Rental Growth Is Slowing; Here’s How Design Can Help You Attract & Hold Onto Great Tenants
- wildkindinteriors
- Jul 2
- 5 min read
By Louise Wynne, Founder of WildKind Interiors
If you’ve been relying on rising rents to drive your buy-to-let returns, the latest figures might have made you sit up and take notice.
Rental growth is slowing.
Tenant choice is increasing.
And the days of easy rent increases are (probably) behind us.
That means one thing: it’s time to prioritise tenant retention.
Keeping great tenants in your property for longer doesn’t just save you from void periods, re-letting fees, and late-night maintenance calls. It also gives you more financial stability in a market that’s becoming a little less predictable.
So how does interior design for landlords come into this? Simple. People stay where they feel good. Not where it’s cheapest. Not where it’s whitewashed and generic. Where it feels like home.
You might think by staying bland you’re offending no one and you’ll get more choice, but actually you’re interesting no one and you’ll get less interest in your property. Niche is the word!
Comfort Creates Commitment in Rental Properties
Good design isn’t about scatter cushions and coffee table books (although I do love a bit of interiors styling). It’s about creating spaces that feel warm, safe, considered and functional.
When tenants walk into a home that’s well laid out, with practical storage, welcoming lighting, and thoughtful colour choices, it sends a clear message: you care about their experience.
And if you care, they’re more likely to care too. Tenants are more likely to stay longer, take better care of the property, and treat it like their own.
So how do you create comfort without breaking the bank?
Choose Paint Colours That Work for the Demographic
Swap cold whites and greys for colour. And choose the colour depending on your target demographic.
How do you do this? You need to get specific and you need to create a tenant or guest avatar, and if you’re unsure how to do that, check out our handy PDF, which gives you all the info you need. All you need is a spare couple of hours or so and some quiet time (chance would be a fine thing, eh?)
But seriously, this is a must-do if you want your rental property design to appeal to the right people.
Here are a couple of quick examples.
If I was choosing the decor scheme for a property aimed at an older demographic (50+), I’d use warm tones or soft, muted colours. These are easy to live with and make rooms feel inviting, especially in our cold, northern light.
Comfort starts with how a room feels visually. A warmer tone instantly softens the mood.
If I was designing a space for a young, professional couple or an HMO for students, the colour palette again could be very different. This concept mood board below is one I created for a BTL in Yorkshire, aimed at recent, female graduates. Now that’s specific!
Stop worrying about choosing the ‘wrong’ paint colour. Colour doesn’t have to be loud - it can be soft and muted, welcoming and subtle, and still create a positive emotional connection.
Even if your tenant demographic includes people of all ages, that still doesn’t mean you need to resort to white. Use colour palettes that have broad appeal. You’ll never please everyone, but you can connect with your ideal audience.
Add Layered Lighting
Overhead lighting alone can make a room feel harsh. If your rental property is furnished, include floor or table lamps to add flexibility and atmosphere.
If you’re renovating, consider adding wall lights to boost ambience; just be mindful of placement if the property will be unfurnished. Poorly thought-out electrical layouts can cause furniture headaches later, when a tenant brings their own furniture.
Invest in Quality Over Quantity
This one’s soooo obvious but a sturdy sofa, decent mattress, and blackout curtains go a long way. You don’t need to kit the place out in designer pieces, just avoid the cheapest option every time.
Facebook Marketplace (and similar) could be your friend here. There are often great bargains to pick up. Just as a poorly designed serviced accommodation won’t get return guests if the furniture is uncomfy, you’ll have very unhappy tenants if you don’t think through these basics.
It’s a false economy to buy cheap. And in the long term, you’ll pay for it in voids and churn.
Think About Practical Layout
If you’re furnishing the property, make sure the furniture fits the space, flows well (think walkways and awkward open-plan layouts), and doesn’t block natural light.
A well-laid-out space is easier to live in, and that builds comfort day to day.
Provide Smart Storage Solutions
Comfort is about feeling at ease, and clutter is known to cause stress. Built-in shelves and cupboards, wall hooks, underbed drawers, or even a well-placed bench with storage all help.
As well as storage benches and underbed drawers, there are loads of well-priced coffee tables with storage.
Fix the Basics Promptly
Comfort isn’t all visual. If the boiler’s dodgy, the shower’s weak, or the windows rattle, no amount of soft furnishings will make up for it.
Nothing drives tenants away faster than maintenance that gets ignored. Another totally false economy and one that impacts not just the tenant's experience, but the long-term health of your property too.
Now that we’ve looked at quick wins, let’s move on to the psychology of design, one of my favourite topics…
Design Isn’t Just Visual y’know, It’s Psychological too!
Here’s where it gets interesting.
Design affects mood.
Colour, layout, texture - it all impacts how we feel in a space.
And no one wants to come home to a property that makes them feel cold, claustrophobic, or uninspired. So, what to do?
Use colour cleverly. I know we already touched on this above, but it’s so important it’s worth mentioning twice.
Think outside the box and use clever zoning, like a clear dining nook or a desk space for WFH. I recently staged for sale a 2 bedroom apartment with an odd landing. We turned it into a cool study area with lounge chair and bingo, the space suddenly made sense!
Open-plan isn’t always better either. Well-zoned spaces feel more usable and easier to live in. Tenants want their home to work. A layout that considers the flow of movement, natural light, and furniture placement reduces frustration and stress.
Tenants Feel More Comfortable When They Feel in Control
Comfort also comes from autonomy. Give tenants options to shape their space:
Blackout blinds = better sleep
Moveable furniture = personalisation
Clear zones = lifestyle flexibility
And yes, it depends on the size of the property. But even in smaller spaces, these cues make a difference.
Final Thoughts
In a market where tenant choice is growing and rent increases aren’t guaranteed, design isn’t just a ‘nice-to-have’, it’s a strategy.
A well-designed rental doesn’t just look good in the photos. It feels good to live in. And that feeling is what keeps tenants renewing, paying on time, and treating the property with respect.
If you’re holding onto your BTLs for the long haul, now’s the time to make them work harder - by making them feel better.
Need help figuring out where to start?
That’s exactly what we do.
At WildKind Interiors, we help landlords design homes that tenants want to live in - and stay in.
Get in touch to chat about how we can help reduce your voids, boost tenant retention, and make your property portfolio stand out.
Louise Wynne has been designing, styling and installing showhomes since 2006. Combining interior design and styling with her colour psychology expertise, Louise gets to the heart of her clients' requirements.
