Rental properties can be a bit tough to make your own. You can’t choose the colour of the walls, flooring, tiles, kitchen cabinets etc. But you can do your best to make it a bit different with what you can add. That’s what I have been doing.
Here’s my flat before.
The lounge (taken on my phone, so really poor shots).
And here’s what I have been doing with it. Starting with the lounge. I’ve tried to divide it into a dinning and seating area
The sofa and coffee table are from Made (who I’d love to recommend as the furniture is great and inexpensive but the customer service is dire), the sideboard an Ebay special and rug from Ikea. I like this rug so much I actually have two now, the other is in the house we’ve been renovating.
The pictures are all held up with a product called Command Strips, a kind of velcro for walls which you can peel off later without damaging the plaster (at least I hope so, I have used a considerable number).
I also acquired this useful side table. The top comes off and becomes a tray if you fancy it. I got mine at Jane Newbery in Dulwich.
Then for the dining end. Same room, different angle.
The table is from Crystal Palace Antiques and the chairs I have covered on here already in this post.
And here’s the bench still waiting for me to finish upholstering it, also covered here in an old post.
Bedroom next.
klaus and heidi 
But where did you get the Oscar??
Oh that old thing, just from a little film I made…actually it was something I got from work. There was an end of year awards ceremony and all the winners got plastic oscars. I still have mine.
Love the dining table and chairs, are they hand painted?
Thanks Lewis. Yes, I painted and covered them. There’s a post about it here https://klausandheidi.wordpress.com/2012/09/25/simple-chair-update/
hi, I’ve just read all your blog after I looked up the ikea step stool thingy on google images 🙂 I loved reading it, so much inspiration and since I live in London I will definatly get to the shops you recommended.
Anyway I’m not sure if you’ve solved your stair carpet problem but my parents did this is their house and found it much cheaper to get the carpet cut and rewoven in the factory rather than buying the specialist thin carpet, it came out suprisingly cheap although I would advise against stripes possibly as it looks a bit awkward when it turns the corner.
I think some carpets can’t be cut and rewoven but the people in the shops should know.
They then send your measurements to the factory and it all gets done for you.
P.S I love the colours you’ve used, very brave!