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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Mabel Banfield-Nwachi

From stick-on tiles to bookshelves: nine easy ways to update your rental home on a budget

Small coffee table in front of comfortable corner sofa in autumn colored living room interior
Whether you rent or own, you can (safely) put your stamp on your place. Photograph: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Renting often means living with someone else’s design choices, from magnolia walls and tired carpets to ugly furniture. And the worst part is, you usually can’t do much about it. While social media is full of dreamy interiors and home renovation projects, most renters don’t have the option to knock down walls, retile a bathroom, or even paint without permission.

As someone who’s rented a string of different flats – furnished, unfurnished, shoebox-sized, and occasionally some with questionable landlord DIY – I’ve learned to get creative. Making a place feel like home when you can’t even hang up artwork makes those smaller, temporary changes even more important.

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