I’ve rented homes for most of my adult life and I know how important it is to keep the property in good condition in order to get your deposit back when you choose to move. In fact, I’ve basically repainted the house each time that we’ve moved.
But there’s one thing you can’t easily refresh – the flooring. Whether carpets, laminate or lino, its always a big and expensive job when you have to replace it so I think prevention is the best method here, which is why I’ve come up with a quick and easy DIY project to make your own runner rug.
This can help to protect flooring from wear and tear in high-traffic areas – think hallways, walk-thru living rooms and at the back door in the kitchen. If you’ve covered up the flooring, the rug will take all the impact of walking through these areas and keep your deposit safe!
Plus, it’s a great way to add a dash of personality to your rented home. Alongside curtains, cushions and bedding, adding a rug lets you add a pop of colour or some pattern to the otherwise neutral interior. So you can feel like your home reflects your own style of decor, even without decorating any walls.
I’ve shared this full renter-friendly DIY project on the Do It With Cans tutorial website, where you can find lots more inspiration for upcycling and decorating. All the projects use craft and DIY materials that can be bought in cans, as metal is endlessly recyclable and therefore a more sustainable way of upcycling.
Be sure to check out my step-by-step guide on How to DIY a Custom Runner Rug to Protect Flooring if you want to create this project yourself. All you need is a jute or signal rug that you’d like to upcycle – the best part is that you can use an old secondhand rug and paint over any marks to cover up stains.
By the way, in the photos of my living room above, you can see another of my projects – how to upholster a padded topper to convert a coffee table into a footstool. Another added bonus is that if the design you stencil onto your rug becomes scuffed in the future, you can easily bring it back to new with a quick refresh with spray paint – or completely change the colourway to match when you get new soft furnishings or move house.
Please let me know in the comments below if you have a go at making this runner rug for yourself, and I’d love to hear what shapes or designs you decide to go for (there are many ideas in my Do It With Cans tutorial). Also, I’d love to see photos of your creations so please do tag me in your snaps on Instagram @Cassiefairy.
Pin it for later
