Let’s get one thing straight from the top: you don’t have toownyour
own home to set up a cosy space that refl ects your taste.There’s
plenty of decorating that can be done as a renter (as longasit
doesn’t involve dramatic structural change). The key is to makesure
your adjustments are reversible, so you can return the placetoits
original state when it’s time to get your bond back.
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Having said that, not all landlords rule with an iron fi st. Somewill
be open to a little sprucing up, like a fresh coat of paint oragarden
overhaul. It’s important to be honest from the get-go andaskfor
permission before putting paintbrush to wall (or spade todirt,
as it were). Truthfully, when it comes to the look and valueofthe
property, you may actually be doing them a favour in the longrun.
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If you’re stuck with a less-than-ideal palette in your homeanda
DIY paint job is off the cards, well, friend, it’s time to start zhuzhing.
Let your furniture and homewares bring some personalitytothe
space, adding colour, pattern and texture in a fun and engaging
way. A mountain of vibrant cushions can brighten up a roomlike
nothing else; same goes for a jazzy tablecloth, doona cover,or
some carefully chosen artwork.
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When it comes to home decorating, don’t forget to lookdown
- the fl oor has a huge effect on the vibe of a room, as well.Manky,
musty carpets with years’ worth of renter stains can be covered
with strategically placed rugs (shaggy rugs; Persian rugs;bright,
poppy geometric rugs – whichever style you please). They caneven
be layered for a playful take that covers more fl oor space. Ifyou’re
feeling motivated and likely to stick around for a while, thereare
other temporary fl ooring options available, too, like click-together
wood panelling and vinyl tile decals.
Open-planliving isn’t always the most practical option. If you
needtocarve out a bedroom in a studio apartment, or a cosy
littlereading nook, a room divider should do the trick. Choose
fromfloor-to-ceiling folding types, eye-catching curtains,
orevenanarrow shelving unit. As a bonus, you could have
somewhereelse to display knick-knacks and other decorative
bitsandbobs....................
Here’ssomething you might not have considered: fi xtures like
drawerhandles and showerheads can usually be unscrewed and
replaced.The same goes for light shades that don’t strike your
fancy–carefully detach them and whack on a shade that will
bringyoudaily joy, instead. Just don’t throw anything you remove
away,asyou’ll need to pop it back at the end of your lease....................
Speakingofswapping out daggy fi ttings – if windows are the eyes
toyourhome, bad curtains are the clumpy mascara and OTT eye
shadowapplied all the way up to the eyebrows. It’s easy to pick
upasetyou love and pop them up using existing curtain rods.
Andifarodisn't already installed, you could grab a spring-loaded,
temporaryversion from your local hardware store. (This also
worksforicky shower curtains!)...................
Plantsandflowers give an instant lift to any space, so add them
toyourkitchen, bathroom and living room, liberally. Pop hooks
overdoorsand windows for hanging greenery at different levels;
clustercute planters together; build your very own balcony
garden;grow potted herbs on your windowsill. There’ll be a bit
ofresponsibility and care required to keep them thriving, but the
pay-offisawarm, vibrant atmosphere and cleaner air – plus,
yougettotake them with you when you leave.try this at home