Whether you’re moving into halls, renting your first place or kitting out a new bedroom, it can be tricky to make a sparse room feel like home – especially if you’re not able to whip out a paint brush or put holes in the walls! With that in mind, here are seven quick, easy, non-permanent and budget-friendly ways to make a new space feel a little more like home:
1. Choose a comforting palette
No matter what colour the walls or furniture, opting for soft furnishings in a soft palette of biscuit, stone and grey will instantly make the room feel cosier. Add extra blankets and cushions for a bonus touch (and a cup of tea for good measure!)
Balmoral armchair, £750; for a similar throw, try the Whitby check, £60; both John Lewis
2. Opt for organic style with raw materials
Not sure how to warm up an industrial scheme? Add character to a stark or lofty room by choosing furniture and fabrics inspired by organic or raw materials, such as rattan and wood, to help add a natural touch.
For a similar bed, try the Malm, £245; Björnloka Ruta quilt cover with four pillowcases, £20; all Ikea
3. Add layers and texture
Even a barren space can feel like a cosy cabin with layers of soft textures. Crisp white bedlinen, chunky knits and basket weaves are all it takes to transform a bare room to a snuggly hideaway.
Pintuck double bedlinen set, £62; chunky knitted lambswool throw, £50; all Soak & Sleep
4. Display your favourite artworks
Putting up photos of loved ones, cute symbols or favourite sayings immediately adds personality to any room. Can’t drill into the wall? Place large-scale prints or posters in a monochrome frame and lean them against a wall, and peg photos or postcards from a piece of string then hang them over a mirror, headboard or curtain rail.
For similar artworks, try a selection, The Calm Gallery. For similar picture frames, try a selection, Ikea.
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5. Bring the outdoors in
For a fast-track to a more homely space, pop natural foliage on windowsills, shelves or ledges. Mix and match different vases for a thrown-together feel, or opt for simple jam jars for a budget-friendly fix.
Large green geometric lustre vase, £15; grey geometric lustre vase, £10; both BHS
6. Create a cosy glow with lighting
Want to make your room feel warm and cosy? Steer clear of blue-tinted or bright white lights, and opt for hues that add a soft glow instead. Make your lighting work harder by adding an origami pendant shade to an existing bulb, arranging tealights and candles, or hanging fairy lights for instant effect.
Novo dining table with four chairs, £899, DFS.
For a similar pendant, try the origami, £20, George. For similar fairy lights, try the Sunflower, £6.99, Lights4Fun range, Tesco Direct
7. Be smart with storage
Cupboard space a bit lacking? Keep your new room spic and span with DIY storage solutions – stylish baskets, copper bins and an industrial-style unit are a great alternative to a simple chest of drawers. What's more, they're easy to update when you want to switch up your scheme and, best of all, don't need to be secured to a wall.
For a similar shelving unit, try the chrome kitchen rack, £180, The Holding Company. Metal baskets, £12.99 each; felt storage baskets, £7.99 each; all H&M.
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