As we have discussed throughout this renovation series (View the previous blog here if you haven’t already!), never make a complete judgement on a prospective rental home based purely on its cosmetic features when you view it. It is important to see past the current tenant’s designs and imagine how you could add your own touches of personality! There are always options to turn your rental property into a dream home, and they don’t have to always break the bank.
Remember! It is important that you check your tenancy agreement and discuss any changes with your landlord first; you don’t want to be in one of those horror stories of lost deposits! In some cases, you may be improving the state of the property so any nice changes could be saving the landlord a future job!
The Most Used Room
Studies show that the average person will spend 33 years of their life in bed (that’s 12045 days!). In fact, being in bed is estimated to take up nearly half of your life! With so much time spent in bed and in the bedroom in general, we think it’s a room of great importance!
As one of the few rooms of your home which is out of bounds to guests, the bedroom should be a true reflection of you and your personality. Provided you have permission from your landlord, the bedroom can be decorated in any manner you desire; this blog will aim to provide you with inspiration for creating the most comfortable room possible!
Keep it Clean and Remove any Clutter
To start with, the cleanliness of your bedroom is crucial; having a clean bedroom with fresh linen and a bed that has been made in the morning has been found to improve sleep quality and overall mental health (read more on the benefits here). However, it may be the case that whilst you are trying to regularly keep things tidy, you are restricted by a lack of storage. Clever storage options are available from Home Bargains and The Range, so you can remove the clutter from the room and add some decoration!
@The_one_with_the_green_door – Instagram
Tip: Provided they are not holding large amounts of weight, shelves can be added to the walls using command strips (available here) meaning that valuable floor space is not being taken up and you don’t have to fill up any drill holes at the end of your tenancy!
Change Perspective With a New Layout
This is a change you can make without having to spend a penny! From the ancient Chinese tradition of Feng Shui to the Indian Vastu Shastra beliefs, there are many different guidelines regarding the best way to organise the furniture in your bedroom. These guidelines dictate how your bed or other furniture should be situated in relation to the door and windows; who knows, improving the energy in the room may be the answer to your sleeping woes.
Ultimately, the layout of your bedroom is up to you and the design elements of the room itself may be restrictive for you. However, it can do no harm to play around with the furniture layout until you find a satisfying position for everything.
Remember! be careful when moving large or heavy pieces of furniture so the floor or the furniture itself is not damaged (you can buy stick-on floor protectors for your furniture here).
Add a Splash of Colour with new Bedding
Regardless of the size of your bedroom, the bed itself will always be the centrepiece. Think of it as your blank canvas to add your own personality to the whole room! In a rental property, it can be difficult to add these touches of colour or design to a room as your landlord may be against the walls being painted in any way so the bed may be your only option to add colour.
@Homewith_jay – Instagram
As with many household items, sets of bedding can reach expensive prices. Don’t worry though- there are always low-cost options available! Get yourself down to stores like Dunelm and Matalan to find your perfect colourful bedding set (browse Dunelm and Matalan). Experiment with different colours or designs to find your perfect bedding to make your bed the true feature of your new cosy bedroom!
Set the Mood with Some Lighting
We already discussed the importance of using lights to create a cosy environment in our living room decoration blog (Read here if you haven’t already). The same principles remain for the bedroom- smaller, warmer lights layered around a room change the mood and create an atmosphere which is perfect for relaxing!
@Ramsbottomterrace- Instagram
Whilst larger, brighter floor lamps are suitable for living rooms, it is the smaller table lamps which suit the bedroom better. Enjoy reading? Or simply want a table lamp to place next to your bed to create a cosy atmosphere? Ikea has a great range of table lamps available for reasonable prices. Remember to check the energy rating of any lamp before making a purchase so you are not hit with any unexpected costs!
