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Military housing and your knack for home decorating don’t have to disagree with each other. You might not notice at first, but there are a couple of decorating benefits from renting a house on base.
Each time you move into military housing, it should be move-out clean and have a neutral color scheme—think beige walls, white trim, and taupe carpeting. These are builder basics, but they’re guaranteed to make your furniture and personal style pop thanks to the agreeable colors.
Take advantage of your clean slate and neutral backdrop with these military housing decorating ideas.
Begin with Paint
If you’re at all contemplating painting, go ahead and get it done ASAP. Two to three years per duty station moves incredibly fast, so you have to get the painting done soon. The hope is to enjoy as many color-filled days as possible.
Before You Move In
After a tough PCS transition, the last thing most of us want to do is paint, but color makes such a difference. It warms sterile walls and instantly defines spaces. Take a hard look at your move-in schedule. Some lucky families time their moves-ins after a couple of days with access to an empty house. You can tackle paint projects in no time if you don’t have to move furniture.
You Never Know What Military Life Will Bring
As much as you plan, you can never know precisely what the military has in store. You may think you can ignore a house full of cream-colored paint for a short time, but what if your PCS unexpectedly extends, or you stay put in the house for a few more years? You’ll wish you’d painted the first week you moved in!
Of course, before you start any paint project, check with the housing management company’s rules for move-out procedures. Some will let you leave the color you added; others require you to paint it back to its original color.
For more military housing decor inspiration, read Personalize Military Housing or Rentals with Easy Decor Ideas.
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Curtain Rehab
If a paint makeover isn’t feasible, there are other ways to add color to customize a cookie-cutter house. Neutrality begs for color statements in prominent places like the windows.
First things first! Remove and store the cheap white plastic blinds. You’ll need to re-hang them right before move-out day. If you’re like many other military families and travel with various curtain sets from previous homes, it's time to dig in and make them work in your new house.
Ideas to repurpose curtains:
- Recreate their look by shortening hems to reach waist-height windowsills. Many dry cleaners offer curtain alteration services if you don’t sew.
- Dye light curtains for a richer color. It's a fast and inexpensive DIY project.
- Add a swath of about one to two feet of contrasting fabric to existing short curtains to create a dramatic look. Make this a no-sew project by using fusible bonding web that permanently glues fabric together with the steam of an iron.
- If you’re responsible for filling in drill or nail holes when you leave, use tension rods in the interior window casings instead of traditional curtain hardware.
If your traveling curtain box doesn’t have a set of bold window coverings, hunt for an inexpensive pair that makes a statement. If you have low ceilings, find a colorful graphic or floral print to hang several inches above the window to extend to the floor to make the room feel bigger. In some rooms, small windows can become a focal point by using one pair of curtains to frame multiple little windows, visually equating them to one large window.
Rugs Can Work Wonders
It’s easy to overlook rugs when living in base housing because rugs can be expensive and challenging to move, or they may be deemed unnecessary if the house has wall-to-wall carpet. But you shouldn’t ignore rugs. They make a significant impact on a neutral space. Don’t worry; you don’t have to spend thousands to get a stylish update. And if your home is newer with high ceilings, a rug acts as an anchor pulling the space together to exude coziness.
Style, Comfort, and Protection
Unless the home is brand new, shampooing can only resurrect so much from cheap military housing-grade carpet. Adding room rugs will put another barrier between your family and another family’s leftover messes. If the carpet happens to be new, area rugs help block harmful chemicals from your family’s skin.
Rugs also add much-needed color and decorating updates if the walls and existing carpet are overwhelmingly beige. Patterns camouflage stains and spills, add visual interest, and give you a couple of extra days between vacuuming sessions. Finally, don’t forget rug pads designed either for carpet-to-carpet protection or as a carpet to hard flooring anti-skid measure.
Add Charming Accessories
Military housing decor disguised as accessories adds charm to a look-alike house inexpensively, and these pieces are easy to pack and unpack often.
- Trade white plastic light switch plates for painted or antique versions. Purchase them inexpensively and change them to complement the room you’re updating.
- Find a way to insert your family’s initials or a monogram. Pillows are a quick way to add your family’s stamp to the house. Comfy couch throw blankets achieve the same effect.
- Removable vinyl has come a long way and can be used in tasteful and creative projects, ranging from shelving inserts to decorations for a child’s room.
- Framed photographs of favorite people or favorite places are musts. These reflect the stories of your family. Group them strategically to form a gallery wall.
- Arrange personal collections wisely and watch how they make an out-of-the-box shelving unit look like a museum display. Mix up family heirlooms and stylish garage sale finds for a style that’s uniquely yours.
- Military families always have a collection of travel treasures they’ve picked up either from personal or PCS travel. Lovingly arrange those items to showcase your globally inspired decor.
- Keep table lamps at the ready to brighten dark rooms and corners. Construction companies often neglect overhead lighting to save money when building military homes on a budget. A quick search on Pinterest or Etsy will reveal hundreds of ways to customize lampshades.
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More Military Housing Decorating Ideas
Boost Your Curb Appeal
Treat your front and back porches as extensions of your house's interior. You shouldn’t have any trouble sourcing pretty outdoor furniture and potted plants to spruce up the space. It's more popular than ever to dress up your outdoor spaces with everything from overhead lighting and water features to outdoor flooring.
Easy and Inexpensive Porch Updates
Porch updates are some of the easiest to execute because they’re mostly likely removable and temporary—the perfect combination for military rental decorating.
1. Always start with a clean slate. The renters before you might have left a dirty porch area, so take the time to sweep cobwebs from each corner and clean glass doors, windows, and light fixtures. Depending on the condition, the housing company might provide power washing; it's worth a phone call!
2. If you have ample space, break it up into multiple seating sections. Separate outdoor rugs will define the areas. They’re easy to clean and store if you won’t use the area in cold months. Create multiple conversation points with pairs of chairs or a small bistro set.
3. Use privacy screens for architectural interest. Base housing isn’t known for privacy, and your backyard might be the prime example. Inexpensive trifold screens are easy to find at big box and home improvement stores, but get creative with outdoor fabric and tension rods. You can also source small, decorative tents designed to mimic an outdoor room with four fabric walls.
4. Embrace the season. Go wild with seasonal decorating! Your space and budget are the only constraints. Holiday trimmings are always available at thrift stores, especially on-base thrift stores. Decorations are often the first items to be donated during a PCS purge!
5. You can never go wrong with ambiance lighting. Outdoor lighting, whether overhead string bulbs or twinkle lights hung on the fence, always injects fun vibes into a gathering. Be a good neighbor, though, and put intense lighting on a timer to dim at bedtime if you enjoy the firefly-like atmosphere each night.
Get more tips for creating your ideal outdoor space.
Working Within Military Housing Limitations
Before you get busy personalizing on-base housing, we recommend a thorough review of your housing lease and even a quick phone call to double-check the rules. After getting the "all clear," take your inspiration and make your temporary military housing your own.
Military housing decorating is ripe for your creativity. At first, lean into the spaces that are most important to you, such as the living or outdoor spaces, and let the ideas flow. You’ll probably find more motivation to improve other areas and really enjoy your time living on base in a personalized home.
By Dawn M. Smith
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