It’s always exciting to move into a new space. As soon as you tour the new apartment you start imagining how your furniture and decorations might look inside. Apartment decorating is one of the most exciting parts of the moving process! The couch over there, the table there, you could hang that favorite painting over the couch – hold on – there are more factors to consider when you are decorating a property you are renting. If you put that chair by the front door will it scuff the wall? And how will you hang the painting without a hammer and nails? Have no fear. We are here to put your decorating stress to rest. Here are some foolproof ways to get the look you want without losing your deposit.

Apartment Decorating with Command Hooks and Strips

Just because you can’t cause any damage to the walls your renting doesn’t mean you can’t hang anything on them. You can fasten command strips directly to the back of canvases or frames and secure them to the wall just by pressing it into place. With certain command hooks you can hang a canvas or frame from a single hook—just stick one hook to the wall, attach a string to the back of your wall décor, and place the string onto the command hook. If you have Beware—always read and follow the instructions on the command hooks and strips that you use, if used incorrectly, these hooks and strips can still damage the walls.

Scuff-Proof Apartment Décor

If you have dining chairs that often get pushed back into walls or wall hangings that shake and bang any time a door closes, you might want to consider putting some sort of a buffer between those furniture items and your walls. We recommend the round furniture pads that are usually attached to the bottom of chair legs. Stick these to the bottom corners of your frames, the trouble areas of your chairs or tables. Put them on the back of your entertainment unit and anything else that sits up against the wall and is likely to scuff it up.

Avoid Wall Hangings in Apartment Decorating

Sometimes the best way to deal with a problem is to avoid it. Now, we’re not suggesting you forget apartment decorating entirely, merely suggesting that you can have a stylish apartment without a single wall hanging. Wall hangings often keep an apartment from looking bare or unbalanced, as the majority of the furniture is fairly low to the ground. Instead of turning to wall hangings for balance as so many have, try using taller furniture items so that your walls don’t feel so bare. Tall bookshelves and entertainment centers are common and take up a lot of wall space. Standing lamps can take up more vertical space than table lamps. Rather than hanging a mirror on the wall, you can prop it up on your dresser (using furniture pads of course) or purchase a full-length standing mirror for a little-added character. Tall indoor plants can also help balance things out, especially when placed on a dresser or shelving unit.

Getting Every Detail Right

Sometimes all you need to draw attention away from a bare wall are the perfect details that you use to decorate the rest of your apartment. Use colorful plants and throw pillows to offset the neutral walls, or go bolder and buy a brightly colored couch or chair. Alternatively, lean into the minimalistic style that covets bare walls and open spaces. Use furniture with clean lines and almost no color. Keep surfaces clear and clutter to an absolute minimum. Your blank walls will look like the choice of an interior design natural, instead of a landlord or landlady’s requirement.

Stage Your San Antonio Home for Sale

If you are looking to sell your home, consider using a professional staging company to help your home sell faster and for more money. Keyrenter San Antonio Property Management and Marshall Real Estate use Sold by Design to ensure that their clients’ properties are well-decorated. Professional staging companies know exactly what to do to show off your space and make sure it sells for a good price.