25 ways to make your rental look and feel like a show home...
Even if your only view is the kebab shop across the road and you've got so used to the mould being there, you've given it a name.
Renting in London is a truly magical experience. Skirtings so grimy they somehow manage to ooze nostalgia, as if whispering tales of the countless residents who came before you and left behind their ‘unique’ mark. Mould creeping through the air, making you feel so wheezy you start wondering if you’ve accidentally smoked an entire pack of Marlboro Reds in your sleep. And let’s not forget the leaky ceiling at 2am—because your neighbour decided it was a good time to ‘unplug’ their washing machine, and now you have a free indoor water feature.
Aside from the charm of really getting up close and personal to your neighbours, the decor really just adds that cherry on the cake when parting with the best part of your hard earned cash.
Work hard, they said. Your time will come…
Hmm. Fat chance of that.
So, rather than sitting in a sterile void, where even the walls are too shy to make eye contact—what if I told you, you could in fact make it a space you actually want to call home!
Lucky for you, after years of sub-par homes—a leaky mobile home, a family-sized tent with a bitey spider (at least it was… spacious), and that warehouse in Mile End my parents nearly kidnapped me from—I’ve picked up enough tips and industry secrets so you don’t have to settle for squalor.
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So the bit you’ve all been waiting for…
The tips that could just well transform your expensive rental into a place you actually want to call home.
White Walls No More! Stick to Removable Wallpaper
Because why settle for beige walls when you can have a stripe feature wall. Removable wallpaper is renter sorcery — slap it on your walls, line your wardrobe, or pop it in weird architectural nooks to distract from the buttery sadness of magnolia paint. Peel off when you move out like the domestic magician you are.Command Hooks: The Renter’s Ride-or-Die
They’re strong enough to hold up your gallery wall or hooks to hang that questionable bag you impulse-bought at the Peckham Car Boot. Best of all, they won’t ruin your walls — or your deposit.
Rugs: Because Your Floor Has Seen Some Things
Got mystery stains? Flaky laminate that crunches when you walk on it? Slap a rug on it and pretend everything’s fine. Real wool rugs = worth it. They’re warm, they last forever, and they scream ‘I’m a functional adult’, even if you’ve had crisps for dinner. Bonus: they also hide the sound of passive-aggressive pacing. LaRedoute do some great ones and currently have some with 40% off too.
Add Personality with Vintage Finds.
A weird little lamp from a Norwich charity shop? Chic. A wobbly coffee table from Facebook Marketplace? Quirky. Your home doesn’t need to match — it needs to have stories. Hunt treasures on eBay, scavenge market towns outside London, or ask your nan if she’s still using that retro glass bowl. (Spoiler: she’s not.)
Image credit: @orior_furniture
Go Big on Plants (Real or Faking It Like the Rest of Us)
Can’t paint the walls? Just leaf it to plants (sorry.) A jungle of greenery instantly makes your rental look lush, intentional, and like you have your life together — even if your bathroom has no window and smells vaguely of damp. If you’re a serial plant killer (guilty), Dunelm has some pretty decent ones that could fool even Monty Don into thinking you’re green fingered.
Layer That Bed Like It’s Hiding Secrets
Mismatched pillows, patterned throws, and enough texture to distract from your haunted mattress situation? Think three cushions: two that say ‘I understand colour theory’ and one that screams ‘I saw this on Pinterest at 2am.’ Add a bedspread or throw to cover the evidence of life’s chaos and, boom: you’ve got yourself a semblance of credibility as an adult.
Opt for Stylish Storage Baskets
Instead of leaving your clutter everywhere, stash it in baskets that double as decor. Tidy up while pretending to be minimalist. Aside from the usual contenders of seagrass and wicker (personally I can’t stand wicker), you can go for some more elevated options such as these.
Curtains: The Underrated MVP of Renter Survival
Got a cupboard full of shame? Awkward under-sink abyss? Landlord left you with a feature shelving unit that looks like it survived a flood? Cover it with a curtain and call it elevated layering. A cheap but lightweight bit of fabric, curtain wire, and some command hooks = instant transformation. It’s not hiding the mess — it’s ‘soft zoning’. I could write an entire article on curtains (and I just might).
Create a Focal Point with Art
Can’t touch the walls? No problem — use art to distract from the things you really can’t fix by placing it against the skirtings and leaning in a pretentious yet intentional way. Large art pieces scream luxury and taste — but they also scream expensive, so if you’re not ready to sell your soul for a statement piece, grab a big wall throw instead. It’s like art, but with extra texture and less commitment.Reignite Your Love for Facebook (Marketplace, Not That Girl You Used To Go To School With’s Oversharing)
Forget Traitors — the real thrill is refreshing Facebook Marketplace every 4 seconds, hoping someone lists a teak sideboard for a tenner that’s ‘collection only’ from Hackney. It’s the closest thing to gambling for interiors nerds — high risk, high reward, and possibly a mild chance of being ghosted by someone named ‘Gary 💥💥.’
Decorate with Books (Even If You Haven’t Read Any Since 2013)
Books are great for adding height, colour, and the illusion of being cultured. Stack them, colour-code them, or place a candle on top and pretend you’re a Scandinavian minimalist who doesn’t secretly binge reality TV. Extra points if it’s a cookbook you’ve never opened.
Image credit: That Cool Living
Keep Things Fresh with Scented Candles or Diffusers (Even If You Cook Fish Indoors)
A good candle can make your flat smell like you don’t live above a chip shop. H&M’s budget diffusers offer strong scents, nice jars, and no need to sell your entire wardrobe on vinted. Ideal for masking Eau de Rental Carpet.
Paint Your Furniture (You’re Not Too Hungover For a Makeover)
Yes, you said you’d paint that sideboard three Sundays ago, but hear me out: one bold colour, one semi-competent paint job, and suddenly you’re the kind of person who says things like ‘it’s giving mid-century modern.’ You might still be in your pyjamas, but your furniture? Glowing.
Add a Pop of Colour (Because Beige Is a Trap)
Throw pillows, rugs, and vases are your rental’s way of screaming ‘I have taste!’ without needing landlord permission. Dunelm and H&M Home have you covered, but for vases that look like they cost way more than they did, hit up &Klevering — and prepare to explain to guests why you have five.
Upgrade Your Lighting
Swap the shades, add a playful lamp, and bask in the glow of your own good taste. No one has to know it cost £12 and is technically meant for a child’s bedroom.Image Credit: Huega Home
Matchy-Matchy is Out, Vibes Are In
Stop trying to make everything coordinate. If it feels good together, it goes. It’s 'chaoscore’ it’s curated, it’s called taste.Swap Out Shower Curtains
In a country that spends 80% of the year trying to remember what the sun looks like (with the exception of this weirdly hot summer), your shower should be a sacred space of solace. So don’t ruin that tranquil moment with an uninspired curtain, give your Herbal Essence moment a bit of love with a thoughtfully considered pop of colour or pattern — because, let’s face it, you deserve a shower that feels like a mini vacation, not a soggy office break.Image Credit: Anthropologie
Marie Kondo the Sh*t Out of Your Wardrobe
Tiny wardrobe? Channel your inner organisation freak and violently maximise every inch. Think slim velvet hangers, shelf dividers, colour-coded sections, and vacuum bags so airtight they could survive a zombie apocalypse. Toss in a few cedar blocks to keep it all smelling like a Scandi spa and you’re golden. A tidy wardrobe = easier outfit choices + fewer meltdowns before work.
Dress Up Your Coffee Table (Not for a Date, But Close)
Your coffee table has been through a lot — sticky takeaway containers, a graveyard of remote controls, and that one time you balanced a wine glass on a coaster and missed. Give it some love: a tray, a diffuser, a couple of chic books, maybe a sad-but-hopeful supermarket flower. Suddenly, it’s not a dumping ground — it’s a curated moment.
Image credit - Pinterest, unknown
Mirrors Make Everything Bigger (And Don’t We Just know it)
Yes, yes, we’ve all heard it — mirrors open up a room. But they really do. They bounce light around like a disco ball of calm, make your space feel twice the size, and give you more angles to question your outfit choices. Scope out how light moves through your flat during the day and place mirrors accordingly. Strategic reflection = peak renter sorcery.
Over-the-Door Hooks Become Hero’s
When every wall is a sacred, untouchable shrine to your deposit, over-the-door hooks are your best friend. Hang coats, bags, towels, tomorrow’s outfit, or that impulse-buy robe you never wear but like to see. Perfect for tiny bathrooms, chaotic bedrooms, or anywhere you just need to hang stuff without risking a passive-aggressive email from your landlord.
Mood Lighting Over Overhead Lighting
Turn off the ‘hospital chic’ ceiling light and use lamps or anything that glows softly enough to make the space look and feel romantic.Matchy-Matchy is Out, Vibes Are In
Stop trying to make everything coordinate. If it feels good together, it goes. It’s chaoscore, it’s curated, it’s called taste.Curate a Pretentious (but Gorgeous) Glassware Collection
Even if your kitchen tiles are cracked and your cutlery is mostly stolen from old housemates, a curated glassware collection adds a weird sense of sophistication. Mismatched vintage glasses from charity shops, cut-crystal numbers from your nan, or a dramatic coupe you only use for squash — it’s all about the illusion. Bonus: when your kitchen is falling apart, at least you’ll look good crying into a beautiful glass.
Image Credit - Pinterest, unkown
Essential Oils: Because Your Flat Deserves to Smell Rich
Forget bargain-bin air fresheners — we’re going full bougie here. My go-to blend shamelessly rips off a very expensive, very aesthetic brand we all pretend we don’t spend too much money on: mandarin, geranium, and bergamot. Just a few drops on a slightly damp shammy, and wipe down your soft furnishings like the domestic goddess you are. It freshens up your space, masks the fact your dog may or may not have rolled in something and tricks visitors into thinking you’ve got your life (and laundry) together.
So give it a go! Let me know what you try via the comments below and hopefully you’ll soon grow to feel like your rental really is your home.