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Home decoration

Renting a house, mixing existing and new furniture - how to make it look ok

6 replies

digitallyremastered · 19/09/2018 22:32

About to rent a house. It is neutrally decorated but I'm taking some existing furniture that I don't love and buying some new by necessity. The problem is that things I already have won't match the things I would buy new! So how do i make it look ok?? So for example, I have an oak dining table but wouldn't want to buy plain wood for the living room furniture and it's all open plan. Meanwhile the bedrooms have fitted wardrobes but if i buy a bed and bedside cabinets now, how will I ensure matching wardrobes in any future house I buy?!
And any tips on making a rental look good??

OP posts:
AjasLipstick · 19/09/2018 22:48

Can you look on Pinterest for rooms with decor that you love and share here?

It's hard to advise without knowing what sort of style you like. I personally like an eclectic/bohemian style...more vintage and mismatched so the concept of worrying about future wardrobes matching my bedside cabinet is a bit foreign to me. Grin

digitallyremastered · 20/09/2018 09:17

I can see how thta works with vintage but I want the main materials in the furniture to match I guess. Or maybe that doesn't matter.

Perhaps I just have to distract with great accessories?

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dinkydonky · 20/09/2018 10:36

I think the trick is to go for things that complement each other, rather than trying to match. So if you currently have white painted fitted wardrobes, but might want to buy wooden freestanding ones for a future house, you could get a metal bed, or a white bed, or a fabric bed. You can always paint things like bedside tables. Or you can buy things in a common wood that is fairly easy to match, colour-wise. An oak dining table would contrast nicely with a glass coffee table/TV unit if you don't want wooden ones. Or you could paint the table (or just the top or legs) if you want everything to be painted wood.

I also think it's fine for different "areas" of open-plan to be slightly different styles - eg wooden dining table and chairs, modern minimalist sofa and a sleek TV unit, coffee table, modern rug etc. Happy to try and give more specific suggestions if you let us know what you like/want!

Also in my experience as long as I buy things I really love (rather than because they "go" with what I already have, it somehow all ends up looking good together (with the caveat that I wouldn't buy something that would totally clash!)

digitallyremastered · 20/09/2018 19:35

Thanks dinky! I love marble top coffee tables but it will be nearish the oak dining table...it would be so much easier to just buy everything from scratch for a long term house!

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dinkydonky · 24/09/2018 13:46

I think that would look great! A nice contrast. Perhaps look for a marble-topped coffee table with oak legs (or legs in a similar wood) to tie the look together? I honestly think homes look much nicer with a mix of textures/materials - everything matching perfectly can look a bit one-dimensional. And it's much easier to mix and match different materials and still make it look 'intentional'.

digitallyremastered · 24/09/2018 18:22

Think in the bedroom I'll go with white painted furniture as then I can always add other items from elsewhere as it's easier to match things in.

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