Milton Keynes, UK, 2015-4-14 — /EPR Retail News/ — Over 80 per cent of Irish renters say they’re not saving for a home of their own as renting continues to be increasingly common in Ireland, according to new research carried out by Ireland’s leading general merchandise retailer Argos.
The desire to buy is strong with 54 per cent of Irish renters claiming they want to buy but are trapped in the rental market as they can’t afford a property. However, 28 per cent of respondents said that renting actually suits their lifestyle, a figure that rises to 42 per cent in the over 55’s age bracket.
The new research was revealed ahead of the launch of Argos’ new Spring / Summer Heart of House home and interiors range, at the upcoming Ideal Home Show in Dublin on 17th-19th April 2015.
The new Heart of House collection offers over 1,500 products across furniture, lighting and textiles which are designed to inspire home lovers to have a go at personalising their home.
Making home improvements is a concern for many renters with those researched claiming that they’ve lost deposits when they’ve made changes. 63 per cent say they don’t want to invest time and money personalising a property, whereas on average, people have lost over €700 when making changes.
Melanie Goodchild, Brand Manager for Heart of House, said: “As renting continues to be so prevalent, we wanted to understand more about the challenges faced by people in rental properties to see how we could help. Whether the decision to rent is financial or lifestyle related, there are quick ways that tenants can change a rental property, to make it feel like their own place without risking deposit money”.
Alexei Cowan, Trends Expert at Argos, said: ““If you live in rented accommodation it’s really easy to inject some of your personality and put your own stamp on your place. You don’t have to go smashing down walls or ripping up carpets to make changes to your home. With some well-chosen accessories you can easily, quickly and affordably transform any room. This could be anything from carefully positioned mirrors, or adding splashes of colour with accessories like cushions or photos. If you talk to your landlord, you may even be able to do more.”
Top interior tips from Argos:
Bring light into a room – Painting the walls a light colour such as pale blue will make a room feel brighter, but if you can’t use paint, try using a mirror hung opposite a window to reflect natural light around a room. If you’re after something less permanent, try propping a mirror up against a wall or a mantelpiece.
Organising clutter – If you have shelves groaning under the weight of books then it is time to be ruthless and pass on any items or books you aren’t going to use. Use your shelves to display candles and ornaments instead, and stack remaining books vertically and horizontally, creating little plinths to display your favorite items.
Introduce texture – Most landlords prefer to keep the décor a neutral colour which can be quite bland, so keep the eye entertained by introducing home accessories with different materials and textures. This can range from knitted pods woolen throws to wooden candle holders, and glass ornaments.
Adding colour – A lot of rental properties have a neutral colour palette, but there’s nothing stopping you from adding a burst of your own colour to a property. This can be done by adding colourful throws and patterned cushions to a sofa, or adding a rug to the floor. Remember to stick to a particular colour theme or story to make the look come together.
Style with symmetry – One trick that designers use to make a room hang together is styling with symmetry. So think about buying a pair of statement lamps and sitting them either side of the sofa, you can also create symmetry with pictures or photos.
Avoid blue tack and nails – Nails leave holes and blue tack leaves grease marks which can be awkward to remove when you leave the property. If you’re looking to hang wall art or photos then consider using picture hanging strips which don’t leave marks on walls when they’re removed, or use your fridge door to express yourself by attaching magnets to the back of photos.
Brighten up your bathroom – Bathroom towels, bath mats and shower curtains can transform the look of a bathroom instantly, and can easily be put back to its original state when you leave.
Introduce flexible storage – Think of useful and stylish items that you can take with you wherever you go, such as a kitchen trolley or freestanding bathroom furniture.
Spruce up the garden – Quickly assembled garden furniture can create instant focal points to an outdoor space, such as a bistro set, bench or bird bath.
Irish renters can watch a video full of tips and advice by visiting facebook.com/heartofhouseuk, and browse over 1500 products at www.argos.ie
-ENDS-
About Argos
Argos is Ireland’s leading general merchandise retailer and provides a unique offer of choice and convenience. It sells general merchandise and products for the home from 40 stores in the Republic of Ireland.
Argos opened its first stores in the Republic in January 1996 in Limerick and Dublin; there is now an Argos catalogue in approximately three quarters of all Irish homes. Argos is already one of the largest retail employers in the country with around 1,500 employees. In 2005, Argos launched its Irish website, www.argos.ie, which now has over 20,000 products online.
Argos is part of Home Retail Group, the UK’s leading home and general merchandise retailer.