7 Budget-Friendly Tips For Decorating a Rented House

With decorating a rented house, it’s important that you can put your own spin on the place to create a personal and cosy home. Whether you plan on staying in your home for a short or long period, let’s explore how to make a rental feel like home with the help of a few interior design hints and tips.

Decorating a Rental House on a Budget

Before attempting to decorate your rental house on a budget, always check within your contract which features you are allowed to change or alter. For instance, some contracts are more lenient to let you be free with your decorating, such as painting or wallpapering the walls any style you wish. Now, let’s discuss seven temporary changes you can do to make all the difference.

1. Lighting

It’s not uncommon for rented houses to come with…interesting lampshades. When decorating a rented house, one of the most affordable changes you can make is to replace the current lampshades for a style and colour that feels more like you. This is your chance to go for something a bit more exciting than the norm!

If you find some rooms are a bit too dark for your liking, or have no natural light at all, you may want to brighten the room by replacing the current lightbulbs.. If you want to create a cosy space, warm lighting is a great choice.

Be sure to keep any original lampshades stored somewhere safe where they won’t get damaged; some contracts require you to return your home to the state it was in when you moved in. 

2. DIY

A fun and easy DIY to do at home is to upcycle your existing furniture. For instance, you may have a plain chest of drawers that can be given a new lease of life with the help of some paint. You can also change the drawer knobs to a style that you prefer to instantly create a staple piece of furniture. That’s key when decorating a rental house on a budget; you want to be proud of the outcome.

3. Rugs, rugs and more rugs

Decorating a rented house with rugs is one of our favourite ways to make your house a home. No matter the current flooring state of your rental, a rug is a brilliant way to add your own personal styling to your space.

Rugs are the perfect way to make your house feel homely, and the benefit is that you can change each room’s style whenever you wish by swapping the rugs between different rooms. For choosing the right rug shape for different rooms in your home, check out our guide.

Top tip: If the flooring in your rented house looks a little worse for wear, you can layer multiple rugs to bring style and warmth to any space.

4. Clear the clutter

Decorating your house can be tough when there’s too much clutter around your home. A clutter-free home will make decorating a rented house or flat much easier and smoother.

If you’re unsure about where to begin, start by considering how often you use something. If you haven’t used an item in a long time, or if it doesn’t bring you joy, you could consider donating it to charity or to a home that would appreciate it. A clutter-free home is especially important when decorating a rented flat, where space may be more of a luxury.

5. House plants

Indoor plants can help with oxygen flow and, more often than not, they’re very easy to care for. The more house plants, the better! There’s never a situation when too many house plants is a bad decision. Decorating a rented flat with indoor plants is even better if you don’t have access to a garden to create your own indoor jungle. This is especially important if you don’t have access to a garden during a national lockdown!

6. Feature wall

A feature wall doesn’t have to involve paint and wallpaper. You could hang photos of your family or pictures that will instantly bring joy to your home. If you are feeling more creative, why not try out some DIY artwork for your feature wall?

If you aren’t allowed to drill into your rented house walls, command strips are a great temporary solution. If multiple command strips throughout your home are out of the budget, you could lean pictures against the walls, skirting boards or on top of your furniture.

7. Focus on the accessories

One of the simplest options for decorating a rental house on a budget is to focus on the accessories. Funky throws and large comfortable cushions around your home have multiple benefits, from creating a comfortable and warm atmosphere to keeping you warm on the cooler evenings.

How to Make a Rental Feel Like Home With Rugs

Whether you’re decorating a rented flat, house or a studio apartment, you can never go wrong with rugs. There may even be some spaces in your home that you’d never considered having a rug, such as in a home office or loft conversion. That’s the brilliance of transferable items as you can easily take them from one space to the next.

1. Living room rugs

The living room is a space where you should relax and enjoy some tranquil, quality time. If your living room is carpeted, you might be wondering why do I need a rug? If you can’t decorate or paint the walls in your home, you can still create beautiful floor art with the likes of Persian rugs, which also helps to add character.

2. Hallway runners

Depending on the size of your space, hallway runners can make all the difference. There are so many different hallway runner patterns and colours to choose from. You also have an array of choice when it comes to  size, material and design. They’re a brilliant way to add a touch of your personality and preference throughout your home.

3. Bathroom rugs

Styling a bathroom rug may sound like a unique concept. However, bathroom rugs offer comfort under your feet and help to create a cosy space. They are also very practical to prevent any potential slips or falls.

4. Nursery rugs

If you are a parent, we’re sure your child’s bedroom will be a top priority when decorating a rental house. Decorating a nursery on a budget with a sheepskin, shaggy or washable rug is always a great choice to give your child comfort and to prevent them from any injury against hard flooring.

5. Kitchen rugs

The kitchen is the heart of any home, so why wouldn’t you want to add a touch of colour with a kitchen rug? For a kitchen, rugs that can withstand a lot of footfall will be the most beneficial, like an anti-slip or flatweave rug.

6. Bedroom rugs

Last but not least is bedroom rugs. The key to making a rental house feel truly yours is to add your touch to it. Create a stress-free atmosphere with the likes of candles, throws, cushions, and a big fluffy rug.

We hope you now understand how to make a rental feel like a home. With a few personal touches here and there, you’ll be decorating a rental house on a budget in no time. For further interior advice, you might be interested in how to create a cosy living room in 10 minutes. Or why not take a look at our stunning collection of high-quality and hand-selected rugs?