Living in a rented house or apartment means that you cannot really remodel it and treat it as your own. However, you do not have to feel like a complete stranger in a place which you call home, so try to personalize the rental and feel like you are welcome there.
Decorate Old Appliances
Sticky and rusty appliances such as fridge, stove and washing machine are never easy on the eye. To make them more attractive and feel like your own, you will certainly have to clean them properly and decorate them a bit. You can use some removable wallpaper here to cover spots of rust or even peeled paint. Put your favourite magnets on the door of the fridge, or hang some pictures and drawings your kids made for you. Also, you can use acrylic paint and colour your appliances and give them more spirit.
Make Walls More Personal
Ask your landlord to repaint the walls in the colours you prefer, but promise him to repaint it before leaving. You can even paint each wall into different colour and bring character into the rental. If painting is not the option, you can always opt for some artistic and colourful removable wallpaper. Hang plenty of paintings of your taste and make the whole room artsy. Make sure to have lots of pictures of you and your loved ones on the walls, in order to make the whole space personal and yours. Dress the windows with draperies you like and incorporate fabrics into the room. Professionals such as residential builders even recommend remodelling some walls and areas of the house to make them cosier, and to check if there is anything to be fixed in order to be safe. As long as the walls are not too cold and strange, you will feel more like home instead of in someone else’s house.
Make it Green
There is no better way of bringing life into the rental then by arranging a few plants around the house. You can decorate your windows with some potted flowers, such as violets, hibiscus, lilies, jasmine, and many other colourful plants. Also, you can have several decorative vases with roses, tulips and other seasonal flowers. These will not only look good, but they will also fill your home with pleasant smells, making it more familiar and cosy. Another great decoration can be arranging a few air plants in small glass bulbs and bowls, which will look great and will clean the air in your home.
Decorate with Patterns
To make the rental look and feel more alive and attractive you should introduce patterns. Replace some old chairs with your own which will have vivid and comfy cushions. Store landlord’s pillows and couch cushions and put your own pillows everywhere to feel more comfortable. You can even buy some decorative cushions with patterns that complement the whole interior design and buy some interesting covers for beds and sofas. If there is no carpet or rugs, you can place your own ones, coloured with lively colours and rich in patterns and shapes. Play with shapes and colours around your new home, make it feel more familiar, but be careful not to make it look tacky.
Odd Details and Ornaments
Maybe the best way to personalize a rental is to show off your various collections. For your collection of antique plates or cups and pots you can find an odd place for display, such as the top of the cabinets, or above the door frame (if wide enough). Anything that shows who you are should be on the display so you would feel more like home, and not a stranger. Proudly present your collection of books or collectable toys and figurines on the shelves, display any ornaments and crafts you made and make this place your own.
Life does not have to feel strange if you live in a house that is not yours personally. With these few tips you can easily make any place feel like your own, and be happy among your colours and items.