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Easy Rental Hacks
By Emma-Jane Whelan
Whether you are looking to rent or let a property, it is worth taking time to consider very carefully what essential features are needed to create a comfortable and functional home without committing to costly or permanent alterations that limit your options in the long term, or that might affect your security deposit.
This is where the concept of ‘Reversible Interior Design’ is particularly useful, as it allows for flexibility and adaptability in a living, or working environment and provides the occupants greater freedom to modify the interior space depending on their unique needs or style preferences. The following ideas might be useful to anyone wanting to rent an unfurnished property, or for landlords who want to maximise the potential for leasing a house or flat.
Neutral Base
Gone are the days when ‘Magnolia’ emulsion was the embodiment of neutral chic. It was slapped onto the walls of rental flats and halls of residence the world over, and has become synonymous with unimaginative ‘municipal’ style interiors. It is wise, however, to avoid the temptation to select a wall colour that is too extrovert or a wallpaper that might fight with the personal preferences of others, so stick to a neutral palette. Brilliant white reflects the hues and tones of whatever is placed next to it and is easy to touch up, but soft greys or warmer toned whites also lend themselves to a reversible décor style. Sanderson have a great range of neutrals to look at for inspiration.
Modular Furniture & Multi-functional Spaces
Furniture that can be reconfigured or re-positioned to create different layouts or provide different practical uses in a living space needs to be well designed. Les Ingenieux is a collection of beautifully crafted products that offer this flexibility without compromise on style. It includes space-saving and versatile solutions for smaller living spaces, particularly helpful when furnishing a multi-functional area where a fold-away wall desk would be useful for example, or a coffee table with internal storage is needed.
Flexible Storage Solutions
Fitted wardrobes and heavy pieces of antique furniture won’t always be ideal, or to everyone’s taste in a rental property, so choosing freestanding storage is a much better option and there are some great ideas here. For homes with limited space, it’s important to optimise every available recess, corner, surface and door by using clever storage that keeps the rooms free from clutter and helps make life manageable and organised.
Temporary Partitions
Using partitions, screens, or fretwork structures to divide up space means that you can make the most of a larger room while adding a practical design element that makes a wow statement. Here is an elegant modern room-divider that incorporates shelving too.
Versatile Décor
As a tenant in a rental property, it is possible to quickly and cheaply personalise a sterile space with well-chosen soft furnishings. Cushions, curtains and rugs make an instant impact and build a cosy, homely feel. Browse the selections here for inspiration.
A style feature that is easy to change up as your mood takes you, and one that reflects your personality, is the use of posters and framed art. If your tenancy agreement prohibits the use of hooks or nails there are some excellent self-adhesive products on the market for hanging pictures and decorations on the walls. At the end of your lease, these can be removed easily, without damaging paintwork. Search ‘3M picture hangers’ or ‘adhesive hooks’ online to find exactly what you need.
A finishing touch, and one that always makes a good housemate, is a plant. It’ll lend your space a bit of leafy aesthetic and show that you’ve really put down some roots (pun intended). Real indoor plants are said to filter the air, reduce stress and provide oxygen, but it can be challenging to keep them alive, so if you’re not at all green-fingered, take a look at modern artificial plants, they are almost impossible to tell from the real thing, and you won’t feel guilty about going away on holiday while they die of thirst!
