When you are renting an apartment, there are a number of caveats to look out for decorating the space. Most commonly, landlords would prefer that there be no permanent changes made to their properties. In some cases, there are different degree of change that is acceptable and it really depends on the landlord.
For example, some landlords can tolerate changes made to the walls or that some parts of the kitchen be altered provided you return the property to him in its original state. It is always good to communicate with your landlord if you are planning any decoration works for the apartment.
An interesting story I heard from my friend was that his landlord decided to chip in some money for the wall alteration work he proposed for the apartment. This was the case because the landlord has also been thinking about altering the walls but was inhibited by the ongoing tenancy. So when my friend suggested the idea to the landlord, he jumped on board almost immediately to see things through.
Do note that not all apartment walls can be altered and it is best you work with a professional before executing such works.
So you must be wondering, Paul, what is a good way to add personality to my rented home without risking my deposit? Here are some ideas my wife and I used on our rented apartment.
1. Invest in indoor lighting
Light fixtures are great if you want to add some personality to your home and you can always bring them with you when you move on to the next apartment. Other than brightening up the space, different light functions can also be used to set the mood for a particular work in the room.
For apartment designs with smaller windows, putting standing lamps in the corner of the room helps to tackle the lacking natural light in the place. You can also choose a lamp that expresses your personality so that it becomes a feature piece, rather than just an accessory in the house. Having a feature piece in the living room is a great way to start conversations when you have friends over for occasions.
One great idea to find unique pieces to be added to your home is to scour antique stores or speciality lighting stores for one-of-a-kind fixtures. Besides, you can also go to thrift stores if you are really tight on budget, you will be surprised by what you can find in these stores. Alternatively, modern light fixtures with unconventional geometry or bold colours can really add personality to the space.
Consider using different coloured light bulbs
Besides having unique lighting pieces, I would recommend that you consider using different coloured light bulbs instead of the traditional white light bulbs. Having different colours in the space helps create different moods or atmospheres, depending on the need for the space. I would suggest going with the yellow lights for the bedroom as it helps you to settle in, and feel cosy for the night. On the other hand, blue lights create a cool calming atmosphere and are great for the living space!
For practical purposes, I would recommend using white light in the kitchen. It just makes perfect sense in comparison to using yellow lights but that is just my personal preference.
Consider floor lamps and dimmer switches
Another great way to add personality to your space is to use floor lamps, especially if you have limited options to change the overhead lighting. Once again, thrift stores and antique stores are great places to find floor lamps with unique bases or lampshades that really express you. Vintage lamps add that antique rustic feel if that is what you’re looking for. If not, modern lamps with unique geometry can be a great addition to the apartment.
Lastly, do consider dimmer switches. I know they can be a pain to install and they are often not the most reliable thing but it gives you more control over the ambience in your space. If you want to set that romantic mood at home, a combination of candles and really dimmed-out yellow light can never go wrong.
Overall, lighting fixtures is a great way to add personality to your rented space if you can be creative and experiment with different styles and design. On top of that, it does not need to cost a lot and it does not need to change the rented apartment permanently. With some effort, you can transform your rented space into a place that feels like home.
2. Use rugs to define a space
If your rented home looks bland because of the dull wooden floorboards or cheap linoleum flooring, then you are missing out on the added flavours a statement rug can bring. A statement rug is inexpensive, easily moved to your next rented space and definitely adds personality to the home.
Ideally, rugs with bold colours or interesting patterns can visually appeal to the place if the flooring is simple and dull. In Malaysia, a decent-sized rug can be bought at an affordable price but does the job really well in making the rented apartment feel like home. Choosing a rug that incorporates your favourite patterns and colours, fitting to the space, is great for showing off some of your personality and interests.
When choosing the size of a rug, it is best to avoid buying a rug that is too small. If you are put on the spot and need to decide between sizes, it will be better to go on the larger side as it generally feels more inclusive of the furniture.
Use rugs to define spaces
If you have an open-concept home, an excellent way to define different spaces within the room is to use different rugs. For example, a large rug fitting to the theme of the sofa can be used to define the sitting area in a living room. This will help create the distinction between the dining area and the living area.
Besides that, use unique textures or shapes to really spruce things up in the room. It is common knowledge that traditional rugs are boringly rectangular. But what if, you are to introduce a rug with the shape of an amoeba into the room? Not only does it make the space feel a lot like home, but it will also definitely highlight the unique characteristics of the room.
3. Houseplants are never enough
In a rented space, houseplants have the miraculous capability to brighten up a room and bring life to a space. The Rubber Plant and Kentia Palm are common houseplants that are easy to maintain and help to boost overall health and well-being.
If you are wondering if there are any real benefits to houseplants, then you will be delighted to know research suggests that humankind spends more than 85 per cent of our lives indoors and having houseplants can improve air quality, reduce stress and improve your sense of well-being.
To my wife and I, transforming a rented space into our home is more than adding aesthetic features. It is good that we can add furniture pieces that express our personality and likings but a home is also about having our mental health taken care of.
Houseplants are a great natural way to improve air quality
Air purifying machines are great, don’t get me wrong. But houseplants do the job better, are inexpensive and require little maintenance. According to a NASA study in 1989, houseplants improve air quality by removing cancer-causing chemicals such as formaldehyde and benzene from the air. On top of that, the microorganisms found in the soil of potted plants can help clean the air and are found to have anti-depressive effects.
Ideally, you want to have bigger and leafier plants to improve air quality at home. Fiddle leaf figs and rubber plants are some of our best recommendations.
Reduces stress and improves your sense of well-being
Studies have indicated that caring for indoor plants reduces psychological and physiological stress. The idea of interacting with houseplants and being responsible for their livelihood helps suppress sympathetic nervous system activity.
If you want to be more focused at work, then having a houseplant nearby your work area may improve your efficiency by a slight boost. In this Scandinavian study, indoor plants were found to have improved the focus of the test participant, on top of decreasing depressive moods and lessening symptoms of anxiety.
If you want an added layer of appeal to your rented apartment then you should consider having a few houseplants. There are unique houseplants such as the Monstera Plant that have gotten quite a bit of conversation started at my home.
4. Have a statement wall
Now, are you wondering, “Paul, what is a statement wall?” “Is this the wall where I put all my personal statements up?”
Generally, the statement wall is the wall which your eye is first drawn when you enter the house. The design of this wall would differ from the other walls in the house and is accentuated with features that would highlight the occupiers’ personality.
Having a statement wall is more than just adding some colours to different walls in the apartment. While incorporating colours adds style and personality, having a statement wall will highlight the purpose of the place, making it uniquely yours and a remembrance for those who visit you.
Choose the first wall you see when you enter the apartment
The wall you choose as your statement wall should ideally be the wall you see the moment you enter the apartment. If you are working with walls with fireplaces or existing design features, it would also work well if you could add in your personal colours or effects.
I would recommend against working with doors or windows if you can avoid them. It would look awkward if the door or window is left partially open, detracting from the effect you worked tirelessly to create.
Be bold with your colours and personal effects
If you are working with neutral colours in the apartment, using strong contrasting shades will give depth to the place and an added visual illusion of space. If you would like to add extra interest, adding stripes or circles can be used harmoniously with the colours.
Lastly, strategically placing furniture on the statement wall gives that added 3D effect to the place. For example, if you are working with the living room, you can incorporate colours that would fit or accentuate the sofas, making it run along the sofa by introducing stripes.
Oh ya, did I mention to check with your landlord about the original colour code before you start becoming creative? You will need to paint it back before you move out but I ensure you it is well worth the effort.
5. Hang personal artwork and pictures
I do not know you but if you know my wife, then you would know she’s a fan of trying out different artsy stuff. Since day one of knowing her, she has always been into water arts and I can understand where she picked it up from after knowing her family.
Now, you may not be like my wife and you may not have your own art gallery. But I can say for sure that most of us here have a mobile phone and we can definitely take pictures of our experiences, the places we visited, our family and friends.
Why not frame them up and have them on your bland-looking wall?
It does not cost too much money to have the pictures printed and picture frames are cheap to get today. I love the Muji-styled frames which it is a simple light brown wooden frames. If you want to get even more creative, you can paint your own colours on top of the light brown wooden frames.
If you are concerned about damaging the walls then you should definitely consider using the command hooks. Once you are ready to move out, just remove the command hooks and scrape off any excess adhesives.
6. Consider scented candles and essential oils
We’ve talked a lot about the visual appeal you can do to make a rented apartment feel more like home. But one last thing you can consider is improving the scent of your home by introducing scented candles or essential oil.
To be honest, this is something I discovered only when my wife got pregnant. Being in her first trimester, she was extremely sensitive to the different wafts of smell you get in the apartment building. That cat smell from our cat lady neighbour who turns on her air ventilation machine every 3 pm became highly noticeable during my wife’s pregnancy.
On top of that, cooking becomes rather difficult as she got annoyed with the oily smell.
Trying to solve her “smelling” problem, we decided we would borrow her parents’ aromatherapy practices and have a diffuser at home. Since then, when the different waft of smell gets overwhelming, she would turn it on and enjoy the minty smell from the diffuser.
Over time, this smell became so recognisable that whenever we come across the same minty smell outside, we are instantly reminded of home.
This is the effect of having scented candles and essential oils in your rented apartment. It is a great way to make the space feel like home.
Final Word
I understand owning a place when you are just starting out in your career can seem almost impossible. I was there and I started my journey by renting rooms, half a house, and then an entire apartment together with my wife.
The problem with rented apartments is that they do not feel like home. I hope my experience could help you make your rented place feel a lot more like home without you burning your pockets and forfeiting your deposits.
