How Katherine Ormerod Learned To Create A Home That Moves With You

Some people see renting as an interiors nightmare - blank walls, beige carpets, and a strict don’t you dare drill a hole in that wall policy. Katherine Ormerod sees it as a creative challenge. The journalist-turned-home expert has spent years proving that you can make a rental feel like home, without sacrificing style or your deposit. In fact, she wrote the book on it - literally.

Katherine's journey is one many urban dwellers can relate to. With multiple moves under her belt, she's become adept at the bittersweet process of enhancing a space, only to dismantle her creations when the lease ends. But rather than viewing these transitions as setbacks, she embraces them as opportunities to reimagine and recreate her environment. Not Your Forever Home is her guide to decorating with the limitations of renting, rather than fighting against them. And she should know - Katherine has moved house a lot. Each time, she’s mustered the willpower to undo her painstakingly curated interiors, pack up her triumphs, and start again from scratch. But instead of viewing that as a hassle, she’s turned it into an art form.

Katherine’s home philosophy is simple: just because a space isn’t permanent, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t feel like you. Whether it’s through colour, texture, or clever hacks, she’s found ways to inject personality into even the most uninspiring spaces.

Her style? A chic mix of high and low, where design classics sit effortlessly alongside thrifted treasures and eBay finds. Her current West London rental is an eclectic blend of deep, earthy hues, plush textures (green corduroy sofas and bouclé cushions, anyone?), and whimsical touches straight out of a Wes Anderson film.

“I love shades with an earthiness to them,” she says, leaning into rich pigments and soft, painterly palettes. Even in a temporary space, she refuses to let magnolia walls win.

For renters, big transformations often come down to the little details - and Katherine is the queen of them. She’s mastered the art of removable wallpaper, perfected the ‘peel-and-stick’ revolution, and even applied 420 vinyl tile stickers to her bathroom walls. A labour of love? Absolutely. Worth it? One hundred percent.

Her book is packed with rental-friendly projects that take a space from forgettable to fabulous - think sewing café-style curtains, swapping out boring light fixtures, and elevating flat-pack furniture. But it’s not just about the aesthetics. She also dives into the emotional side of renting - the frustration, the fleeting sense of home, and how to make peace with a space that won’t be yours forever.

Packing up a home that you’ve poured your heart into isn’t easy. But Katherine proves that style, comfort, and personality don’t have to be tied to one postcode. With every move, she’s found ways to take her design ethos with her - turning yet another temporary space into something beautiful.

Her approach is a game-changer for renters everywhere: a reminder that home isn’t about how long you stay- it’s about how you make it your own.

Want more inspiration? Follow her on Instagram @katherine_ormerod and check out Not Your Forever Home for all the renter-friendly interiors hacks you never knew you needed.