The Rental Edit - Lachy's Bedroom

Perhaps the most common rental frustration we hear is decorating walls. Most people feel they can't hang art without a permanent fixing, and end up living with blank, boring walls. What would you say if I told you not a single permanent fixing was used in this room?

First, think about the weight of your artwork. In earlier instalments we used lightweight stretched canvases; in Lachy's room we've used smaller, lighter frames with a perspex front instead of glass. Both are perfect rental options because they fix to the wall with removable adhesive strips. Our go-to is Command 3M velcro picture-hanging strips — they can be adjusted if you don't get an even hang first go. Follow the instructions, use the weight-rated size, and always add a couple of extra strips for good measure.

The biggest impact in this room came from removable wallpaper by Pickawall. Without being able to paint a half wall, we ordered a custom print in a Dulux colour (Roland, if you're wondering) and it delivered exactly the look we wanted. It fixes beautifully, peels off without damaging the paint underneath, and can even be reused in another room or home. If a half wall isn't your thing, try a panelled feature wall or a decal — an arch bedhead, or an artwork design.

Another way in is using everyday objects as wall art. The original inspiration for this room was the aqua skateboard deck, with every other item connecting subtly back to it. We mounted it with Deck Dock, which again uses removable adhesive strips and took minutes.

And the easiest trick of all: lean your art. If a large piece gives you anxiety at the thought of hanging it, lean it against the wall — the same works for floor mirrors. For smaller pieces, lean them on a higher surface like a sideboard or console to keep them at eye level.

This one is tough, especially as children's stages and interests change constantly. But it isn't impossible.

If you're in the 'invest well, invest once' camp, select quality artwork that carries through phases. A hero piece that works across multiple iterations of a room is the best value there is. We engaged Melbourne artist Dom Gauci to create a piece for Lachy that does exactly that — the Warhead-inspired 'Sour Power' would look at home in a nursery all the way up to a teenage retreat (honestly, I'd hang it in an adult's room too). Vintage posters are another great example of art that carries a child's room from birth onwards.

If changing things up affordably is more your style, you can't look past affordable art prints. This has been at the heart of norsu since the very beginning. For Lachy's room we chose several standard-sized photographic and graphic prints in pre-made frames, so the art can be swapped whenever the mood strikes. Just choose prints that fit the frames you already own and you're set.