How to Make a Rental Feel Personal (No Drilling, No Drama)
Want to know how to make a rental feel personal without drilling, painting, or risking your deposit? This Glassette guide focuses on the small, high-impact upgrades that actually work: layered lighting, texture-led textiles, art hung damage-free, and storage that doubles as styling. You’ll find renter-proof tips, common mistakes to avoid, and a calm checklist for making any flat feel considered - not temporary. The goal isn’t a makeover. It’s building a home that feels like you, even if you’re only there for a while.
Step-by-step: the no-drill details that actually make it feel like you
1) Start with lighting - it’s the quickest way to stop it feeling rented
Most rentals fail on one thing: overhead lighting. It’s harsh, unflattering, and makes even good furniture look like a showroom display.
Instead, build three layers of light:
Ambient: a table lamp (warm glow, not spotlight)
Task: a reading light or clip lamp
Accent: candles, a small lamp on a shelf, or a portable light
If you do nothing else, do this. It changes how you feel in the room - and that’s the real point. Glassette has consistently framed lighting as the difference between “flat” and lived-in, especially in smaller spaces: mixing lamps and candles creates warmth and mood without relying on the “big light.” Glassette
Product idea (editorial solution): A colourful candle in a sculptural holder gives you instant atmosphere and a styling anchor for surfaces. Try something like the Stripe Pillar Candle (a small object, big mood). Shop here.
2) Add texture like you mean it (this is where the personality lives)
Paint feels like personality because it’s loud. Texture is more subtle - and it’s what makes spaces feel expensive.
Rental-friendly texture =
a rug that’s bigger than you think you need
a throw with weight (wool, quilted cotton, brushed linen)
mixed cushions (different fabrics, not different slogans)
bed linen that isn’t “hotel white” unless it’s your thing
The point isn’t to hide the rental. It’s to make it feel like there’s a life happening in it.
Glassette’s own styling advice leans heavily on layering textiles - throws, rugs, plush cushions - because texture adds depth without touching the walls. Glassette
3) Make storage look like styling (because it is)
This is the secret renters don’t talk about enough: clutter makes a space feel temporary.
The fix isn’t minimalism. It’s contained abundance.
A basket becomes a landing zone for blankets, shoes, or random life bits
A tray turns “mess” into “still life”
A freestanding shelf becomes your personality wall without drilling
Freestanding storage is one of the most landlord-proof ways to personalise: you gain function and display space without altering anything permanent. Dwello
Product idea: A beautifully made tray - lacquer, ceramic, or rattan - makes everyday objects feel deliberate. Pair it with a matchbox and a candle and you’ve created a small altar to your own taste. Browse Glassette home decoration.
4) Hang things without drilling (and do it properly)
Let’s be honest: renters either avoid hanging art completely, or panic-stick everything to the wall like a Blue Peter episode. There’s a calmer middle ground.
Your options:
Command strips for frames (the cleanest look, easiest remove)
Picture ledges that lean on console tops or shelves
Leaning art: oversized framed prints just sitting casually on the floor or mantel
Removable hooks for lighter pieces and textiles
Command’s own guidance is clear: these systems are designed to hold strongly and remove cleanly when used correctly. The trick is matching strip strength to frame weight and choosing the right surface. command.3m.co.uk
Pro tip: wipe walls first (dust kills adhesive), press for the full recommended time, and don’t hang anything heavy on textured plaster unless the product specifically says it works.
5) Curtains and soft boundaries: the underrated rental upgrade
Curtains change scale. They soften acoustics. They make windows look bigger. And they disguise ugly blinds without touching them.
If you can’t drill:
tension rods (great for inside window frames)
Command hooks + lightweight curtain rods
magnetic rods for metal frames
Even basic curtains in a good fabric will make the whole room feel more intentional - like it belongs to someone who makes choices.
6) Create one “signature moment” per room
A rental feels personal when it has a point of view. Not a theme - a moment.
Examples:
A bedside table with a lamp, book stack, and tiny bowl for jewellery
A sofa corner with a floor lamp, throw, and a slightly eccentric cushion
A kitchen counter with a tray holding salt, olive oil, matches, and a candle
A hallway mirror with a small dish and one vase that makes you smile
This is why Glassette interiors often feel instantly lived-in: they’re layered with small “meaningful objects” that bring warmth and character.
