Tips for brightening up the most basic of properties

Rental agreements can feel like a lengthy list of ‘thou shalt nots’ at times, forbidding everything from pets and bikes to screws and nails, but there are definitely ways to make a place feel like yours even if it isn’t. 

Leaf it to nature

When populating your home with houseplants there’s only one rule: there is no such thing as too many. Standard varieties can be picked up from Sainsbury’s or Tesco for a few pounds but if you’re looking for something more exotic then try the Riverside Garden Centre in Southville or Wild Leaf on Gloucester Road.

Rugs galore

So you’ve got a highly practical, highly gross vinyl flooring throughout your apartment? Whack a great big rug over it and both your eyes and feet will benefit. Pick a patterned one to give your home some life or something neutral as a backdrop for your other decor.

Lighten up

A single spotlight never made anyone’s lounge look good. This is where Gumtree and Facebook marketplace can really shine – keep checking the sites over a few days and you’re bound to come across a secondhand lamp or two. And if you’re clever with the placement of your nearly new mood lighting then you never need flick on that wall switch again!

Caitlin Bowring