Thank you so much for all your support about my new book! It has been such an amazing thing that you guys are excited to read it.
Ahhh rental life. It can seem a but of a struggle now and again right? Even though we recently moved full time into our own place, it wasn’t long ago that I was renting. Just a few weeks ago in fact! And so I know, after a bunch of less than average homes, that living in rented spaces can be a struggle when it comes to making them cosy, homely places that reflect you. Luckily there are lots of things you can do in your space that will make them a great place to come home to, but not annoy your landlord. Read on for more!
Freshen Up The Floors
I’m all about bringing freshness into a tired rental space, and one place that you can do that easily is with the floors. If you’re lucky you might have some great tiles or floorboards, in which case rugs will be a perfect addition to create warmth and cosiness. IF, like plenty of the places I’ve lived, the floors in your rental are ick, you can also use rugs to disguise a fugly floor or carpet! The trick is to layer. I like to opt for a large jute rug – as big as possible, wall to wall works well! And then layer on other rugs.
DIY’s To Try: DIY Rope Rug | Guide to Rug Placement
Give The Bathroom Some Life
Let’s be real, the place that most rentals really fail, is the bathroom! I mean, carpet and lighting can be tricky in living spaces, but there are just SO many things that can go wrong in bathrooms – tiles, taps etc. However, one thing I have found is that it’s actually quite easy to give your bathroom a freshen up, with some well placed decor, mirrors and textiles.
DIYs To Try: A Bathroom Makeover | Turn Your Bathroom Into A Spa | DIY Rope Floor Mat | The Best Plants For Your Bathroom
Bring In The Light
You know what’s a telltale sign of a sad rental? Poorly lit spaces that feel tired and dreary. That’s where focusing on bringing light into your space can help. But it can be tricky – short of adding more windows or a skylight, things you won’t be doing in a rental, adding light to a space can be hard. One way I have found to add light into spaces is by removing heavy drapes and replacing them with lighter blinds. Or, use some big mirrors to create more reflected light. Another way is to give the walls a nice fresh coat of white paint – this often does a world of good! Even just cleaning the walls with sugar soap can brighten up a space. Adding in a nice artificial lights that throw more light into the ceiling rather than the floor is another way to make a space feel bright and open.
DIYs to try: Rope Wrapped Cord Light | DIY Basket Lights | DIY Mason Jar Lights
Dress The Walls
Naked walls are one thing that scream rental, and can make the whole space feel blank. But and issue that always arises is that you often can’t put nails in your walls when you live in a rental. But never fear! There are lots of things you can do. My secret? 3M Command hooks for attaching things to the walls easily.
DIY’s To Try: DIY Clay Wall Hanging | DIY Corner Gallery Wall | DIY Leaf Wreaths | DIY Fringed Mirror
Bring in some Texture
I’m all for texture in a space to make it feel cosy and somewhere you actually want to stay. It’s also a really easy way to disguise the less-nice elements of the house – like bad floors or scuffed walls. I like to add cushions, blankets, rugs and baskets for that textural feel that really makes a space feel like home.
DIYs To Try: DIY Leather Wrapped Vases | DIY Cushion Headboard | DIY Round Velvet Cushion |
Add a touch of you
The feeling of being ‘home’ doesn’t just mean a place that looks nice, it’s also about how you bring elements of yourself and your family or friends into the space. Recently I’ve spent a lot more time looking at ways to incorporate the sentimental and memorable into our space, and doing that made even our tiny Hong Kong rental feel like a happier place. Photos are such an easy way to do this.
DIYs To Try: Plank Photo Display | Hanging Tassel Frames | Hanging Photo Display
Top It Off With Plants
There’s no space that a few plants won’t help, so if you’re looking around wondering how to make your space feel happier and more like home, plants are the go! And in case you’re worried that you have a brown thumb, let me tell you that in my experience, no one does. You just need a few hacks to get you through.
DIY’s To Try: DIY Rope Planter | Plant Hacks |Plant Lover DIYs
