7 Tips for Decorating a Rental Home Without Breaking the Rules - Home & Texture
Decorate Decorating a Rental

7 Tips for Decorating a Rental Home Without Breaking the Rules

Believe it or not, you have more freedom than you think.

April 4, 2024 at 4:25 AM PST
Decorate Decorating a Rental

7 Tips for Decorating a Rental Home Without Breaking the Rules

Believe it or not, you have more freedom than you think.

April 4, 2024 at 4:25 AM PST

Renting a home is a positive experience, but decorating it can often feel like navigating a maze of rules and restrictions. From hard-to-understand lease agreements to concerns about damaging property, a lot stands in the way when it comes to personalizing a rental space. But while this is the case, there are plenty of ways to turn your rental into a cozy, customized haven without risking harm to your residence.

Whether you need to comply with a landlord’s regulations or simply want to avoid potential security deposit deductions, here are seven tips for decorating your rental home without breaking the rules:

1. Understand your lease agreement.

Before you begin, take a look at your lease agreement for a detailed look at what you can and cannot do when decorating the property. Every lease agreement is different. Some say you can’t paint your walls, others allow you to paint your walls but not drill holes in them. Knowing the boundaries before you begin decorating can help you plan accordingly to avoid trouble down the line.

2. Focus on temporary solutions.

If you want to do a complete overhaul on your rental property but are limited by your leasing agreement, opt for temporary decor solutions. You can easily remove temporary decor — i.e. removable wallpaper, adhesive hooks, and peel-and-stick tiles — when you move out. Because of this, temporary decor is useful for adding to the aesthetic of your space without causing damage to the property.

Photo credit: South_agency

3. Invest in command hooks and strips.

Command hooks and adhesive strips are seriously invaluable if you want to hang artwork, family photos, mirrors, or other decor items without drilling holes into the wall.

The cool thing about removable hooks and strips is that they come in a wide range of weight capacities. As a result, they can support quite a bit of weight, so you can pretty much decorate however you like as long as your decor isn’t too bulky or heavy.

Even better, removing them is a breeze! Simply follow the instructions provided by the manufacturer to detach them without leaving residue or markings behind.

4. Opt for removable covers.

If your rental property came fully furnished but you don’t like how it looks, you can change it up without breaking your lease. To do this, try placing removable slipcovers on your sofas and chairs to customize your space temporarily. There are plenty of decorative covers to choose from, so you can easily switch up the look of any room without having to buy new furniture.

5. Shop for versatile furniture.

Another way to change up your aesthetic is by shopping for versatile furniture pieces that can adapt to multiple spaces and decor styles. Modular or multifunctional furniture is best for rental properties because you can replace or even repurpose them whenever you need to. Having this flexibility means you can experiment with varying layouts and arrangements instead of being stuck with a specific design scheme.

Photo credit: kate_sept2004

6. Utilize temporary window treatments.

If you want to change the look of your windows but are afraid of losing your security deposit, temporary window treatments are an ideal fix. Window treatments like tension rods, adhesive hooks, and removable blinds are designed to provide privacy, lighting control, and style with the added benefit of being removable so you can change your aesthetic over time.

Pro Tip: Rather than place boring, traditional blinds or curtains in your space, you can spice it up with adhesive paper to make your windows look like frosted glass.

7. Choose temporary flooring solutions.

When it comes to the flooring in rental properties, typically what you see is what you get. But fortunately, not all hope is lost. You can use temporary flooring solutions like removable floor decals, area rugs, or interlocking floor tiles to conveniently switch up your look without breaking your lease. These options are the perfect way to not only hide unsightly floors but also add character to your living space, too.



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