How can we make our tatty temporary rental feel a bit more cheerful?

[wewearshortshorts]

We need to move out of our property for about six months for renovation work and are renting a flat.

We went for the cheapest we could find. It’s actually fine and will be comfortable enough, but does anyone have any tips on how to make it homely and cheerful? There is a balcony and the rooms are reasonable sizes, but it is quite tatty and bare (unfurnished) and I don’t want us to feel down about not being home over the winter months.

Ds is 9 and dd is 5.

I would put some plants in pots, some twinkly lights, patio furniture (if enough room) on the balcony so that you have a usable space that is also nice to look at from indoors.

Fairy lights! Always fairy lights! Presumably you will put some furniture in it? Soft textured throws and cushions will help.

Plants, pictures, throws, rugs, cushions.

And fairy lights, of course!

Fairy lights and mirrors. Also the rechargeable lights you can put in a corner or other area to make it look cosy. Pretty throws and cushions.

Does anyone have any recommendations for fairy lights. I don’t want a fire hazard, but you can get battery powered ones.

i have seen some cheerful lampshades in Argos, too.

I spent a year in a temporary flat with baby ds, and that was equally bleak.

I replaced the horrible bedroom & sitting room rental curtains, and brought some beautiful quilts, throws and a rug with me from my old house. Added some fairy lights in the bedrooms, a decent sound system and plenty of ds' toys.

It cheered it up and made it feel like home.

You can definitely get battery powered fairly lights and you can get solar powered lights and fairy lights for the balcony.

You could maybe pot up some early flowering spring bulbs with the DC and have them on the balcony?

The youngest’s room is tiny - too small for a normal size single bed. And it’s painted black!

We are going to paint it but it will take a few coats!

I might put up some of those wall stickers, too.

Black is a really harsh colour. I’m surprised that they’ve allowed it to be painted that colour in a rental.

Mind you they probably just didn’t give the lady tentant their deposit back and then rented it out to you without redecorating the room.

Yes - it’s bizarre how anyone could have done it. Maybe it was a photography studio or something like that.

You will need a specialised primer to cover the black before you can use normal paint. Friends tried to cover dark red without primer and had to use 8 costs of emulsion. Fun times 😂

Could you use self adhesive wall paper if allowed? Might be easier if permitted

I've just bought a large photo print from "Pics 2 Posters" and I noticed they had really well priced posters. They can do any photo. You could plaster the place in photos of happy times (be careful how you stick them up - use cupboard doors etc).

See if you can get some nice bright rugs.
It’s an always worth looking on Facebook marketplace for this kind of stuff, there’s often random treasures to be had.

When DD moved into a rental at university, one walls in each room was painted black. They hated it but the landlord wouldn't let them change for some reason. In her room, we put a shelving unit along it, with a big table lamp and hung a picture and weirdly it looked quite nice and cosy.

Some great suggestions from others here. If you're painting the black you can use ceiling paint first then the colour you want when it's dry.

Make sure you get permission from LL to change colour of paint.

In a temporary house at the moment. One thing that makes a surprising difference is a rug from home