If you rent a furnished property than you will governed by what the landlord has included. Hopefully the wall will be painted in plain neutral colours. If they are you can use this to your advantage by putting up some wall art. You should check with the landlord first before banging picture hooks into the walls-some landlords will not allow this and when you leave you may face costly penalties on your deposit return or have to return the walls to their original state. The latter of these is fine as long as the paint colour can be matched! Be careful in older style properties as a single picture hook being gently tapped can often make the plaster fall away. Having it repaired will more than likely be down to you!



It may be easier to transform furnished property into your home by simply adding some throws and cushions. This is an inexpensive and very practical way to not only protect sofas and chairs from becoming marked, it will also give you a sense of home. If the property is dull and dingy ignite some colour by buying patterned throws and adding lots of coloured cushions in different textures and styles.

The flooring can quite simply have rugs put down to cover inherited unsightly marks and bring a sense of cohesion to the room if you coordinate the colours with your new throws and cushions.

Renting an unfurnished property is just a matter of taking your own furniture and placing it the room! The colours of the walls or flooring may not be to your taste or coordinate very well with your furniture, that may be something you will just have to live with.

An effective way to help make a rented property feel like home is to use your own curtains and blinds. Ready made curtains and blinds can be brought at budget prices in all sorts of colours and patterns. Wooden blinds coordinate well with any décor colour.

Of course the great thing about adding all these soft furnishings is that they will not have to be left behind when you move. You can take them with you to give a sense of security and a ‘home from home' feeling.

Psychologically it is important to feel that you have a home. A place to call your own and get away from stressful work life. A place to relax and unwind. Having this sense of ‘home' can make a big difference on your overall health and well being. You may not own the property, you may not like the colour of the décor or the furniture, however by adding your own personal touches can make a big difference to your quality of life. Place your favourite bits and pieces around the room to make you feel secure. So, whatever type of rented property you live in, transform it into your personal living space. As the old saying goes 'There's no place like home'.