Most of us expats live in rented homes, and most likely they are not decorated to our own tastes. Beijing has its own melting pot of apartment decor, which can be, shall we say, highly original. But I don’t want to live in it.

That aside, you have picked your new home in Beijing and now you need to lie in it; or spruce it up to make it a bit more bearable for the eyes. Here some tricks and ideas to turn your house into a home.

Wall stickers

Easy to put on, and make your room a bit more snazzy. Easy to remove so your landlord will return the deposit (hopefully). Taobao is the place to go for these sticky artistic treasures. Find a map of the world here.

Throw Blanket

A nice throw blanket – I have seen many very interesting couches hunting for homes in Beijing. To cover up some of these thrones you will need a big throw. Get a Latin vibe into your home, and hopefully you can lounge without feeling like a king. Find them here.

Play Tent

Hide away from the pollution in this kid’s tent. A big contender in my book, as I don’t like ugly things in my home, and this will suit well with a “adult” living room. Find several kinds here.

Rug

A cute rug that will burn some energy when those polluted inside days come in the winter. Cheap and easy decorations for the home and kids’ rooms are easy to find online in China, so take advantage! Buy “hip hop skip” rugs here.

Storage

Storage is the most important part of a child’s room. A cute pull along storage bin will do for the small stuff, but for the big toys use a foldable bin. Find them here and here.

Cute Bedding

Make your child a cozy bed they want to jump into and fall asleep in seconds. Or at least try to do this. Bedding makes or breaks a room, and this cute kid’s bedding is a winner. Check out several types here.

Photos: www.taobao.com, www.baopals.com