Ways You Can Upgrade Your Rental Home You May Not Have Realised

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TURNING YOUR RENTAL HOUSE INTO A HOME.

One of my most asked questions I get on Instagram is ‘why are you bothering to upgrade your rental home?’ If you’re a long time follower of the blog you’ll know that we’ve been slowly but surely doing some renovations to our rental. And whilst I know there are so many of you lovely lot rooting us on, I know that some people will be confused and question our actions. The reason is a long-winded one. But quite simply is, I want to live in a lovely decorated home. Plain and simple.

Now, most of you lovely lot will also be living in rentals and want to turn your house into a home. However, as I know from the many, many questions I get asked, you may not know exactly where to start. Fear not! I’ve put in many an hour into decorating and loving all things interiors that I have a wealth of knowledge in regards to upgrading rentals. And whilst you may not be feeling up to doing full renovations as I have done, there are some simple things that you can start with that will make a difference. Here are my top tips you can do to upgrade your rental…

LIGHTING.

Other than adding a gorgeous rug to a room, this is the number one thing that can make a difference to a room. And, it’s one of the easiest things to do. It can be simple as changing up a light shade, as I did in our living room. I love this bamboo light shade, it instantly brightens up this room. If you want to completely change it up, completely change the light fixture. This is something I did in the bedroom and it’s made such a difference! If you are going to change up the light, please, please, PLEASE consult an electrician. I would not recommend doing it yourself if you have not done it before.

 

 

CURTAINS AND BLINDS.

You may not think this is a thing, but the number of renters I know that will live with the curtains provided for them by their landlord and don’t like them is huge. However, curtains are one of the simplest things you can upgrade in your rental home! Our linen drapes from Ikea have made such a difference to our home. You can get some great off-the-rack curtains from pretty much any interiors store. As for blinds, they are a little trickier to install, but again, upgrading them can make such a difference!

WALL COLOUR, WALLPAPER & WALL DECOR.

Now, you could paint your walls as I did. After all, at the end of your tenancy, you can always paint it back. However, if you are not brave enough to do that, fear not. Removable wallpaper is a trend that is making strides in 2020 and is it set to stay. Though I do not have any in my home, it’s something that I want to look into for our home office when we come to make it over. The best thing is, you can get rid of it when you leave if your landlord doesn’t want you to keep. So not only are you adding some personality and colour into your home, but you’re also going to get your deposit back.

If this is too much still, then some simple wall decor will do the trick. A wall hanging would look gorgeous, even some fabulous art prints will add something extra to your home.

 

SHOP My LA REDOUTE HOME.

 

 

CUPBOARD & CABINET HARDWARE.

Another great and simple fix for upgrading your rental. Cabinet knobs and handles are such a great way to change things up and make your home unique as you are. It also helps to make your rental home look less like a rental. You can also simply take the hardware with you when you move on to your next home- rent or brought. My kitchen knobs are these ones from Dowsing & Reynolds. I also got these handles from the sample place for the bedroom cupboard and wardrobes. I absolutely love them, they make such a difference to the room and were so easy to upgrade. With any hardware you can go as expensive or as cheap as you like, the choice is up to you.

KITCHEN & BATHROOM HARDWARE.

Now, this is not something that I have done. However, I’ve seen other renters do it and it really does make such a difference. Harlowe James is one who has changed up her bathroom and kitchen taps and boy does it make the rooms pop. Again, if you are going to change up your taps, PLEASE consult an expert. I would hate for you to lose your deposit over messing something like this up. New taps can really add an extra luxe to a home, and again, make a home look less like a rental (due to it not looking run down). Now, these are things you’re not going to take with you to your next place (unless you really want to) so when it comes to purchasing something like this, think about how much it’s going to cost you and if you’re willing to spend that for something permanent. If you’re not planning to stay there for more than a year and a half, I really wouldn’t advise going for it. However, if it’s a long term rental, absolutely go for it! It will make such a difference and will look amazing!