Rental friendly redecorations

Whether you’re saving until you can afford a place of your own or you just prefer the nomadic drop-it-and-go lifestyle, it's important to make your rented space into a home without getting on the wrong side of your landlord. Here are a few tips for how to jazz up your rental without ruffling anyone's feathers.

Quick fix tricks

There are lots of easy ways you can instantly put your mark on your new place without actually marking it! A bright throw to cover a sofa creates a more homely feel, while a large rug can draw the eye from a well-worn carpet. A simple way to make a dining space more welcoming is to use a colourful tablecloth or runner, and add a pretty vase with fresh flowers to brighten up the room. While the fixtures of the flat may be unchangeable, you can create atmospheric lighting with lamps and candles and give the illusion of more space through investing in a few mirrors.

If you've got it, flaunt it

Storage can be an issue in some rented flats and it can be frustrating trying to find a way to keep everything out of sight. It's time to stop worrying about your possessions being visible and to find ways to store your stuff that are efficient and artistic. Pieces with drawers and movable partitions can make simple storage solutions look like creative and fun interior design, and there are plenty of ideas on the internet for how to use old furniture in new ways. Hang up your jewellery on ribbons, use stacks of books as tables and keep your clothes out on a rail instead of a wardrobe: not only will this look fashionably minimalist, but you'll be able to find everything straight away!

A personal touch

Personalised decor is an easy way to make a rented flat feel less like a hotel and more like a home. While some landlords will allow you to redecorate completely, and may even reduce the rent if you bring in professionals, many aren't so accommodating. See this as a creative challenge rather than a restriction. Pick out a favourite pattern from a range of bedroom wallpaper and paste it to tall plywood boards that you can lean against the plain walls.

Many landlords prefer pictures to be hung rather than stuck to the wall using tape or blue tack, so use this to your advantage. Have photos of family and friends or even your favourite Instagram shots printed on professional canvases, or create a collage of interesting-shaped frames on your wall. One fun way to channel your taste into your flat is to paint your own furniture: choose a colour scheme for the room and get fancy, adding stencilled images or collage to the body of a chair or table.

There are numerous ways to redecorate a rented property that won't break the bank or risk the wrath of your landlord, so get painting, papering and snapping for a whole new homely look.