How to make a rented space feel like home.
Home can be anywhere, I once asked a friend where is home to her and it was an airport. She felt at home there because it reminded her she was on the way to make new memories and experiences. Home doesn’t just need to be the place you grew up, it has a different meaning for everyone and can constantly change. I recently moved flats and our new one came with way too much furniture but we got a layout to suit us, and I have never felt more at home or comfortable in my room! Below are a few steps that I followed to make our rented place place feel like ours. I’m no expert at all but I hope these tips help you if your struggling to feel comfortable in your house.
If your flat is like mine and came with a lot of furniture, first start with the layout. Have a look round and see if the size of the room is okay to be able to move some furniture. If you have quite a small room the best position for your bed is in a corner, creating a small pathway through you room giving the illusion that it’s bigger. For a larger room place the bed in the middle – creating two sides in your room. Allowing you to make a study side in your room, if you like to work in your room and the other side maybe a wardrobe area or chill out area (if your room is big enough can fit a small sofa or comfy chair). If you need to get rid of some furniture like me, as my room I had about 3 beside tables, no idea why! But I was able to find a spot for one of them in the living room, so if you have flatmates ask them if you can place one or two objects in the communal areas. Or try and fit it in any storage areas you have…
One piece of furniture that is helpful, if it hasn’t came with your flat/house, is a full length mirror that you can lean against a wall or wardrobe helping open the space more (and of course to see your outfits!) If you have a larger room, a big mirror against a wall can brighten your room up greatly and give the illusion that it’s bigger. Another piece of storage that will help make your room feel more comfortable is a rail for your clothes, even if you have a wardrobe, it makes the room more your own when you have a couple pieces of your own clothes showing, and can open the room up a lot more (if you don’t mind a clutter look!)
You will hear in every magazine or blog about how you need natural light… BUT YOU REALLY DO! Natural light improves your mood greatly and it helps me manifest that I will have an amazing day, even when it’s raining. The best layout to bring natural light into your room, is to centre around your window. The window is probably the first thing you see when you walk into a room, so try and frame it. The best way to frame a window is by hanging a plant beside or wrap a fake plant around your window. My room is blessed with a window bench in front, so I have placed some pillows and books on it to grab your attention to the window. If your room is a basement and you don’t get much natural light – the main tip is to bring in warm light instead. So, have one or two lamps if you can and also friary lights around your bed helps a lot at night (fairy lights in a student flat is a must). Always have an alternative type of lights from the main one, as in most rented places it will be a white light which naturally gives off a cold atmosphere. The only time I have the main light on is when I’m cleaning, which is rare!
The next tip and most obvious is plants. Every person I have chatted to has always said you need plants in your room and now I’m telling you. Even if it’s one fake plant, the bursts of green help with your health greatly. As I’m the worse person to trust with plants sadly, so I only own fake plants but they still brighten up my room and improve my mood when the weather is dull. A good tip to decorate your room is to have a hanging plant, either on a desk or if you have high ceilings, hang your plant on top of your wardrobe to brighten up your room.
The last couple tips for making your place more comfortable is these little decoration ideas. If you have stored your books away, have some of them out to help cosy your room. By your beside table, on your desk or window still (which is where I have mine). To help soften your room if you have wooden floors is to have pillows, blankets and rugs around. If your floor is big enough for two rugs, have different ones to bring your own personal touch into the room. If you love a Persian rug pair it with a faux sheep skin rug or cow print, and if you love just a plain one colour rug pair it with a pattern rug – square and circular rugs go very well together. And what every person needs in their room is candles. You have the most homely place at night when you light a couple candles, stick on your warm lights, play some chill music through your laptop or record player and then you sit down to read a book. Welcome home.
I hope these couple of tips have inspired you and given some ideas when it comes to decorating your own place. They are simple and easy but the most effective, and they have helped me make my rented room feel like home.
Tip: ‘Home For Now’ by Joanna Thornhill, is a must read!