How To Turn A Rental Into A Warm And Inviting Home (+ Decorating Hacks)

hey turn on lights sure turning 10 lights on no matter where we live most of us want a home that is warm and inviting however living in a rental often comes with its own challenges as there are limitations on what we can do to the space in this video i wanted to go over a few principles to make your home warm and inviting regardless if you rent or own the space [Music] before we go further i wanted to quickly go through the five human senses sight touch smell sound and taste while sight is arguably the most important it is also important to touch all the other senses [Music] now let's go through some tips on how to make your home warm and inviting first is lighting good lighting is essential to create a cozy atmosphere while ceiling light is a great way to light up the whole room you should avoid using it as the only source of light as they are often harsh and can cast unflattering shadows [Music] instead try mixing different types of lighting you can use table lamps floor lamps overhead lamps and ambient sliding such as light strips these are all rental friendly solutions that don't require drilling or routing cables [Music] if you own your own home there are unlimited options such as pendant lights chandelier wall sconces and track lighting to name a few another important thing to take note of is hiding temperature a warm temperature is the key to creating cozy atmosphere as a general rule you can use the following illustration when shopping for a light bulb [Music] personally i opted for smart lighting and invested in philips hue bulbs this way i can dim and change the temperature of the lights through my phone remote or smart devices such as google home and lex [Music] a light panel is also great if you want to add a little bit of flair or fun personality bring in natural elements greeneries are a great way to add one to your home they will also add a pop of color and brighten up a space you can choose to go with live plants dried plants or fall greenery a live plant comes with the added benefit of purifying the air and also looks best if kept well dried plants can also be a great option as they tend to cost less and require zero maintenance last don't feel bad about using fake plants but try to stay away from anything that looks too fake use natural materials natural materials such as wood reminds us of nature and brings instant warmth to any home personally i like to incorporate light-colored wood such as oak and birch which gives a nice contrast to black furniture and metals [Music] you can also get creative and at some wooden towns with decor and kitchenware [Music] add texture texture adds depth and helps add coziness to space most rentals came with floor that is planned or just plain ugly placing rocks on your floor will instantly brighten up the room and warms up your feet during the winter months it is also a great way to add personality into a room and create zones of area if you have an open plan space like mine think of it like an artwork for the floor you can also go a step further by having comfortable slippers in your house not only will it keep your feet warm it will also help reduce dirt and dust accumulating around the house especially if you are not used to going barefoot at home you can also add texture with functional decor such as pillows throw blankets and woven baskets not only are they comfortable to the touch they also add a character and an inviting feel to space [Music] hang artwork and mirror empty walls are often the culprit of the lack of homeliness when it comes to artwork there is no right or wrong amount as long as they are intentional a single piece of art or a gallery wall can both look great the only thing you have to watch out is the size relative to the scale of the wall in general aim to fill about 2 3 to 3 4 of your available wall space the same rule applies if you are looking to hang your art above a piece of furniture only this time 2 3 to 3 4 of the length of your furniture when in doubt you can never go wrong with the larger piece but a piece too small will be consumed by an empty wall an oversized work can be very costly so a group of smaller pieces with equal sizes can also work great as a grid you can also go for a gallery wall look with different sizes but try to make it intentional finally treat the group of artworks as one unit and apply the same rule in regards to size the placement is also important aim for eye level somewhere between 56 to 60 inches from the floor when hanging above a piece of furniture give a breathing room of about 4 to 12 inches above the top of the furniture [Music] if you are renting i highly recommend using command picture hanging strips they remove cleanly without any residuals and are velcro based which means that there is room for slight adjustments [Music] besides artwork mirrors are also a great way to break up empty walls while reflecting light and give your room a more spacious feel the same rule of size and placement applies to mirror avoid clutter the phrase tidy house tidy mind has never been more accurate the same exact space with things all over the place will feel more stressful compared to one that is organized take the time to organize and make sure everything has its own place then keeping your house neat will become much easier simply return things to where it belong and do little things daily such as cleaning your countertop and taking out the trash keep your tables tidy inside the drawer or by using cable trunks and organizers you can check out my video on how to reduce visual clutter for an in-depth guide on this topic if you have a tv in your living room consider getting a floor tv stand to get that hanging look without needing to drill any holes fragrance and scent scented candles purpuri and diffusers are great options to keep your house smell amazing simply choose whatever makes your nose happy for more natural scents up for diffuser with essential oils they are compounds extracted from plants which not only smells good but can also boost your mood or help you sleep depending on what aroma you opt for [Music] fragrance oil is a cheaper alternative but have no health benefits as they are often a combination of natural and synthetic components if you live outside the city with fresh air then you may want to consider going natural open up the window and simply let nature do the work [Music] fill with music if you have done everything above but still feel like something is missing it's because we haven't touched on sound imagine your favorite coffee shop a fancy restaurant or the lobby of a nice resort they all have one thing in common a music playing in the background here is an example if i shout off the music in this video it feels empty a decent set of speaker doesn't have to be expensive nowadays there are plenty of choices in the market under 100 that can easily fill a decent sized room [Music] personally i use sono speaker as i enjoy having the same music playing across different rooms if you are surrounded by nature this may not be as crucial as the sound of waves crashing or birds chirping easily make for a good ambiance but a speaker can still make for a good mood booster and a great option to have when entertaining those are the 8 simple ways to make your home warm and inviting if you have any questions please let me know in the comment section below and i'll try my best to answer them thanks for watching and i'll see you in the next one

Channel: Reynard Lowell

Views: 248,265

Keywords: interior design, home decor, decorating, minimalist apartment, how to decorate a rental, how to decorate your room, cozy home, interior design ideas, interior design tips, rental hacks, home decor hacks

Id: GQDs1Pd9Qtk

Length: 10min 45sec (645 seconds)

Published: Mon May 31 2021