How to spruce up your rental space

Let’s face it – if you’re renting, you’re probably hesitant to put too many holes in the walls for fear of not getting your damage deposit back, right? So how do you temporarily spruce up an apartment without sacrificing style? Do it with art! In my case, I did it with Rudolph. (He’s become quite the fixture – in my blog posts, and on my wall)!

My husband and I are renting a small apartment on a ski hill, and although we’re renting, I still want the apartment to look inviting. Since we’re not able to do any major structural changes, we do cosmetic ones. Have a look!

We got the “green light” to paint (woohoo!) so we painted all of the walls white to brighten up the space and to make it look more spacious. It’s only 600 square feet.

To spruce up our bedroom, I decided to hang a shiny white resin deer head (Rudolph). Since it’s a mountain retreat, Rudolph fits right in and adds a bit a quirkiness to the room. Although we had to put a hole in the wall, in my opinion it was a strategically well-placed hole, you know, one that helped in adding style.

What I used to hang the deer head

• Measuring tape
• Hang&Level
• DécoHook 
• Low adhesive tape

Directions – How I hung it

1. Measure the wall space above the bed and find the centre. Mark the spot with a piece of low adhesive tape.
2. Sit on the bed and determine the height to hang your piece. Move the tape from #1 to the desired height. (make sure it’s high enough so it doesn’t touch your head when sitting in bed).
3. Use a Déco Hook to fit in the tricky keyhole. The hook can hold up to 20 lbs, which is plenty to securely hold Rudolph (let’s call him R).
4. Use a Hang & Level to mark the exact spot you want to hang R (where your piece of tape should be).
5. Push and twist the hook into place with your fingers. (No tools needed).
6. Hang the head and you’re done!

Décor tip

This is the view from the hallway and as you can see the back wall looks pretty white. To fix that, I added a scarf (more like a headband) to add texture and color – well, grey. I kept a very simple color scheme of greys and whites in the bedroom to create a peaceful retreat. It’s always appreciated especially after a long day on the slopes.

Notice how it changes the look? In the pic above, Rudolph’s neck is bare. In the ones below, he’s warm and toasty – and looking stylish! What do you think?

Since the space is very tiny, we keep the bedroom door open. The funny thing is that as soon as you walk in you can see Rudolph all the way from the front door. It always feels like he greets us every time we step into the apartment. With that in mind, always try to consider how your wall décor looks from a distance.

Tips

• Before hanging your wall décor – make sure the bed is exactly where you want it (you’ll be using its location to place your art).
• If you don’t have a headboard – use art to give the illusion that there’s one. The art becomes the focal point.
• Choose the right hardware – avoid a heavy deer head or anything that could fall on your head in the middle of the night. Don’t use adhesive strips, they’re just not safe enough to hold heavier items.
• If you make the wrong holes – don’t stress out,  just patch them up.

P.S. In the living room, I hung an oversized farmhouse clock, it looks amazing. Check it out right here.

Do you have any tips to help improve a space if you’re renting? Please share in the comment box below, I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for dropping by! Talk soon,

Liette Tousignant

Co-Founder of Under The Roof Decorating