Adding color and personality to a rental property can seem daunting when you can’t paint the walls. However, there are plenty of budget-friendly ways to make your blank-slate rental feel like home without picking up a paintbrush. With a little creativity and clever decorating, you can steep your rental in gorgeous color without alterations.
Use Colorful Furniture and Decor
Bring in pops of color with furniture and accessories in vibrant hues. Look for patterned area rugs, pillows, throws, and artwork with bold colors and prints. Choose furniture like couches, chairs, ottomans, and stools in colorful fabrics. Hang curtains in eye-catching colors and prints. Add lamps with colorful shades. Use vases, candles, books, and other accessories in an array of bright hues. Layering colorful decor throughout the space allows you to steep your rental in color.
Use Removable Wallpaper
Removable, peel-and-stick wallpaper allows you to add color and pattern to your walls without permanently altering them. Choose bold prints and colors to make a statement over a bed, dresser, or accent wall. Geometric patterns, floral designs, and abstract prints pack visual interest. There are also textured 3D options to add dimension. When it’s time to move out, the wallpaper peels off easily.
Display Vibrant Artwork
Hang original artwork or quality prints featuring bright colors and fun designs. Group similarly colored or themed pieces together for impact. Search local art fairs, Etsy, and Society6 for affordable finds. Floating shelves are ideal for displaying smaller pieces in a creative way. Choose frame colors that coordinate with your color scheme. Make your own abstract art using bold paint colors on canvas. Rotate pieces seasonally to keep your walls looking fresh.
Use Colorful Area Rugs
Roll out area rugs with colorful patterns or solid bright hues to anchor your space and pull in pops of color. Layer them over wall-to-wall carpeting or hardwood for a customizable look. Choose a rug with a dominant color that complements your overall color scheme. Size it to fill most of your seating area. Layer a patterned rug on top for added interest. Swapping out rugs allows you to easily refresh your space.
Display Vibrant Plants and Flowers
Bring the colors of nature indoors with potted plants and fresh flowers. Choose blooming plants like orchids, African violets, and bromeliads for a burst of color. Succulents come in vibrant shades like pink, purple, red and orange. Cut flowers from the garden or store bring in seasonal hues. Cluster them in bright containers on shelves, counters, and tabletops. Greenery with colorful blooms enlivens your space.
Use Colorful Kitchenware
The kitchen is a great place to interject color in your rental. Use brightly colored dishware like red plates and turquoise bowls. Choose appliances like a retro mint green stand mixer. Display colorful cookware like teal pots and orange utensil crocks on open shelves. Dress up the windows with patterned curtains and valances. Use a tablecloth and placemats featuring vibrant patterns. Kitchenware in a rainbow of hues makes cooking and dining more cheery.
Paint Small Pieces
If your landlord permits, painting furniture, accessory pieces, and decorative objects allows you to add pops of color. Paint vintage furniture, flea market finds, or new unfinished pieces from craft stores. Upcycle thrift store art and mirrors with a fresh coat of paint. Freshen wicker baskets, fabric lampshades, and ceramic knickknacks with spray paint. Painting small decorative items allows you to steep your space in color without altering permanent elements.
Consider Temporary Hanging Decor
Explore temporary wall decor options that allow you to hang colorful pieces without damaging your walls. Self-adhesive hooks hold lightweight decor and remove cleanly. Command strip hooks securely hold heavier items. Decorative washi tape comes in colorful patterns for temporary strips of color. Fabric hung on tension rods adds a bold accent wall. Swags, banners, and pennants hung with fishing lineInject color that you can easily remove later.
Use Vibrant Textiles
Decorative textile accessories like drapes, blankets, tablecloths and pillow covers allow you to weave in pops of color. Choose brightly colored, globally inspired patterns and prints. Display folded blankets and quilts over couches or chairs. Dress up tables with colorful patterned tablecloths. Add lumbar pillows on sofas and beds in coordinating or contrasting hues. Switch them out seasonally for an instant color refresh. Vibrant textiles add warmth, texture and color.
Display Colorful Collections
Group together collectibles and keepsakes in one vibrant color scheme for visual impact. Display all green, blue, or yellow tchotchkes together. Fill a bookcase with bindings in one bold hue. Arrange colorful glassware in built-in cabinets. Gather ribbons, yarn, or fabric scraps by color. Build a LEGO sculpture in one shade. A collection grouped by color makes a coordinated display. Edit and rotate items to keep it fresh.
With a little ingenuity, you can customize a neutral rental space with splashes of vibrant color that reflect your style. Experiment with colorful furnishings, wallpaper, artwork, textiles and decor accessories in hues that make you happy. These inexpensive and temporary tweaks allow you to infuse serious color sans paint. Get creative with bold prints, global patterns, and color blocking to steep your rental in rich, inspiring shades.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I add color to my rental bathroom?
Use a removable wallpaper border, colorful towels and bath mats, shower curtains in vibrant prints, and decorative containers for cotton balls and Q-tips in bright hues. Stick removable vinyl tile over existing floors for an instant color pop.
Where can I find affordable colorful furniture?
Check thrift stores and garage sales, Facebook Marketplace, budget retailers like IKEA and Target, overstock websites, and discount home stores like HomeGoods.
What are quick ways to add color?
Throw pillows, area rugs, blankets, wall art, flowers, and dishes in bright colors make a big visual impact with little commitment.
How do I choose a color palette for a rental?
Consider the size of the space and natural light. Neutrals allow bolder accessory colors to pop. Monochromatic palettes are soothing. Complementary colors contrast nicely.
What are good colorful accessories for rentals?
Wall art, patterned pillows, ceramics, vases, lamps, candles, baskets, planters, small furniture like stools and side tables, and kitchenware like dishes, utensils and appliances.
Conclusion
With creative decorating strategies like wallpaper, textiles, artwork, collections and colorful accents, you can personalize a rental space and surround yourself with uplifting hues. Select pieces you can easily pack up when it’s time to move. Focus on infusing color through inexpensive, temporary furnishings and accessories that make your rental feel fresh, inspiring and uniquely you. By steeping your rental in color, you can create a personalized oasis without ever picking up a paintbrush.
