If you’re a serial renter like me you’ll probably greet each new home with equal glee and frustration. On one hand you have a lovely blank canvas to make your own, while on the other there's a myriad of restrictions from the landlord or letting agents on just what you can do.

Rules on how the walls must be treated, a lack of built-in storage and a dated kitchen or bathroom suite are common issues, so what can you do to personalise your space without risking your deposit? Back in January I came up with some tips for Fabulous magazine which I hope you'll find helpful whether you're a tenant or an owner – see the magazine cuttings below or check it out online.

I’m really lusting after black furniture at the moment. Just like how a good pair of pointed black stilettos can make an outfit, I think a black piece of furniture can really anchor a room.

For me it is all about balance: to toughen up my love for white and light with a hint of black, but soften its harsh edge with stripped wood and tactile textures like wool and linen.

Of course, the beauty of paint is that you can pick your shade. If jet black feels too much, the look can be softened by using blackboard paint and chalk, or opting for a dark grey like Farrow and Ball’s Railings, or even Down Pipe.

What do you think?

Interiors Porn

From my scrapbook - originally from Elle Decoration I think!

French Larkspur

Other posts you might like:

• Harlequin floor & open shelves
• Feeling moody with dark walls
• Colour stories // hard candy pink

1. Why do unmade beds never look this chic in real life? Loving the reclaimed wood headboard too. Via House Research.

2. Will you be flipping the pan come pancake day on 21st? I’m tempted to try these Rosemary & Walnut Flour Crepes with Wilted Greens, Apples & Squash from Roost. Such a great blog – check it out for delish recipes and mind-blowing styling and photography.

3. I’ve been hunting for a graphic folky style rug and this could be it. Better start saving.

4. Uh oh… another interior obsession. The wonderful website of talented interior stylist Paulina Arcklin transports to places of white and beautiful light. Photos by Tim Collins.

5. Rustic ‘I love you’ ribbon… about as cheesy as I’m prepared to go for Valentines. From The Lonely Heart on Etsy.

6. I’m a bit late to the party but I just discovered the ultimate beauty blog this week. Edited by Emily Weiss, Into the Gloss dives into the beauty stashes of the fashion industry insiders and is really quite addictive for nosey parkers like me.

7. I’ve had the idea for trying savoury biscotti for a while and this recipe for a cheddar and black pepper version from A Cozy Kitchen sounds delish.

8. Are you a fan of white jeans? I never really have, fearing they’re the preserve of super skinny gals but I’m tempted to give them a go for spring. These bargain babies are from Topshop.

My love for Scandinavian interior style is no secret but I appreciate the views of some that it can become a little cold with all that white, grey and black. So what better way to bring things to life than with a splash of neon pink or magenta like the stylish Australian folk at Est magazine have done in this lovely spread. I love how the traditional colour scheme and cosy textures like felt and wool are given an elivening punch with these bright berry shades. Are you a fan of this look?

I was chatting to a friend recently about buying vintage for her home. She is yet to be converted to the joy of decorating with old second-hand stuff – she says it can too often make a home look like a junk shop. Now while I admit that there is a risk of timeworn elegance turning into a tatty mess if you go overboard and don’t choose carefully - I firmly believe that introducing vintage elements brings a certain charm and character to a space that you simply can’t achieve when everything is brand new.

So this post is the first in a series to convince my friend Laura and any other vintage-sceptics about the joy of second-hand treasures – first stop: the kitchen.

Three pieces jump out at me here – the construction sign, the enamel bread bin and the yellow painted chair – all of which look vintage and just perfect for this contemporary industrial style kitchen.

Lovers of modern minimal design may initially look upon decorating with vintage as not for them but I hope this image dispells that notion. The simple addition of this old picture ( I can’t tell if it’s a photograph or painting) gives life and style to what would otherwise be quite a stark and boring space. This shows how modern and vintage can fuse seamlessly and how often the smallest details are the most effective.

Beat-up old furniture, a repurposed butcher’s block and chipped enamelware are at play here to give personality to a plain white room. Few of us are lucky enough to have such a vast kitchen space, but with a lick of white paint each of these elements would easily transform the drabbest of rental kitchens.

A collection is a great start for your first foray into vintage – it gives shopping some focus, which is very useful when presented with heaps of stuff at markets and fairs. Displayed en masse, collections like clocks, mirrors, vases, even a certain type of art – portraiture or flowers for example, look truly stunning.

All images: Housetohome.co.uk

I adore Christmas. I know it’s not even December yet, but I can’t help get excited, especially as we’ve been thinking about the festive season in magazine and blogland for a couple of months already.

I love the excuse to dress up and party, spend time with friends and family, eat tasty food and of course, decorate the house. Don’t worry – I’ve not got the tree up just yet but I have been thinking about colour schemes for when it is acceptible to get the tinsel out.

We only have a few baubles and accessories wrapped up in the cellar from last year, so I’ll be adding to them this year and I like the idea of a natural alpine feel to create a cosy atmosphere. To glam things up a little I may add some hints of silver and gold – inspired by this feature I put together for the party issue of Fabulous magazine on Saturday.

How will you be decorating your pad for the party season?

Bathroom problem 2: Boring walls

If you’re not dealing with yesterday’s issue of a completely tiled bathroom, there’s a lot more flexibility to spruce the room up, even on a tight budget. I say run wild with the walls as the most stylish bathrooms tend to be those that are treated like any other room with favourite finds displayed for you and guests to enjoy.

If, like ours, your bathroom has poor ventilation, condensation may limit what you can display. I’d love to create an art wall but worry that my precious pieces will get damaged by damp. So, until that problem is fixed, my plan is to display a random collection of round mirrors in different sizes and frames.

one; two

If condensation isn’t a concern, your options are endless as the image above demonstrates. How about a collection of postcards arranged around the main mirror? The National Portrait Gallery shop is a great source for iconic snaps and Japanese washi tape is a renters best friend for displaying paper and card without damaging the wall - check out Bodie and Fou for a good selection.

one; two

If you decide to throw caution to the wind and tap nails in the wall, junkshop finds and framed second-hand art are a great way to add interest and character. For those that get dressed in the bathroom, hanging your jewellery from cute hooks or one of those lovely birdcage memo holders is also a nice idea.

Overall, the key to bringing life to bathroom is approaching as you do your other rooms - it really opens up the styling opportunities and shows you don't need to be stuck with a dull and uninspiring space.

Source

Do you have room in your house that is in a serious state? It is a problem I’m sure many tenants are familiar with this as we are just stuck with the landlord's choices, which often leave a lot to be desired.

For us, the worst room is the bathroom. Aside from being tiny and awkwardly shaped, there is a horrible ugly damp and mould issue that the letting agent is dragging their feet to get sorted. It is so frustrating and so horrid that I can’t even bare to show you a photo.

We considered moving but for various reasons have decided to stay put for the time being and continue to pester until the problems are sorted. So, while we are really limited what we can do with the space, I have been looking into temporary decorating ideas we can try to inject some much-needed style. I'll share these with you over a series of posts to help inspire those of you stuck with similarly boring bathrooms.

Bathroom problem 1: Tiled room

Recently, I have noticed many small bathrooms with complete tile covered walls. I get that it creates a practical wet room, yet it feels a little sterile to me and such a wasted decorating opportunity. It means you can’t switch the wall colour if you fancy a change and it is tricky to make your walls look pretty. In this situation – your options are limited to tile stickers or going ahead and drilling holes in the grout to hang things and fill them in when you leave.

one; two

While wall stickers have come a long way from those awful novelty numbers, tile stickers still have some way to go in the style stakes. There are a few nice patterns and baroque style ones around, but by far my favourite is the tile transfers from small Wales based outfit Benporium.

Benporium offers a huge range available to buy online – from my beloved vintage travel posters to Victorian signs, flowers and old style maps. You can also supply your own art to commission a bespoke transfer. They are a fantastic and affordable solution to give life to dull and sterile tiles that can easily be removed when you move out. Result!

Benporium

1 & 4: I'm absolutely loving all the goodies from the new Cox and Cox collection for fall, especially these black wooden stars and rustic linen table cloths.

2. There’s nothing quite like homemade granola. I'm looking forward to trying this olive oil recipe from My Cozy Kitchen.

3. I really enjoyed listening to Holly Becker and Abigail Ahern talk moodboards at the Anthropologie event last weekend. See details and more pics over on Will’s bright blog.

5. I love a well arranged shelf and am now on the hunt for a red home postcard like this one, found via Convoy.

6. A blackboard horse? Um, why the hell not!

7. How I am only just discovering Ash footwear? These boots will be mine.

8. What a  lovely collection of cushions, handmade from vintage fabrics and now in stock at a Pencil Full of Lead.