Living in a room rental doesn’t mean you can’t beautify it. You can still add your personal touch and decorate your rented room without losing your security deposit.
Once you’ve viewed your room rental, selected your final choice, inked the lease and moved in, the next step is to make the place feel like home.
There are certainly benefits of renting a room in a co-living space. You probably won’t have a say in the décor of the living room or communal areas as the place is technically not your own. But you still have some leeway to personalise your bedroom space.
An important thing to note is that you should not make permanent changes to your room. So make sure whatever you add can be easily removed without causing damage. To play it safe, you may wish to check with your landlord about what you can or cannot do.
Ready to transform your rented room into your own personal sanctuary? Check out these easy and budget-friendly room decorating tips and ideas.
Jazz up your room with accent décor
Accent décor can instantly make an impact in your room. Carefully-curated or unique decorative accent pieces or items can inject personality to your room and create the mood you are looking for.
Even everyday items like a well-placed guitar, colourful skateboard or vintage suitcase can inject a contemporary aesthetic to your room. Or how about something you’ve picked up on your travels? A shelf dedicated to your wanderlust days with a personal collection of treasures or souvenirs can make your space feel more special.
When you think of storage, the words bland or boring may come to mind. But thoughtfully chosen stylish storage pieces like woven rattan baskets can also act as decorative pieces in your room.
Are you a book lover? Not only can you escape into the world of books but yes, books can also act as decorative ornaments. Place some strategically on a shelf or a windowsill to add character to your room.
Transform your walls
Most walls in rented apartments tend to come in neutral tones or palettes and are usually left bare. Your contract may prohibit you from painting or adding nails to the walls, but that doesn’t mean you can’t fill those empty walls. So, here are some easy wall decorating ideas that you can try without causing damage.
Peel-and-stick wall decals are easy to apply and are a pocket-friendly option for you if you want to dress up an empty wall. From whimsical designs to inspirational quotes, there are plenty of options to choose from. Best of all, they are removable, reusable and won’t cause damage to walls. As the adhesive is not strong, wall decals won’t work on textured, bumpy, brick or non-painted surfaces. So before you stick on the wall decal, make sure the surface of the wall is smooth and painted.
Another easy way to add a personal touch to your room is to add some wall art. Why not hang your favourite framed artwork or photos? Some inexpensive options include: a world map, movie posters, art prints, inspirational quotes, travel photo collage or even your own hand-painted works.
Tip: Use the removable 3M range of adhesive Command hook strips as these won’t damage your walls. Remember to peel them off carefully when you move out. If your landlord does not allow you to hang up wall art, you can consider propping them up on your desk or shelves.
Add some foliage
Your bedroom is your own personal haven and adding some foliage will help to inject warmth to your room. Why not place a potted plant in a corner or a terrarium on your desk? This will give your room a refreshing feel.
If you don’t have a green thumb and don’t want the hassle of looking after a live plant, a faux plant or even an artificial floral arrangement in a beautiful vase will do just fine as well.
Experiment with textures
Mixing and matching fabrics in various textures, patterns or colour can inject depth and create contrast in your room. For instance, fabric wall hangings such as an embroidered tapestry, woven macrame, tribal textile or vintage scarf can be hung above the headboard as an interesting focal point or above your study desk.
Or how about placing a statement rug at the foot of the bed or next to the bed can instantly jazz up elevate the look of the room. If you’re going for a boho vibe, opt for a vibrant, bold-patterned rug. After beachy aesthetic? Then go for a subtle-patterned rug in a softer palette like sky blue.
Your bed is one of the biggest pieces of furniture in the room. So make sure you have a stylish bedspread or comforter that gels with the room’s tone. As an extra touch, scatter some colourful cushions or a throwover to make your bed look appealing.
Set the mood with lighting
To brighten up your room or give it that unique touch, add some functional, ambient or decorative lighting options. For those who want a magical or whimsical aesthetic in their bedrooms, why not try one of the TikTok-inspired decorating hacks like draping fairy lights?
Alternatively, how about placing a standing floor lamp next to a desk or at an empty corner? Besides providing lighting, a standing lamp that is unique in design can also act as an accent piece. Choose one that complements the room tone and overall design.
A stylish reading lamp on your desk or bedside table can also add to the visual character to your room as well as providing ambient lighting. Lampshades that come with a dimmer can help to set the mood and provide a cozy feel to your room.
Conclusion
It’s the little details that count in order infuse your room with your own personality. Decide on the mood or aesthetic you are going for an have fun decorating it with our easy tips. But remember, make sure whatever you do is acceptable with your landlord so you can get your deposit back after your tenancy ends.
