Always ask the landlord or letting agent before you change anything. If you’re a long-term renter, it’s a good idea to keep photos of your homes so you can show off your style and quality of decorating to any new landlords. If you get the all-clear, go for it! Just because it’s a rental doesn’t mean you need to be subtle, and paint effects are easy to cover up if you move.

Choose removable decorating tricks, such as washi tape, which is great for decorating furniture, and use vinyl strips or self-adhesive wallpaper, which can also be removed, to decorate larger areas. Tile stickers can be a game changer in a kitchen or bathroom, or even a floor, and they come in a huge range of styles to suit any taste. Also, wall stickers can add a fun touch to kids’ rooms.

Rugs are a renter’s friend as they can cover up ugly carpets or transform a room by adding colour and pattern to a dull floor. Invest in good quality furniture that you can take away, and it’s a good idea, long-term, to choose neutral, classic pieces that will complement any future space you might move into.

Large mirrors or prints leant against a wall make a statement without you having to use nails. Command strips are great if you want to create a gallery wall without making lots of holes in the wall.

‘ The window was originally dressed with heavy silk curtains but I wanted space for more houseplants and I thought the window rail would be perfect. I can get away with it because I don’t have anyone passing the house, though my one worry was that it would be a lot colder but it’s fine. The pink bench is one of the few things I’ve paid full price for, though it was still a bargain from HomeSense’

‘ This gorgeous pink velvet sofa was an absolute steal at only £140 from eBay. My bidding tip is if you want to win things, you need to be on it constantly so that you get an offer accepted before anyone else’