You can furnish a rental without asking the drill

The landlord's no is usually about holes, not about taste. Most of what makes a room feel finished does not require a hole.

Floor lamps instead of wall sconces. A leaning mirror instead of a gallery. A bookcase that is safe without being fixed, or one that is designed to be strapped with a removable kit you can take when you leave.

The studio helps you see whether the freestanding version still balances the wall. A blank wall next to a heavy sofa may need the lean of a large frame, not six small nails.

When you do ask to drill, ask for one thing that matters — a rail in the hall, a lamp over the table — and keep the rest independent. Future you, in a different flat, will be grateful.