Decorating a rental

One of the few drawbacks when living in a rental is the limitations when it comes to decorating since often times you can’t pull up the carpet and paper the walls. However fear not there are some rather creative things you can do without breaking your lease.We lived in a rental for over three years when we moved to America, the paint palette was what I can only describe a beige haze of blandness and there was carpeting throughout  (and I am so not a fan of carpeting).  On the walls I hung pictures (some landlords let you put nails or tacks in walls but if they don’t consider using adhesives that will not damage the walls or paint. I hung a huge panel of wallpaper paper from bulldog clips to break up the beige ness in our bedroom. I covered the boring carpets with area rugs which immediately lifted the space and although the house wasn’t furnished the agreement with my husbands company who sent us Stateside was that we had to rent the furniture from just two companies. This caused the most arguments since I hated all the furniture in the showrooms  - boring, conservative and hideous. I covered what I could with throws and textiles and then just added vintage pieces. The best part in making the place a home was the finishing touches and when it comes to accessorising the sky is literally the limit.  There are no restrictions so go mad with vases, art, window treatments, textiles and lighting to create the atmosphere you want and a home that you love. Some images below of Cynthia Loebe’s rented studio apartment in Hollywood that I saw in the New York Times. Cynthia constructed the sofa from plywood and then layered with textiles. Without Cynthia’s stuff this space would just be a boring white room. Rugs, paintings, accessories transform it and add the wow factor. Flea market finds plus the odd bit of  DIY make this dining area very unique. The canvas was painted by Cynthia, and its clipped not stuck to wall. Enlivening the walls with fabric and wallpaper is a fab way of breaking up vast areas of pale colours. The more layers you can add through accessories the more intriguing the scheme.