Clever Décor Ideas
If you’ve decided to rent out the garden cottage on your property, or even if you’ve just had one built to rent out, you may well be looking for décor ideas that will help you to gain a better income from it.
Decorating the interior of a flatlet for someone else is not an easy task; it needs to be both practical and comfortable. We thought we’d share our ideas with you.
Decide if you are going to furnish the cottage yourself or if the tenant will need to bring in their own furniture. A fully furnished flatlet will certainly bring in a little more cash every month.
Colour Palette:
Your colour scheme usually depends on the type and colour of the flooring in the cottage, as well as the fittings and furniture.
Naturally, more modern finishes will allow you to ask for a higher rent, so choose wood, laminate or tiled flooring, but stick to carpets in the bedrooms for a cosier feel.
Light neutral colours on the walls will allow future tenants to add their own character to the cottage while also lightening up the interior and making it look bigger. Choose paint colours that can be bought off the shelf so that future touch-ups will be easy.
Cupboards and Storage:
This is always a challenge in a small cottage.
Built-in cupboards are always best for smaller spaces. If you’ve just had your cottage built, choose floor to ceiling cupboards for maximum storage space. Choose a wood grain or even a melamine finish. Mirror sliding doors also make the space look bigger.
If you already have pine cupboards fitted, paint them white with a textured effect to make the room look both bigger and more up to date.
Fit hooks in the bathrooms for towels, as well as in the kitchen for pots and pans.
Utilise wall space by mounting open shelves in all the rooms, especially the bathroom. You can also use lined wicker baskets as drawers on the shelves.
If there’s no space for a linen cupboard, use a chest at the foot of the bed for that purpose. This can also be used as additional seating.
Fitting medium to large mirrors in living spaces will give the illusion of more space.
Also, put up a few pictures in the living room to liven up the décor which the tenant can even replace with their own. That way, they won’t put up pictures without your knowledge and leave damaged walls when they move out.
Choose a lounge suite in a neutral colour that can be brightened up with scatter cushions and throws. An L-shaped sofa can be very effective in the right space as it isn’t very bulky and can also be divided.
Window Solutions:
Having a tenant on your property shouldn’t mean that either of you need to sacrifice your privacy. Install blinds in the kitchen, bathroom and living areas. Venetian blinds are ideal for kitchens and bathrooms. If you have a sliding door in the living room, vertical blinds will work perfectly.
Roman blinds in the bedroom will create a cosy atmosphere. But if you still prefer the look that curtains add to the décor, fit roller blinds or bamboo blinds as well as curtains to ensure the utmost privacy.
If you’re fitting fabric roller blinds or Roman blinds, choose a fabric just one shade darker than the walls for a sophisticated contrast. You can do this with curtains too.
Contact us for advice on the best blinds to install and we’ll send our professional team to give you a quote.
Spend some time (even a whole night) in the cottage to get a feel for it and decide if you need to change the décor at all to make it more comfortable.