What I Rent: I won a £250,000 Sheffield flat – but sold it to rent in London

We’re in London this week (Picture: w8media)

This week, it’s a mash-up of What I Own and What I Rent as we chat to someone who previously owned a property but now rents in West London.

Tara Rodrigues bagged the keys to a £250,000 flat after winning Channel 4’s Big Interiors Battle, but she’s choosing to live in a rented property – for now at least.

The single mum cashed in the Sheffield apartment to be based in London, and while she saves for her forever home has come up with innovative ways to improve her rented space.

Tara’s studio, TR Interiors, pledges to uplift communities with pro bono projects for children in need.

Here’s everything to know about Tara’s property journey so far…

Tell us about yourself…

I’m a passionate, fun-loving creative person. I love reading, drawing and being surrounded by nature. My love for interior design unfolded after I had my kids, which at first I overlooked as my maternal nesting nature until I realised it was much deeper than that.

I had stumbled across the psychological and physiological impact of holistic design, and I wanted to have the same meaningful impact in other people’s homes and commercial spaces. I decided to follow my heart, change careers, and have no regrets.

You won a flat in Big Interiors Battle – how come you are renting?

Tara won an apartment on Channel 4’s Big Interiors Battle (Picture: w8media)

I decided not to move to Sheffield – as a single parent and business owner I rely heavily on my support network all based in London. Saving the money for our forever home, developers bought me out.

What kind of property do you rent?

I live in a flat in West London, built during the Art Deco period around 1930 to 40.

How much do you pay to live here?

I pay £1,750 per month.

What does that include?

That covers my rent only – I pay all bills and council tax on top of that. My monthly bills (gas, electric and water) are roughly £200 and council tax is £120.

What do you get for what you pay?

Tara now lives in West London and loves it (Picture: w8media)

We live in a two-bed flat, in a secure building. We are essentially paying to live in a nice flat in a lovely, safe area with good access to tube lines, the local shopping centre and my kids’ school.

Do you feel like you have a good deal?

When I was looking at flats – l kept saying to my estate agent, “I’ll know when I’ve found the right flat for us – it has to be number 11!” I am a big believer in numerology and this has certainly been a lucky number for me. This flat is great value for money. I looked at over 20 properties around Ealing, some of which were much more expensive and needed a lot of work.

What have you done with your rented place?

I haven’t made any major changes as we only planned to stay here for one year. I’ve done up the girls’ rooms in the styles which they love. I asked them to do pin boards of styles and colours on Pinterest. They couldn’t have been more opposite. My youngest wanted a white minimalistic room – and was not open to any negotiations of a small wall mural of any kind. My eldest daughter basically wanted me to transform our flat into a fully-fledged castle with exuberant carved furniture with no expense spared on gold adornment and opulent drapery. Swags and tails would have been welcomed. Being a designer, I take my client briefs very seriously so I really enjoyed creating fun, practical spaces for both girls incorporating design styles they like.

You’ve added a mural?

She looked at more than20 properties around Ealing (Picture: w8media)

Yes. For the living room, I indulged in a bold and colourful mural by Claire Noble – another contestant on The Big Interiors Battle. I have a playful personality and I need that to be reflected in my home. Wall murals are a fantastic and fun way to stamp your own style on a rental without too much faff when you are ready to move out. A fresh coat of paint and it’s as if it never happened. If you have a kitchen you really don’t like – changing the door knobs and adding tile stickers are cost effective.

What are your top tips for doing up a rental place?

You can find beautiful furniture at a beautiful price. I bought a lot on Facebook marketplace.

I also know a good range of suppliers – shopping around is important. I think one of the biggest mistakes is shopping on impulse, I would advise anyone to have a good look around at what’s available – do a mood board to make sure the scheme sits well together (and avoid any returns) and if available, buy samples first. If you are renting short term like me and want to make small changes to create a high impact – add some really nice lamps and cushions and vases to make your home feel cosy and reflect your own style. And add plants. The benefits of biophilic design are immeasurable.

Have you found it difficult to decorate when renting?

‘We have ample storage space and a small utility room’ (Picture: w8media)

Previously I’ve lived in rentals where I wasn’t even allowed to hang artwork let alone paint the walls. Surviving magnolia was a whole chapter of my life. That proved difficult to create a space that felt energising and cosy, because colour therapy is a real thing. I’m really thankful that I managed to find a flat with great natural light with a good kitchen and bathroom.

What would you like to do that you can’t, and is there a way to get round that?

Carpet is not my first choice for flooring. My solution to get around this is placing lots of nice artwork and decorative vases around the room to draw the eye upwards. Using large or patterned area rugs is another way to cover flooring you don’t like.

What other plans have you got for it?

Hello (Picture: w8media)

I plan to add a fire surround – I’m bidding for a few on eBay. It’s just a quick and easy way to add some architectural detail authentic to the original design era.

What do you love and not love so much about the area?

Overall, I absolutely love the area we live in. It’s a friendly, clean neighbourhood and very accessible to good public transport links plus lots within walking distance. I don’t love how close we are the A40 and the air pollution – house plants are a good remedy for that.

How did you find this property?

I found it on Open Rent.

Do you feel like you have enough space?

We don’t have clothes falling out of cupboards anymore. We have ample storage space and a small utility room which is a saving grace in an average sized flat. I’ve got a washing machine and line in there plus ample shoe storage, so all the unsightly clutter is never on show.

What would you like to have but don’t with this flat?

I’d love off street parking and wish we had a private garden. There’s always a compromise when it comes to rentals.

Are there any problems with the home you have to deal with?

No. So far we’ve been really happy and settled here. My landlord has been amazing and that weighs in heavily when renting, having a responsive landlord certainly goes a long way.

Do you have plans to move again any time soon? What about buying a place?

I’m hoping we can move out of London and buy our ‘forever home’ within the next few years. I don’t see myself renting forever but in terms of affordability, I can afford to rent in an area that I wouldn’t easily afford to buy in so it does have its advantages.

Shall we take a look around?

The living space (Picture: w8media)

Gorgeous (Picture: w8media)

‘My love for interior design unfolded after I had my kids’ (Picture: w8media)

‘Do a mood board to make sure the scheme sits well together’ (Picture: w8media)

Tara has come up with innovative ways to improve her rented space (Picture: w8media)

Pops of green (Picture: w8media)

Top notch coffee table booked (Picture: w8media)

The master bedroom (Picture: w8media)

‘ I absolutely love the area we live in’ (Picture: w8media)

Very roomy (Picture: w8media)

The second bedroom (Picture: w8media)

‘I don’t see myself renting forever’ (Picture: w8media)

(Picture: w8media)

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