About Renter's Nest

Hi, I'm Maya Bennett. Over the last decade I've rented seven different flats and houses across London and the Home Counties — from a tiny studio in Hackney to a Victorian terrace in Surrey — and I've learned a lot about making rented spaces feel like home without losing your deposit in the process.

Renter's Nest started because I kept getting frustrated with home decor advice that assumed you owned your place. Just repaint the walls. Knock through to create an open plan. Install some shelving. Great advice if you own the property. Useless if you rent it.

Everything on this site is written specifically for UK renters. That means UK retailers, UK prices in pounds, UK terms like skirting board and landlord and deposit — and ideas that work within the real constraints of renting. No drilling. No painting. No permanent changes. Nothing that will cost you your deposit when you move out.

What you'll find here

Practical, honest ideas for making rented bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchens and hallways feel genuinely personal — using Command strips, peel-and-stick wallpaper, freestanding furniture, removable tiles and every trick I've picked up over years of renting. Every idea is reversible, landlord-safe and deposit-protected.

I cover everything from no-drill decorating and damage-free styling to budget ideas for renters who want style without overspending, and IKEA hacks that make the most of affordable flat-pack pieces in small spaces.

Why trust this?

Because I've tried most of it myself. I know which Command hooks actually hold, which peel-and-stick wallpaper comes off cleanly and which leaves a sticky mess, and which IKEA pieces are worth the assembly time. This site is the advice I wish I'd had when I moved into my first rental with white walls, beige carpet and absolutely no idea where to start.

Get in touch

Questions, ideas or a decorating win you want to share? Head to the Contact page and drop me a message — I read everything.