The Quick Report

10 Rental-Friendly Decor Ideas You (And Your Landlord) Will Love

It can be so hard to make a rental house or an apartment feel like your own. You can’t paint. You can’t renovate. But here are ten ways to make your rental feel like a home.

10. Invest In Command Strips

assorted wall decors
Photo by Manja Vitolic

You want to hang up decorations, but the homeowner probably doesn’t want you to hammer nails into their walls. What’s a tenant to do? Command strips are a renter’s best friend. They stick to the walls with a strong adhesive and are easy to remove by pulling down on the bottom tab.

9. Wall Tapestries and Removable Wallpaper

a table and chairs outside of a building
Photo by Ries Bosch

You’re a person who loves color but you’re renting a home that is decked out in millenial greige (that weird mix of gray and beige.) The solution is simple. Hang up beautiful wall tapestries. They can be as minimalist or as ornate as you’d like. You can use Command Strips to hang them. If you want a cleaner look, removable wallpaper is a great way to liven up the place.

assorted-color coffee and quote wall decors on wall
Photo by Ingridi Alves Photograph

Someday when the revolution comes and the housing market collapses, we will all be able to paint gorgeous murals on our walls. Until that day, pick a wall in your rental and cover it from floor to ceiling with art pieces. It gives your space a maximalist look without the clutter.

7.Funky Rugs

opened book on person's lap with gray socks
Photo by Thought Catalog

Instead of slipping and sliding all over the fake vinyl hardwood floors, cozy up the place with some groovy and easy-to-vacuum rugs. Rugs will make your abode feel like a lived-in home rather than a sterile rental. As The Dude says in The Big Lebowski, rugs can really tie a room together.

6. Throw Blankets And Table Cloths

a coffee cup sitting on a couch next to a window
Photo by Esperanza Doronila

You may be renting a furnished apartment that already came with couches, tables, and possibly even a bed. Injecting your own personality into your space can be as easy as throwing a piece of fabric at the problem. Decorative throw blankets and table cloths can make a stark white sofa or a dour dinette set come alive.

5. Trendy Lamps

assorted lighted lamps insider oom
Photo by R M

If your rental does not get enough natural light, then you should instead invest in some cool light fixtures. You can’t go wrong with moon lamps, fairy lights, or movable floor lamps. If you want to be retro, get a lava lamp. I feel like lava lamps should make a comeback. They have never not been cool. 

4. Change Out The Curtains

Girl Sitting Near a Window Wearing Headphone
Photo by Johannes Plenio

Maybe tapestries or removable wallpaper is not your thing. That’s cool. You can still add that much needed pop of color to your rental by changing out those boring white curtains with something more fitting to your taste.

3. A Fun Welcome Mat

brown and black i love you print wooden board
Photo by Derick McKinney

Though you may not own the place, it is still your home as temporary as it may be. You can make it feel more like your home with a nice welcome mat. It can say something sweet like “Bless This Home” or something more silly like “Hark! Who Goes There.”

2. Add Some Mirrors

a room with a large mirror and a ladder
Photo by Courtney Hill

With rent prices being what they are, you may end up renting a space that is smaller than what you would prefer. You can make your home seem bigger with some well placed mirrors. Mirrors also provide the added bonus of being able to see your good looking self in the reflection.

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1. Divide Up The Rooms

black floor lamp on living room sofa
Photo by Toa Heftiba

This is a great tip if you have roommates, have a large open space in your rental, or are renting a studio apartment. Open concepts can be great. But if you prefer a more intimate space you can divide up a room with a large curtain or a floor to ceiling bookshelf. This is a wonderful way to ensure that everyone has privacy and their own space.

Read More: New Year, New Home: 10 Ways to Improve Your Space in 2024