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Posted Feb. 19, 2014

5 No-Paint Postgrad Decorating Tips

You will probably find yourself, like many postgrads, living in private rented accommodation whilst you are studying. There are of course pros and cons to living in private rented accommodation, however the affordability and freedom that it offers you are what makes it so attractive to so many postgrad students.

One of the big downsides of private rented accommodation is that it is difficult to decorate, and therefore you may struggle to turn your rented house into a home . Landlords are usually very strict about things such as painting walls or installing shelves, and the chances are, you will probably be expected to restore any paint jobs or holes in the wall at your own expense when you move out. Fortunately, there are several things that you can do to brighten up your home, without causing any permanent damage.

Masking Tape Masking tape is designed to be peeled off, without causing damage to the paint or wallpaper underneath. These days, it is possible to buy masking tape in a variety of colours, so why not use it to create your own designs. Stick stripes of it to your wall to give the impression of colourful wallpaper, or if you are feeling particularly creative, why not use it to draw a shape or a pattern.

Tape Photo Frames Masking tape can also be used to stick lightweight objects such as photos to the wall. If you are feeling homesick, or just want to relive your favourite night out with your fellow postgrads again and again, stick masking tape around your favourite photos, not only fixing them to the wall, but also looking like a decorative frame at the same time. It is not only a more attractive alternative to sticky tack, it is much less likely to leave a mark behind when you take it off.

Stickers!

We are not talking about childrens stickers of your favourite cartoon characters or sporting stars here, but purposely designed wall stickers. These are designed to be easy to peel off without leaving a residue, and are great if you do not have the time or creativity to make your own designs out of masking tape. Wall stickers come in a variety of shapes and sizes, ranging from small animal shapes, through to trees that will cover most of a wall.

Wallpaper Panels Feature walls are a great way of livening up a room. Whilst your landlord is likely to object to you pasting bold wallpaper on the wall, or painting it in vivid colours, you can create a moveable wallpaper panel that can sit up against your wall. Simply wallpaper a plywood panel, and sit it up against the wall. The panel can be as big or as small as you like. If you spend a lot of time sat at the desk in your bedroom, a panel that sits on the back of it would be perfect for you. If you are trying to decorate your living room, you may want to consider a panel that is floor to ceiling height.

The great thing about wallpaper panels is that you can take them with you when you leave, or if you have friends who have also taken the same approach, you can even swap them with one another and give the room a whole new look and feel.

Paper Streamers If you want something really bold and colourful, adding decoration to just a small part of the room is unlikely to have the impact that you are hoping for. For something that really stands out, and is budget-friendly, try buying paper streamers in a variety of colours, and using masking tape to hang them from the top of the wall.

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