A white wall is can be part of a chic, thought-out design scheme. However, moving into a rental with white walls can feel sterile, unfinished, or mostly, not quite yours.  For years, we painted the walls in EVERY rental we lived in. It just didn’t feel like home until there was color on the walls. To be upfront, my husband was less than thrilled about the constant painting. The time, the cost, the painting them back when we moved out, to him it felt unnecessary. It was a testament of his love for me that he tackled painting in rental after rental.  In our more recent rentals, painting hasn’t been possible. I had to get creative to make it feel like ours.

Whether it’s the cost, the amount of work, or the terms of your lease, painting isn’t always an option. Oversized wall art is a beautiful way to fill the void of color with points of interest that reflect you. Wall art allows you to integrate colors you love and your artistic touch to transform a rental into a home in a very personal way. 

If you’re decorating on a budget, oversized art may actually be more financially appealing over painting an entire rental. While you could spend a significant amount of money on oversized wall hangings, you don’t have to. These art pieces from Making Home Base draw your eye in, they are fun, beautiful and unique. Chances are you didn’t even notice if the wall behind them was painted to not. These could easily be recreated in any color, in any size, and (most importantly) not blow your rental decor budget. Find the instructions for these pieces here.

Another fun option are chalkboards. Chalkboards are versatile, inexpensive, and can really fill a space.  Try and find cheap large framed pieces at yard sales. You will need to get a board sized to go in the frame (if you’re lucky the frame’s backing will be useable).  Leave the frame as it is or paint it. Then paint the wood/backboard with chalkboard paint and pop it into the frame. Voilà! Don’t be afraid to have some fun with your chalkboard. With Rust-oleum Clear ChalkBoard paint you can make your chalkboard ANY color. After you paint it, coat it to have the chalkboard finish. Then you can change your chalk design with the season or stick with one design.

Kids rooms can be a challenge. You may be drawn to create a happy, inspired, bright space, and feel limited by not painting. The chalkboards offer a fun way for kids to personalize the design for their room, mural are also an option to consider. Natalie Martin-Wells Designs has created whimsical wooden wall murals that are interactive pieces of art for children. And they can move with you when your lease is up!

Clothes lines may not tug at your designer heart strings, but when executed well, they can be a fun but functional wall art option.  All you need is a few small nails, some clear fish line, and a few fun clothes pins . You can fill a significant amount of wall space with great impact without risking your security deposit. And your hangings can fluctuate as often as you want.

Large wall hangings offer a solution to incorporating color, character, and interest without the damage, cost, and effort of painting a rental you may be in for a limited amount of time. And of course the the best part is you can pack it up and take it with you when your lease is up.  Home sweet moveable home!

For more tips on how to make your rental sweet rental yours, check out these tips. Show us fun ways you have in brought wall art into your rental space.