Ten renter-friendly décor ideas that won’t risk your deposit

It can be frustrating when you’re renting a home as you’re often stuck with plain décor that doesn’t reflect your personality. But however temporary, your rented home is still your home and to make it feel that way, you really need to be able to tailor the interiors to your own personal style. So, here are ten renter-friendly ideas to help create your perfect home without risking your deposit.  

This is a collaborative post.

Install a faux fireplace

If your lounge is lacking a focal point, a faux fireplace could be the answer. And there are a few easy-to-install options. A plug-in electric fireplace, complete with surround is one and a bioethanol stove is another. Bioethanol stoves are freestanding and don’t need a flue, so you won’t need to make alterations to install one.

Pop on some radiator covers

Radiators are often an ugly feature in rooms and without the freedom to change them or paint them, a cover is the best option. The great thing about radiator covers is they can simply be popped over the offending radiators without fixings. And you can paint them however you please – adding a much-needed pop of colour to every room.

Decorate with peel-and-stick products

Peel-and-stick products such as tiles and wallpaper are particularly handy for renters as they can be removed again without damaging surfaces. Although, you should make sure the surfaces you’re planning to stick them to are sound first. You can cover kitchen worktops, walls, floors and splashbacks, helping you to cover up basic and dated décor.

Cover floors with area rugs

If you don’t fancy the tedium of covering floors with stick-on tiles or have carpets, then rugs are a good option. For lounges and bedrooms a large area rug can pretty much hide the whole floor, giving you a new look that suits your personality. For kitchens and hallways, go for washable rugs with non-slip backing to keep floors safe and hygienic.

Remove cupboard doors

You can create open shelving by removing the doors of your kitchen wall cabinets. Similarly, removing a door or two from your base units and replacing them with curtains will help to give your kitchen a rustic, cottage feel. Just remember to keep the doors handy, so you can screw them back on when you leave.

Use reeded or patterned film

Glazed kitchen cabinets can also be updated with the use of self-adhesive film. Reeded and patterned film can help to boost the style of a standard cupboard and obscures the objects inside, so it won’t be noticeable if the shelves inside are crammed full of mis-matched items. 

Add a café curtain

A cute café curtain is easy to add to a kitchen window without needing to drill holes. You just need a tension rod. These expand to grip to the walls of the window recess. They’re ideal for adding a striped, voile or chequered curtain to add character and improve privacy.

Fit a no-drill roller blind

Another window treatment that’s easy to install is a roller blind. Most major brands now produce a range of no-drill roller blinds that clip into the window recess in a similar way to tension rods. This means you can perk up bathrooms and kitchens and layer up window coverings in bedrooms and lounges.

Make use of picture rails

If your home has picture rails, make use of them. Picture rail hanging kits enable you to put up pictures and other decorative items such as mirrors, woven baskets and plants in macrame holders. If you have a picture rail in your bedroom, you can use this to put up a wall hanging behind the bed as an alternative to a headboard.

Use hole-free hanging solutions

There are lots of clever products for hanging things without making holes. Brands such as Gorilla and Sugru make mouldable and removable putty glue. This is great for mounting things on non-porous surfaces and some products are waterproof, so you can hang toothbrush holders and utensil rails on tiled surfaces. Brands like Command also make self-adhesive hooks to hang pictures and other objects. Just make sure surfaces are clean first and that you don’t exceed the product’s weight limit.

How to make sure you get your deposit back

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you remove temporary coverings such as peel and stick tiles and wallpaper. These sometimes require heat for easy removal, so it’s a good idea to check the brand’s instructions. You’ll also need to make sure there’s no residue left behind – some careful scraping may be necessary.

Next, you’ll need to remove other temporary fittings such as blinds and curtains and replace things such as cupboard doors and lampshades that you’ve removed. It’s a good idea to take pictures of your rental as soon as you get the keys, so you can make sure you leave the place looking exactly as it was before you made your changes.

Finally, you need to make sure your rental is left spick and span. So, it’s wise to bring in the professionals to carry out thorough end of tenancy cleaning. If there are carpets in some of the rooms, it’s a good idea to organise for these to be cleaned too.