Decorating without hanging?

[milk_maker]

We just moved into a brand new townhouse. We're renting and the landlord intends to sell when we move out. He's basically sitting on the property and waiting for the values to rocket (which they already have). So, since it's brand new and he wants to sell it when we're done with it we aren't allowed to put holes in the wall to hang pictures.

How am I going to decorate our house if I can't hang anything? The off white, neutral walls are screaming at me daily. I had rich, warm colors in my house with pictures hung over furniture and the hall of family pictures. It just feels so sterile here.

Any ideas? I'm so not decor savvy...

[Marlet]

It may look tacky until you get used to but it could put pictures up! Go get some Blue Tac (I think that's the name) and take the pictures out of the frames. Put some Blue Tac on the back and press against the wall. Lame, I know but it's strong stuff and won't leave marks on your pictures or walls. Hope you figure it out! Sorry, I don't have a better idea.

ETA: Maybe get a folding screen picture frame. They look like folding screens but have slots for pictures. You could also get some pretty yarn and some small plastic party favor style clothes pins and pin your pictures (sans the frames ) to the yarn and string them along your walls. Not sure how you could attach the string (maybe with the Blue Tac...you might see it though and it's not the prettiest stuff. ) but I'm sure you could figure it out.

ETAx2: Ok I found the stuff I was talking about. This is the business/commercial version of it (Blue Tac is used a ton in schools...this one is more geared towards construction/gallery type things.) Uhu "b;ue tac" That one is white too so you won't see a chunk of blue on your wall. Hope that helps a bit.

[Mavournin]

There are also little hook things made by 3M (I think) that stick to the wall instead of nail in. But when you want to take them off you pull down on the tab thing and they pop off, leaving no marks on the wall. These worked great while I was still renting.

Or you could be bad and hang stuff up and then fill in the holes later. I've done that many many times.

[HomeBirthMommy]

Maybe contact a local florist for suggestions? I know they're used to decorating churches, etc. for weddings w/o nails, tape, etc. They might have some suggestions.

I love the idea of the photo screen.

[provocativa]

I am a wahm florist. Those 3m hooks and elephant snot (white sticky tack) work great. There is a floral adhesive, Cling, that is way stickier than the blue or white sticky tack, but it can leave marks on walls, etc.

[milk_maker]

We definitely like the idea of a screen to put photos in, but we haven't been able to find one anywhere on the island. I'm going to have to do an internet search and pray that shipping doesn't break us
THanks!

[Elowyn]

The 3m hooks are absolutely wonderful. They stick to any smooth surface, and I haven't had a problem with leaving marks yet. I have some relatively heavy pictures hanging from them, no problems.

[hubris]

What a bummer that you can't put nails in. Would your landlord allow some nails if you promised to spackle and paint before you move out? I guess I'm having trouble understanding why he cares about a few nail holes, when I move into a new place I expect that the previous owners/tenants decorated using nails.

But anyway...a word of warning about the sticky tacky stuff and the 3M hooks. I have had mixed success with each. I used the sticky stuff in college. Sometimes it worked well and sometimes it didn't. When it didn't work well, the problems I had included greasy staining of the wall, greasy stain on my artwork, and stuff that just wouldn't hold posters up. I used the 3M hooks with no problem in my previous home but in this home, it wouldn't come off the walls and ended up tearing the wallboard a little bit and I had to spackle and sand and prime and paint and then find some other solution. I am currently using the 3M velcro-like stuff in my son's room and so far, so good.

[milk_maker]

Originally Posted by funshine

What a bummer that you can't put nails in. Would your landlord allow some nails if you promised to spackle and paint before you move out? I guess I'm having trouble understanding why he cares about a few nail holes, when I move into a new place I expect that the previous owners/tenants decorated using nails.

But anyway...a word of warning about the sticky tacky stuff and the 3M hooks. I have had mixed success with each. I used the sticky stuff in college. Sometimes it worked well and sometimes it didn't. When it didn't work well, the problems I had included greasy staining of the wall, greasy stain on my artwork, and stuff that just wouldn't hold posters up. I used the 3M hooks with no problem in my previous home but in this home, it wouldn't come off the walls and ended up tearing the wallboard a little bit and I had to spackle and sand and prime and paint and then find some other solution. I am currently using the 3M velcro-like stuff in my son's room and so far, so good.

We're living in Hawaii and the place we rented will most likely be worth over a million dollars when we move out...that sounds like a lot...it's actually pretty average for the island : (can't find a tarpaper shack for half a mil). Considering that it's an investment property I can understand where he's coming from.

The tacky stuff won't work for us because we have art...real art that is professionally framed...and it would be destroyed if we were to take it out of the frame. We've got them put in a closet for now...I just hate bare walls you know?

I wish he wasn't such a freak about the holes...but again...I do understand.

[alexisyael]

Art can be propped up against things -- on a fireplace mantle, for example, or on a table. Even just propped up against a wall, if you have the open space for it. (This was kinda big in the interior decorating community awhile back... I'm not sure if it still is, since I don't have TV anymore!)

This is a little bit hazardous if you've got young rambunctious kids, but as long as your art isn't framed in glass, I'd go for it. Even glass framed art can be set against something higher up.

Another neat thing you can do is starch fabric to the walls. There are some articles about it here: http://interiordec.about.com/od/fabricwalls/ Basically, I think the concept is just that you take spray starch and attach the fabric to the wall. Easy peasy. I've never done this, but I have thought about it a lot

Oh, and you can get over the door hooks and hang art or fabric on those!

Good luck! I really hate plain walls, myself

[~Nikki~]

You can get some easels for the artwork. A basic, tripod-style one is pretty cheap at any art store. Or you could attempt to make one yourself, if you're any good at that sort of thing.

[Lisa Lubner]

i LUUUUUUURVE this stuff: http://www.whatisblik.com/sg.html

i would do the leaning thing... pick one or two prime pieces of art and have them over the fireplace or on a shelf or bookshelf or headboard etc...

[Wabi Sabi]

Originally Posted by MomiEilis

i LUUUUUUURVE this stuff: http://www.whatisblik.com/sg.html

i would do the leaning thing... pick one or two prime pieces of art and have them over the fireplace or on a shelf or bookshelf or headboard etc...

OMG- that site is amazing! DH and I are drooling over some of the designs. What a great idea!

[Lisa Lubner]

i just love the space invaders!

[babydoll]

scotch brand hooks or 3m

Scotch brand and 3m make these hooks that have this easy release tape. you pull the tab and it comes right off no mess. You can get a variety of sizes that will hold various weights. YOu could also use nails if they would give you touch up paint.

[Mavournin]

oh those wall stickers are too cool! I love the birds!

[sapphire_chan]

Sewing machine needles make microscopic holes and can holdabout 30lbs.

There's also this.

and also this

[milk_maker]

Originally Posted by sapphire_chan

Sewing machine needles make microscopic holes and can holdabout 30lbs.

There's also this.

and also this

That attach it thing might be just what I'm looking for. I'm going to order some and show them to my landlord. Thank you!

[OnTheBrink]

Would your landlord consider putting up picture rail? It would be about a foot from the ceiling. Then, you hang wires or ribbons from the picture rail (usually attached to hooks) and hang your pictures from that. It's beautiful and can really add a lot to the home.