How To Make Your Rental Feel Like Home (Without Losing Your Deposit)

Decorating a rental can feel like trying to paint a masterpiece with one hand tied behind your back, while your landlord watches over your shoulder. You want to inject some personality, but the beige walls and questionable carpet are screaming “generic corporate housing.” And the constant fear of losing your security deposit looms larger than that one IKEA lamp everyone seems to own.

I’ve lived in more rentals than I can count, from apartments with carpets that had seen things I don’t want to know about, to rooms so small the bed was also the sofa, dining table, and occasional fort. But I’ve learned a secret: you don’t need to paint every wall or tear out kitchen cabinets to make a space feel uniquely yours. You just need to be a little sneaky.

Here’s my guide to decorating your rental on a budget, without sending your landlord into a panic.

“Temporary” is Your Best Friend

I think we need to start a support group for people who are terrified of making holes in walls. I used to be a member. Then I discovered the glorious, beautiful world of removable solutions. 

Command Strips are not just for posters; they are the foundation upon which rental empires are built. I’ve hung massive mirrors, solid wood shelves, and entire art galleries with those little plastic miracles, and I’ve gotten every single one back off without a trace.

But it goes beyond that. Don’t like the ghastly light fixture? Swap it out for something you love and stash the original safely in a closet. You can change it back when you move. Hate the cabinet pulls in the kitchen? A quick trip to the hardware store for some quirky knobs can work wonders. Just keep the old ones in a baggie. It’s like Cinderella for your kitchen, but at midnight (or moving day), everything just changes back.

Textiles: The Rental Decorator’s Secret Weapon

If I could give only one piece of advice, it would be this: invest in fabric. Rugs, curtains, throw blankets, and pillows are the ultimate rental game-changers. They’re like a magic cloak you throw over your apartment’s bland shoulders.

That sad, stained carpet? Smother it with a large, colourful rug. Those blah, builder-grade blinds? Hide them with floor-to-ceiling curtains hung high and wide to make your windows look grand. A boring, beige sofa? Bury it in a mountain of textured pillows and a chunky knit blanket. Textiles add colour, pattern, and warmth, and when you move, you just roll them up and take them with you. 

“Furniture as Art”

When you can’t paint the walls, you have to get creative with what goes in front of them. I think of furniture and shelves not just as functional pieces, but as opportunities for major style statements.

Instead of a basic bookshelf, hunt for a vintage dresser with great lines and a cool colour. That becomes your art. Use a ladder shelf to create a vertical display of books, plants, and your weird little knick-knacks. 

Your furniture shouldn’t just fill space; it should be the personality. I found an old, rickety wooden chair on the sidewalk, gave it a good sanding and a coat of vibrant blue paint, and now it sits in my corner as a sculptural piece. It doesn’t get sat on much, but it makes me happy every time I see it.

Lighting is Everything 

Every rental apartment in the world seems to come standard with the same dreaded “boob” light fixture in the centre of every room. It casts a harsh, unflattering glow and is generally just… sad.

My solution? Ignore it completely. Well, not completely, but you know what I mean. I’ve become a master of ambient lighting. I scavenge thrift stores for unique table lamps with interesting bases and new shades. 

I string up plug-in wall sconces that don’t require any hardwiring. I have a small army of floor lamps that cast a warm, cozy light from every corner. By the time I’m done, I often forget the overhead light even exists. Creating pools of light around a room makes it feel instantly more intimate, cozy, and designed.

Greenery

I’m not just saying this because it’s what everyone says. I’m saying this as a former plant serial killer who has finally seen the light. A room without a plant is like a cake without frosting—it’s fine, but it’s missing the best part.

You don’t need a jungle. Start with something forgiving, like a snake plant or a pothos that thrives on neglect. A little bit of green life on a shelf or in a macramé hanger (hung from a removable hook, of course) breathes instant vitality into a space. It’s a living, growing thing in a room of static objects, and it makes all the difference. Plus, if you kill it, it’s a lot cheaper to replace than a new sofa.

Decorating a rental isn’t about permanent changes; it’s about a temporary takeover. It’s about layering your life, your finds, and your personality over a blank canvas, knowing that you can pack it all up and do it again somewhere new. 

Your security deposit will remain untouched, your landlord will remain blissfully unaware, and you’ll get to come home every day to a space that actually feels like you.