Renting doesn’t have to mean living in a blank box. White walls. Standard-issue carpet. A light fixture you didn’t choose. If you’re renting in the UK, you’ll know the feeling. When you rent, you often inherit neutrality. And while that can feel limiting, it’s also a blank canvas, you want your space to feel cosy, personal and reflective of your style, but you also want your full deposit back. 

The good news? 

You don’t need paint, power tools or a permanent makeover. 

The simplest, most deposit-friendly way to make a rented room feel like home? 

Art.

Marine life posters on a reclaimed wood wall

Not posters blu-tacked up in a rush. Not temporary décor that feels like it’s waiting to be packed away. But framed, intentional artwork that shifts the mood of a room completely.  

A room feels temporary when nothing in it feels chosen. Hanging some art changes that instantly. It:  

  • Adds warmth without repainting 
  • Creates a focal point in bland spaces 
  • Brings colour and texture into neutral rooms 
  • Makes a rental feel curated rather than occupied 

Three framed prints above a sideboard can turn a flat, white wall into something layered and personal. And the best part?

You take it with you when you move.  

Bringing Nature Indoors: Animal Wall Art

There’s a reason animal artwork feels grounding. A stag in a woodland clearing. A quiet hare among foliage or a fox caught mid-glance. These kinds of vintage naturalist prints bring softness and story into a rental home. Against pale walls and neutral flooring, they add warmth without overwhelming the space. Animal wall art works particularly well in rented rooms because it:  

  • Feels timeless rather than trendy 
  • Pairs beautifully with wood furniture 
  • Softens boxy, standard layouts 
  • Adds character without clutter 

Three framed vintage wildlife prints (a stag, a hare and a fox) hang evenly spaced on a pale cream wall above a mid-century teak sideboard. The sideboard sits on neutral wooden flooring in a rented flat, styled simply with a small potted plant and a record player on top. The frames are light wood with cream mounts, and the overall scene has soft, natural light and a warm, minimalist feel.

Above a mid-century sideboard, a set of three framed wildlife prints creates instant depth. Add a plant and a lamp, and the room feels intentional, not temporary.  

Coastal Calm Without Renovating

Many rentals lack personality. Especially living rooms. Marine and coastal illustrations (lobsters, sardines, botanicals) introduce lightness and charm without needing to touch the walls themselves. 

Two framed vintage-style lobster prints hang side by side on a pale wall above a mid-century teak sideboard in a bright city flat. One lobster is illustrated in deep red tones and the other in blue, creating a subtle coastal feel. The room is styled with a retro desk lamp, potted plants, woven textures and light wooden flooring, giving the space a relaxed, coastal-inspired atmosphere.

A framed lobster print above a console table can shift the mood from “city flat” to “quiet coastal cottage” in seconds. Paired with:  

  • Linen textures 
  • Natural wood tones 
  • Soft evening lighting 

The effect is relaxed and lived-in, without any structural change.  

The Intellectual Corner: Vintage Bird & Botanical Prints

Some spaces call for something softer and more thoughtful. A framed heron beside a stack of books,  A botanical study above a writing desk. It's artwork that feels collected rather than purchased. These pieces create atmosphere, especially in small rental bedrooms or flats where space is limited. 

A framed vintage-style heron print hangs on a pale wall above a small wooden writing desk in a rented flat bedroom. Below the artwork is a neat stack of books with reading glasses on top, a green glass vase of flowers, a brass table lamp, a cup of coffee, and an open book. The scene feels calm and cosy, with soft neutral tones and natural light creating a peaceful writing corner.

They suggest permanence, even when the lease is short. When your surroundings feel layered and considered, you feel more settled within them.  

Adding Colour Without Paint: Fruit & Botanical Sets

Rental kitchens and bedrooms are often the hardest to personalise. Botanical and fruit prints solve that gently. Citrus studies in warm yellows and greens and softly painted peaches.

A small rented flat kitchen with cream cabinets and light wooden flooring features a mid-century wooden dining table and matching chair with a black seat. Above the table, three framed botanical fruit prints (orange, lemon and peach) hang evenly spaced on a white wall. A bowl of citrus fruit sits on the table, and the overall space feels bright, simple and fresh with a subtle vintage touch.

Delicate leaves against cream backgrounds. Hung as a matching trio, they add symmetry and vibrancy without overpowering neutral walls. Colour enters the room, but the walls remain untouched.  

Minimal & Graphic: Clean Lines for Modern Rentals

If your rental leans modern (white walls, simple flooring) bold monochrome prints create impact without clutter. Graphic ski scenes.

A framed black-and-white ski poster titled “Ligne de Pente” hangs on a pale wall in a minimalist city rental flat. Below it sits a light wood sideboard with woven cane doors, styled with a ceramic lamp, stacked books, bowls and dried stems. The room features warm wooden flooring, soft neutral furnishings and natural light from a nearby window, creating a calm, modern atmosphere.

Minimal winter landscapes. Clean typography paired with soft texture. A single large framed print can anchor an otherwise plain room and give it structure. Sometimes restraint feels more permanent than decoration.  

How to Hang Wall Art in a Rental (Without Damaging Walls)

You don’t need nails to create a gallery feel. Use:  

  • Adhesive hanging strips 
  • Lightweight frames 
  • Removable hooks 
  • Leaned frames on furniture where possible 

Always follow weight guidelines, and remove carefully when you leave. 

Well-styled artwork doesn’t make a rental look damaged, it makes it look cared for. And that’s often something landlords appreciate.  

Styling a Rental So It Feels Like Yours

If you want your rented space to feel settled rather than staged:  

  • Go slightly larger than feels safe. Bigger art looks intentional. 
  • Frame everything. It elevates instantly. 
  • Create sets where possible. Triptychs feel designed. 
  • Use warm lighting instead of overhead lights. Art comes alive in softer light. 

A simple coastal-themed corner of a city rental flat with worn wooden floors and slightly textured off-white walls. A mid-century wooden table and chair sit beneath framed botanical fruit prints and a large black-and-white ski poster. A bowl of fruit, a mug, stacked books and a striped tea towel rest on the table, while a potted plant, cardboard moving box and woven basket add to the lived-in, budget rental feel. Natural light streams in through a window, giving the space a warm, relaxed atmosphere.

The combination of framed artwork and gentle lighting does more than furniture ever can.  

A Rental Is Temporary. Your Taste Isn’t.

There’s a difference between occupying a space and belonging in it. You may not own the walls, but you can choose what hangs on them. 

  • A stag above a sideboard.
  • A lobster in a coastal hallway.
  • A heron in a quiet bedroom corner.
  • A trio of citrus studies catching the afternoon light. 

A 2:3 collage featuring four styled interior scenes in a rented city flat. Top left shows a framed stag print hanging above a simple wooden desk with books and a lamp. Top right features a lobster print displayed in a narrow coastal-inspired hallway with a woven basket and soft neutral walls. Bottom left shows a heron print above a cane-front sideboard in a calm bedroom corner with a sofa and table lamp. Bottom right displays three framed citrus botanical prints catching soft afternoon light above a record collection and houseplant. The overall look is warm, minimal and rental-friendly with natural textures and neutral tones.

These are small decisions. But together, they make a rental feel less like somewhere you’re staying… and more like somewhere you’re living. When it’s time to move, they come with you as part of your home’s ever lasting story.