Simple tips for successful decorating projects in a rental home.

With approximately one fifth of households in the UK currently renting their properties, creating a dream home for a growing family can often be a challenging process, with tenancy rules and landlord flexibility potentially impacting on creativity.

 

Whether staying long-term or just for a stop-gap, try following these four simple tips to achieve a stylish finish in your rental home.

Seek support from your landlord from the outset

Whilst your tenancy agreement may determine decorating limitations, a conversation with your landlord could be an opportunity to negotiate new boundaries.

Lavish D.I.Y. ideas are likely to be met with resistance, especially if you’ve little experience, so be ready to compromise on bold plans.

Keep permanent fixtures neutral and pale

It’s no coincidence that new homes are painted in white and magnolia, and you’re more likely to win over a landlord if you keep walls, ceilings, woodwork and flooring pale, plain and simple.

Five minutes at a Valspar tester display will convince you of the wide range of ‘barely there’ tones available, while classic white on woodwork and ceilings is a no-brainer for landlord approval.

Add colour, texture and visual interest with items you can take with you to a forever home

Express your style with furniture, soft furnishings and accessories. Here you can add bold colour, pattern and texture without worrying your landlord unnecessarily…and take everything with you when you move on.

Present a mood-board and samples for your landlord to visualise the scheme

A landlord is likely to be most interested in any changes to the structure of their property, such as wall fixings for shelving, the addition of wallpaper or new flooring.

Gather a collection of samples, lifestyle images, fabrics, flooring ideas and sketches that will help your landlord picture the desired finish.

These should also help you stay on track too.

 

There you have it. Just a few ideas on how to persuade your landlord into letting you create your dream interior in a rented home.