8 Tips For Decorating a Shared Space With Roommate
Sharing a rental space with a roommate can be exciting. It helps cut down your rental expenses and other living costs and also helps you develop a bond with someone who is your family when away from home. But when decorating a shared space, you and your roommate might not be on the same page in all aspects. For instance, you might want a certain type of furniture, while your roommate might prefer minimum furniture to avoid space clutter. It might lead to unwelcome arguments, which makes decorating a shared space with a roommate a challenging task.
Talking figures, the rental costs have spiked 23% last year and, in the current year, are further up by 2.3%. Observing these tight housing market trends, it seems obvious that you might have to share space with a roommate at some point in life to save on costs. Hence, it is important to get along with your roommates, especially when decorating a shared space. If you opt for a room for rent, form a humble bond with your roommate first. Further, when it comes to decorating your shared space, follow the below-mentioned tips to come back to a place which will feel like a ‘home’ after a tiring day.
Clear Communication and Common Vision
You should aim to find a roommate with whom you can talk openly and always have a clear and honest communication with. Having clear communication sets the base for further happy living. Discuss rental decoration ideas and note them down. Try analyzing these ideas and shortlist those about whom you and your roommate share a common vision. Work on these ideas and explore more creative options to make rental room decoration a fun experience. However, it is important to ensure that you work on ideas that work well for the rental space and respect personal space.
Establish a Budget
Rental space decoration, although with the roommate, will cost you quite a few bucks. Thus, set a budget for rental property decoration. Considering the financial considerations of all your roommates is important, as everyone has different financial capabilities. Also, you might have a restricted budget. Thus, set a clear budget considering your room decoration ideas. If it’s a short lease, don’t invest in expensive rental decorations. Alternatively, you may extend your budget and focus more on making the space look beautiful.
Opt for Neutral Color Palettes and Design
It might tempt you to go all out on your design ideas, especially if you are the longest-present tenant. However, your choice of color palettes and design for the rental space may not be conducive per your roommates. Thus, instead of marching ahead with the ‘it’s all me and my designs’ flag, opt for neutral color palettes and designs for the interior decor. You and your roommate can add intricate details to the space later, giving the space a peculiar personality and depth. But primarily, always opt for neutral color schemes and include more pastels in the decor. Thus, you have more space for alterations.
Give a Personal Touch to the Rental Property
Any living space comes to life only when you add a personal touch to its interiors and exteriors. Thus, you may consider personalizing the space with some personal items, including favorite books, movie collections, vintage collections, etc. Adding all these articles to the rental space and arranging them exquisitely, will add a personal touch to the room. However, when you live in rooms for rent with more than one roommate, everyone adding their collections to the rental space may create a clutter. Thus, what you can do is add limited personal items to the rental space, considering the theme, if any. It will keep the clutter away.
Balance the Symmetry
When decorating a rental space with a roommate, ensure the symmetry of the space doesn’t go out of balance or proportion. For instance, place the right furniture in the right place. Placing a sofa-cum-bed randomly out of nowhere will mess up the symmetry of your space. Similarly, place bookshelves, shoe stands, plants, and other common interior items in an appropriate place, adding to the beauty of your home. Maintaining a symmetrical balance in your rental space will make it a visually appealing, cozy abode.
Invest in Durable Items
Sharing your living space with someone invites heavy use of rental space furnishings. Thus, here, it is important to invest in durable furnishings that last long and look good. For instance, when living with a roommate, you wouldn’t prefer a veneer coffee table as that would not last for more than six months. Thus, it would be better to invest in a real wooden coffee table that will last long and will add aesthetic appeal to your home. Thus, you and your roommate can pool resources and invest in durable items as worthy investments.
Avoid Duplication
Decorate your rental space by optimizing space utilization. If you have roommates who have been living on rent for quite some time, they might have accumulated a few apartment essentials, including a coffee maker, shower curtains, plate sets, etc. These extra pair of items do nothing but clutter your space. Whereas, in a rental space, you usually need just one set of the mentioned items. Thus, you and your roommates may decide to sell, discard, or donate any of such items and avoid item duplication. Optimizing your space, likewise, will make it look spacious and elegant.
Curate a Private Retreat
Although you live with a roommate, having personal space within your rental living arrangements is equally important. Sometimes, coming back to your personal space calms your frayed nerves. Thus, it is important to decorate your rental space respecting personal boundaries of each other. Curate private retreats and add items of personal significance that also go with the overall look and feel of your space. It helps you have a private space that also is in alignment with your rented space.
Conclusion
Thus, when living in rooms for rent with a roommate, decorate the interiors using the mentioned tips. It will make the process interesting and fun and help you know your roommate better. Also, the decor costs are divided, making it more economical. Remember, collaborating on rental living space arrangements makes your home atmosphere welcoming. It will be a rewarding experience to decorate your rental space with a roommate, sharing a common budget and enhancing the space’s visual appeal.
