Tips for Renters: How to Add Color to Your Home Without Painting the Walls

Having our own place is a dream most of us entertain. We strive and work hard to be able to obtain our own place under the sun-literally and figuratively. While buying a house remains to be the best option, most people are unfortunately stuck in the middle ground between living with our parents and being able to buy their own property. That middle ground is occupied by renters who, in one way or another, have encountered difficulties from restrictive apartment rules.

Renting is not bad per se. In fact, for students, fresh graduates, and young professionals, it is the next best option through which they can practice their real-world skills. Moreover, it is in their apartments where they get to identify their own preferences, especially in the area of home decor. Unfortunately, most renters only have limited opportunities to get the look that they want as most contracts come with highly prohibitive rules, such as not painting the walls. If you are left with a bare-walled apartment in the color that you only half prefer, here are the top three tips through which you can add color without painting the walls.

Hanging Wall Art:
This is an all-encompassing term covering pieces such as sculptures, canvas paintings, prints, posters, photographs, wall plaques, and other unique items. When used properly, these will certainly add dashes of color to any room in the apartment- be it the living room, the bedroom, or the dining room. Choose one type or combine any of these to create the look that you want. Just make sure that the overall design scheme is consistent, and the colors are well coordinated.

Using Curtains:
Another option is to hang floor-to-ceiling curtains on any blank wall to infuse any room with pops of brilliant color. When selecting the color, keep in mind the overall effect you wish to achieve. For example, bold colors such as red or blue could make the room less spacious. On the other hand, light colors such as lemon yellow or mint green could make the room seem brighter and more open. Another important consideration is the location. Although these are very pretty home accents, curtains are usually made of light fabric that could easily catch fire. Thus, make sure that you hang curtains away from lamps, the heater, or the kitchen stove.

Coordinating your Furniture:
Chances are, most apartments come painted with neutral-colored walls. If that is the case for you, then you do not need to hang anything on the wall and instead, focus on the right combination of furniture and accessories to add color to any room. Since the sofa is usually the centerpiece of the living room, why not choose one in your favorite color, then add throw pillows that complement that color. To further heighten the effect, anchor the sofa with a neutral-colored rug to set off the color scheme of the couch. Using other accessories and accent pieces, such as a canvas painting which picks up the color of your furniture, will also emphasize the colors presented.

Go ahead, try our three simple tips for a more colorful life!

Get more tips on home decorating and large wall artwork .