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What is home décor for young renters?

  • Ideas & Inspiration
Jul 24, 2025
Modern living room with TV, PlayStation 5, game controllers, bookshelf décor, indoor plants, and fresh flowers on a wooden table – Beautiful Homes

From college students to young professionals, six people take us inside their homes to reveal what’s on their walls. PS: It’s mostly about indicating individuality, camaraderie and memory

What does home mean when it’s neither in the city you grew up in or with the family who raised you? As young people hop, skip and jump between jobs and milestones, they are also navigating new spaces and the labour of making them feel cozy. When Manasvi Pote, 21, moved to Bengaluru from Mumbai, she realised that her new house needed to embody nostalgia for familiarity.

 

“Home for me is a space where I can be authentically myself, where every object speaks to me,” she says. “I got yellow lights just how my parents preferred in my childhood home. But I also made the house vibrant and cool with vintage cameras and posters of The Weeknd.” The latter, she adds, embodies the evolution in her personality—taking memories of a past home into her adult life.

 

As Gen Z and young millennials create new bases for themselves, they are also unravelling how the décor and mood influence their idea of home. For Bengaluru-based Soumita Halder, having cutesy coffee mugs, scented candles and soft yellow lights wasn’t just a necessity for her and her flatmate, but also a way to make their one bed inviting to friends. “I often cook for people, we play Pictionary and Uno and just sit together for hours doing nothing,” the 21-year-old student says, adding that building a sense of family away from hers is essential.

 

But as students and fresh earners on a shoestring budget, achieving ideal décor isn’t always an easy feat. Halder, for instance, has made peace with not having an IKEA-approved home. “Instead of focusing just on aesthetics, I see how the object makes me feel,” she explains. “I recently picked up an ocean waves lamp from an Instagram shop because that made me feel comforted but I know I can’t get a huge bookshelf because it’s not viable right now.” She usually gravitates to low budget décor pieces from Meesho or finds the odd treasure in a local market. 

In the age of the internet, inspiration and temptation to buy that hot, new piece of furniture continues to swirl around young renters. But economic uncertainty and delayed milestones acutely inform their purchases. Instead of spending a month’s savings on design objects and brand names, they gravitate to creating shrines of their experiences. Think an art wall carrying used flight tickets and coasters from their favourite restaurants, a stray disco ball breaking the monotony of the cream-coloured ceiling, a mirror of affirmations preaching self-love in the bedroom or a fridge full of magnets and sticky notes reminding them they aren’t alone.

Eclectic photo wall with travel-themed art, polaroids, cat illustrations, crochet accents, and colourful mementos – Beautiful Homes
A flurry of postcards, handwritten notes, granny squares and restaurant coasters form Jadhav’s art wall. Photo by Rahul Jadhav

Home décor has soared well past pretty-looking pieces and become about indicating individuality, camaraderie and memory. Below, six young renters across ages, cities and professions give us a glimpse into how they are transforming temporary houses in unfamiliar cities into homes, one magazine cut-out and DIY project at a time. 

Shriya Goyal, 27, Features Writer, Mumbai

“From when I was a kid, I’ve been very attached to elephants, my family home in Surat is filled with elephant toys and artefacts. So in my Mumbai flat too, I have an elephant keychain that brings me comfort. Over the last few years, my flatmate and I have become like sisters. We have a common group of friends who we host once a month. We’ve even planned low seating in the living room to accommodate more people. Our décor is a mix of buys from Amazon and DIY projects. We bought a microwave recently and couldn’t throw the box. So I stitched a pink jacquard cover for it, at least it looks good lying around now. We also have a bunch of artwork that have personal meaning. My flatmate and I made two of the paintings at a workshop while a friend gifted us a woven canvas. We have fit so well into each other’s lives that I can’t imagine living with anyone else now.” 

Modern art display on a dark wooden cabinet with colourful paintings, candles, string art, and décor – Beautiful Homes
Goyal’s artwork carries personal memories, some are made by the flatmates while others are gifts. Photo by Prachi Damle
Cheerful tabletop décor with “My Happy Place” sign, floral lamp, vibrant art, and turtle figurines on a bright cloth – Beautiful Homes
A serial upcycler, Goyal refurbished this lamp by painting colourful flowers on it while the hot pink, jacquard cover holds a microwave box. Photo by Prachi Damle

Rahul Jadhav, 32, Content Publisher, Bengaluru

“For me, home is a place where you come back at the end of a tiring day and feel instantly calm and serene. I have lived in my 2BHK for about three years now, and have filled it with little plants that bring me happiness. They even attract butterflies so sometimes I have my morning coffee with colourful butterflies sitting on my hand. I have a seven feet tall Tabebuia Rosea tree that was just a sapling when I moved. I love that as I evolve, things in the house are growing too. I avoid spending money on décor and instead try to create something myself or with friends. I’ve crocheted a sofa throw and coasters, and made Lino block prints for my wall of memories. I’m a huge Game of Thrones fan so I’ve framed the maps from that fictional universe and hung them up too. I also have two books signed by George R. R. Martin that I’ve displayed very proudly. I may not have a defined aesthetic in my home but it’s an amalgamation of who I am and all the things I love.”

Colourful granny square crochet blanket draped on a modern grey sofa with a red shelf, books, and crochet flowers – Beautiful Homes
As an ardent crocheter, Jadhav made this colourful throw for his sofa and crafted sunflower planters to brighten his space. Photo by Rahul Jadhav
Cozy shelf with a woven lamp, green plants, miniature figurines, and books – Beautiful Homes
Jadhav‘s home embodies his green thumb and his love for kitschy memorabilia. Photo by Rahul Jadhav

Anmol, 24, Associate Producer, Mumbai

“The first time I met my flatmate we had a two-hour-long conversation about everything you needed to know while sharing a house. From finances and personal space to our professions and everyday timings, we were aligned and that’s why our space feels like a home. Big windows were a non-negotiable for both of us. We went to Oshiwara market to buy yellow lights and beautiful lamps. We happened to be obsessed with the colour teal so that became the colour palette of the house, the side table, the floor mirror even our sofa is blue. We got a tiny yellow circular table to contrast the sofa. Even though our rooms are different—she has many posters and lamps, mine is more minimal—we’ve created such a safe space that when we enter each other’s rooms it feels like an extension of the home.”

Vintage dresser décor with colourful bangles, ceramic lamp and personal keepsakes – Beautiful Homes
Anmol’s flatmate continues their shared love for teal with blue curtains and adorns her room with colourful accessories. Photog by Prachi Damle
Three glasses of chai on a rustic yellow table in a cozy living room – Beautiful Homes
The 24-year-old chose a yellow side table to create contrast with her blue sofa and teal colour palette. Photog by Prachi Damle

Manasvi Pote, 21, Journalist, Bengaluru

“Until recently I shared my cozy 1BHK with a flatmate. The fridge became our playground, we had a magnetic planner where we would scribble daily tasks, what we’re craving for dinner or even inside jokes. But now it’s just me and it’s been really special to see the space evolve. I’ve gotten a lot of pieces to make the home mine—there’s a Van Gogh-themed lamp, a black and gold tapestry of the sun and the moon, a vinyl recorder, a Halina Paulette vintage camera, all things I love. I also have six small mirrors on the wall, each with an affirmation so when I look at my reflection, I’m not just reminded of how I look but what I need to hear. My house isn’t Pinterest-perfect but it’s me, in every messy and meaningful way. It reflects my personality—vibrant, cool, loud, a bit artsy and old school.”

Retro-themed media corner featuring a record player, cassette tape, and Bollywood posters – Beautiful Homes
As a writer, culture is integral to Pote’s expression and this is visible in her space through vintage record players, framed letters and magazines. Photo by Manasvi Pote
Eclectic wall décor with celestial tapestry, pop art posters, and a magnet-covered fridge – Beautiful Homes
For Manasvi Pote, home décor is an amalgamation of spiritual calling cards, poppy art work and memory-evoking photographs. Photo by Manasvi Pote

Soumita Halder, 21, Student, Bengaluru

“When I first moved to Bangalore I was staying in a PG and that felt impersonal and disconnected. It was important for me to live in a space I could make mine and with someone who respected my creative side, I got that with my flatmate. We share a 1BHK and are constantly doing DIY projects together whether it’s painting on the wall (pray that we get our security deposit back!) or building a memory nook with Polaroid pictures. We also leave each other sticky notes on the fridge as a reminder that we’re not alone in this city. Luckily, we both love plushies so our house is full of them. We even upcycled glass bottles into vases and placed tabletop mirrors so they reflect light and make the room feel like a soft, fairy tale. These are the little ways in which we make the house special to us while being on a college student budget.” 

Soumita Halder - Beautiful Homes
Soumita Halder, student. Image courtesy, Soumita Halder
Cozy corner décor with dried flowers in glass bottles, a decorative mirror, hand-painted bottle art, plush dog toy, and books – Beautiful Homes
From plushies that remind Halder of home to wine bottles upcycled into vases, the home reflects the decor of college students on a budget. Photo by Soumita Halder

Arunima Joshua, 30, Writer, Mumbai

“I share a 2BHK with my flatmates in Juhu and even though we have different aesthetics, we have our own corners in the living room. They always encourage me to cover the walls in art or do up my wardrobe how I want. I found a disco ball on sale online so we’ve used that as décor as well.

Eclectic wardrobe door adorned with stickers, quotes, and artwork – Beautiful Homes
For Joshua, this art wall is a reflection of the music, movies and pop culture she’s interested in. Photo by Arunima Joshua
Disco-themed house party – Beautiful Homes
Arunima Joshua with her friends at her Mumbai flat. Image courtesy, Arunima Joshua

And I have created art walls around the house, so I stick a silver or white paper as the background and then collage over it with art prints. This could be artist merch from a concert, posters or stickers from Magnetic Fields and other gigs or even postcards from cafés. Our friends often come and stare at the art wall and that is very validating.”

Relaxed modern living corner with a teal sofa, accented with a red striped throw and teal curtains – Beautiful Homes
Shriya Goyal, features writer. Photo by Prachi Damle
Man enjoying an iced drink in a lush green café setting – Beautiful Homes
Rahul Jadhav, content publisher. Image courtesy, Rahul Jadhav
Modern living room with TV, PlayStation 5, game controllers, bookshelf décor, indoor plants, and fresh flowers on a wooden table – Beautiful Homes
Jadhav loves to host his friends for board game nights and Playstation evenings. Photo by Rahul Jadhav
Cozy living room with eclectic wall art, celestial tapestry, and warm ambient lighting – Beautiful Homes
Manasvi Pote, writer. Photo by Manasvi Pote
Young woman enjoying her morning coffee by the balcony window – Beautiful Homes
Anmol, associate producer. Photo by Prachi Damle

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