Five Ways to Decorate a Rental

Photo courtesy of Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD.

If you don’t own the space you live in, there’s no reason you can’t make it feel like home by taking a creative approach to decorating.

Recently, home leasing company Invitation Homes put together a team of design experts to come up with lease-friendly, affordable design and decor ideas with renters in mind. Here are five tips from the team, as well as other design experts:

1 Embrace color and pattern
Emily Henderson, author of “Styled,” believes color gives a room life, but it doesn’t have to be on the walls. With rugs, textiles and painted furniture, you can have a lively, lease-friendly room by choosing colors that are on the opposite sides of the color wheel to ensure balance. Buying attractive, soft throws that feel as good as they look is an easy, budget-friendly way to punch up color in your bedroom and living room. Depending on your budget, consider changing out key colors with the seasons.

2 Smart Storage
“Live Pretty on a Penny” blog writer Erin Marshall recommends using space-saving items that are beautiful and functional to effectively store and organize items. Options like nesting chairs and ottomans that double as benches can add seating options with a modest footprint. A tiered, matching set of pretty boxes can store items you don’t use every day.

3 Gallery walls
This decorative element is all about customization. Emily suggests displaying your favorite photos, prints and unique items like personal mementos to give them the eye-catching showcase they deserve. If your lease doesn’t allow you to hammer holes in walls, opt to hang items by sticky strips. Consult the label for how many pounds each strip can hold.

4 Temporary wall coverings
A permanent wall texture or design may be a no-no in a rental, but removable wallpaper can be a yes-yes. Consult your lease or check with your landlord first to see if this is allowed. Brittany Hayes, author of the “Addison’s Wonderland” blog, believes that daring geometric patterns are perfect for creating an accent wall. Or simply incorporate your favorite colors to embrace a custom feel while you lease.

5 Make it smart
Making your rental house feel secure and homey isn’t just about décor. Smart home options like thermostats, doorbell cameras and smart locks all can be integrated into a rented property, said Meghan Giddens, design expert at Invitation Homes. In fact, nearly everything in your home can be connected to the internet and controlled by your smart device. Just keep any originals stored safely, and when it comes time to move out, swap out your devices.