How to Decorate Your Rental Walls Without Your Landlord Ever Finding Out

One of my favorite activities is watching reruns of “Fixer Upper“. I can only hope that one day, I will have the budget and the time to buy a home and knock out all of its walls just so I can move the front door over a few inches or open up the kitchen to the living room… it’s the dream! Until then, I’ll be over here in Brooklyn renting a tiny (but unique!) space and trying to make the most of it sans any kind of renovation.

But just because you’re renting doesn’t mean you have to throw all of your design dreams out the window—even if you are hoping to get your security deposit back. There are plenty of ways to spice up your space without even drilling any holes into the wall. “Temporary wall decor has come a long way,” says Neelam Gurm of Neelam Interiors. “With many people choosing to rent over purchasing a home, it’s something I think we’re going to continue to see grow and innovate.”

Susan Currie of Susan Currie Design agrees: “By playing with the lighting, colors, textures, and shapes that fill the room, you can drastically change the vibe of your space,” she says. Here, six ideas for revving up the walls of your living room (or bedroom, or kitchen, or bathroom)—all rental-friendly.

“Temporary wallpapers are everywhere these days and allow you to make the space feel substantially different,” says Currie. “It’s a great option for a feature wall or smaller rooms, as it can be a little expensive.”  Her favorite sources: Tempaper, Chasing Paper and Walls Need Love. If you don’t want a pattern, look to papers with a cool texture. The one Currie used in this bedroom has the look of old brick.

I personally love a wallpapered ceiling! Anywhere you can put regular wallpaper, you can use temporary wallpaper—and why not go big, since it’s so easy to take down?

Forget the kid-ish ones that graced your childhood bedroom walls—decals today have gone super upscale. “One of my favorite temporary wall decor ideas is decals,” says Gurm. Decals offer a wallpaper-y look, but are easier to apply in a smaller scale. Gurm used oversized vintage floral decals for her dining area, but you could also go dainty, with a wall full of small decals to mimic the look of paper.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box! “When styling a dorm room, I used paper fans to add color and whimsy,” says Gurm. “I’d seen them used in parties and thought, why not use them as decor in a dorm room or bedroom?” You don’t even need nails to hang them: Gurm uses 3M Command hooks (her favorite secret weapon for temporary decor). 

“Another trend I’m loving right now is hanging baskets as wall decor,” says Gurm.  “They add texture and interest, while offering flexibility conventional art doesn’t. Again, these can easily be hung using 3M Command Hooks.” She particularly loves Anthropologie’s new collection, as well as this Crate & Barrel piece.

“If all else fails, add plants! Even a terrible, outdated bathroom becomes cozy with some greenery,” says Currie. (We agree, obviously.) Tall plants—think fiddle leaf figs or birds of paradise—help take up visual space, so they act like wall decor. She also recommends adding elements such as decorative screens or leaning mirrors that can be visually pleasing without messing up any walls.

If you do decide to put some holes in your wall, Currie recommends having some spackling compound on hand. “It costs $6 for a small container, and it gives you the freedom to put small holes in your walls and fill them before you move out, so the landlord will never know—especially if your apartment walls are a basic white,” says Currie. “You don’t need any special tools; I just use my finger to put a little spackling compound in the hole!”

So don’t let your rental agreement hold you back from living in your dream space now. Your landlord never needs to know—and we promise, we won’t tell.