Lifestyle

How to decorate a rental home

We address the top 5 decorating challenges faced by renters
How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine AustraliaIKEA

With both our population and house prices continuing to soar, there are now almost as many Australians renting their home as owning it*, so our ideas on decorating to make a house feel like a home needs a fresh approach.

When renting you’re often hemmed in to decorating decisions based on your inability to alter the property to any great degree. Laws may vary depending on where you live, but the essentials remain the same.

With all the research they do visiting families in their homes all around Australia each year, IKEA take on board the challenges faced by renters and work on solutions to help solve decorating dilemmas.

How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: IKEA)

We spoke to the IKEA interior design team, who have identified the five biggest challenges faced by renters:

  1. Storage
  2. Restrictions around securing items to the wall
  3. Poor lighting
  4. Working with the existing architecture
  5. Finding ways to personalise the space

“At IKEA we understand that the cost of living is rising and time is becoming more precious as life is getting busier,” says IKEA Store Manager David Mulligan. “IKEA is the home of interior design inspiration, so we want to show customers how to solve some of the biggest frustrations faced in rental homes,” David said.

How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: IKEA)

1. Task and mood lighting

Lighting can dictate the way a space feels and often in rental places there is not enough natural light. Floor lights placed in corners help create ambience in your room, and clamp lights create light pockets on shelving units and give functional light for reading.

How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: IKEA)

2. Storage solutions

As in a rental home you can’t remove walls or insert custom cabinets, look to furniture with added storage.

Living room – Sofas, beds and also foot stools  can all offer built in storage

Kitchen – consider bench carts, trolleys, tables and bookshelves to give the space both style and increased function

Incidental areas – look to tucked-away areas with tricky shapes or pokey corners to customize freestanding storage to fit your needs

How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: IKEA)

“Convenient solutions that offer value for money are more important than ever.”

David Mulligan, IKEA Store Manager

3. Personalising your walls

There are options for wall decoration that don’t involve screwing anything into your walls, helping to ensure you get your bond back. If you aren’t able to hang items, screens or room dividers are a great solution to display artworks and other decorative items

How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: IKEA)

4. Layer textiles

Textiles are an affordable and easy way to refresh a space. A rug for your living room can add warmth and style and can help draw attention away from tired carpet.

Exchange old curtains for new ones for an instant lift to any space for minimal cost.

How to decorate a rental home | Home Beautiful Magazine Australia
(Credit: IKEA)

5. Add some greenery

There is a reason plants are trending on the interior decorating scene – indoor plants will purify your air and are a great addition to add colour and warmth, together with a touch of nature to effect a sense of calm and serenity.

Another great non-permanent addition to a rental is growing your own veggie garden. A smart way to save money and encourage you to eat better, it brings life to a space – with healthy benefits!

*The 2016 census has found that across Australia 30.9% of people rent while 31% of the population owns outright.

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10 ways to make a rental home your own

The secrets to decorating with all white

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