It's possible to have a beautiful apartment, studio, or house without major renovations. Showcase your personal style with rental decor that is landlord-friendly.
You just signed a lease on an adorable rental in a great location. Now, it's time to make your new place feel like home. When it comes to decorating, it's important to know and respect the landlord's rules. Even if you're not allowed to paint, there are plenty of other ways to make this space your own. We've pulled out all the stops to give you decorating tips and tricks that will make your rental feel like home sweet home.
Your rental might come with standard, flimsy window blinds, but that doesn't mean you have to live with them. Replace them with Roman shades or wooden blinds for a look that is both functional and decorative. Hang these in addition to curtains and you'll have a layered look that adds dimension to your home.
Area rugs can cure a multitude of decorative ills like outdated carpet and laminate. When fighting the monotone, neutral look of a rental home, a patterned, textured, or colorful area rug really helps lay down the law of your personal style. Rugs also help ground your design scheme, warm up tile and hardwood, and add depth to your decor.
If your home lacks natural light or proper overhead lighting, it's easy to supplement with lamps. Use floor and table lamps to bring quality lighting into your space. Task lighting works well in focused spaces like a desk or office area. Accent lighting helps warm up corners and hallways.
If you want to change the look of your furniture in a cinch, but don't have the funds for all new furniture or upholstery, slipcovers are your best friends. Not only do slipcovers offer an easy way to change your look, but they also come in varying textures and designs. Additionally, slipcovers make it easy to keep your furniture clean.
Whether your rental comes with plenty of outdoor space or a zero lot line, plants are a decorating essential. Indoors, they automatically make your home feel more alive, and research shows that indoor plants can significantly improve mood and mental health. Be sure to choose plants that are known for thriving indoors, such as succulents and ferns. If you don't have floor space to spare, display your houseplants in hanging planters where they'll get enough light or cluster them on surfaces like tabletops and shelves.
If you're trying to improve the lighting in your rental home, metallic details can perk up your space and add some shine. The metallics in your home don't have to be the main act. Small details like metallic picture frames and planters are enough to reflect light and add new dimension. If your style leans more toward glam, don't be afraid of larger metallic pieces like coffee tables and shelves.
Don't let clutter get in the way of a well-decorated rental. Small things like shoes, mail, books, and coats can easily pile up and disturb the harmony you've worked so hard to create. Combat possible messes with practical and stylish home storage. Storage essentials typically include coat racks or coat hooks, shoe organizers, mail storage, and shelving. Choose storage that complements your decor so it blends seamlessly.
While decorating with neutrals can be a beautiful thing, a pop of color is an undeniably cheerful way to warm up a cold space. Whether you love neon, earth tones, or jewel tones, using color in some way will add interest to your decor. Choose throw pillows, curtains, and wall decor in the accent color of your choice.
Your living room sets the tone for the rest of your home. Since you likely spend most of your time in this area of the home, it's important for the space to reflect your style and feel welcoming not just to guests, but to you as well. When getting into the details of living room decor, break up your efforts into four basic chunks: floors, lighting, walls, and accessories. This way you can lay a great foundation, and then add details over time.
.....break up your efforts into larger chunks, and handle the floor, lighting, walls, and accessories.
Gallery walls are dynamic and outspoken, making for a great focal point in your living room. In place of wallpaper or paint, cluster your favorite photographs and prints to showcase your style. Don't be afraid of mix-and-match wall hangings, floating shelves, and hanging planters for an eclectic look. For an easy and chic design, choose uniform frames or frames in a specific color scheme. Don't forget to use no-damage wall strips so you can avoid holes and peeling paint.
An inviting living room starts with a beautiful base. An area rug will help you cover existing flooring and reduce noise, and it will brighten up your living room with patterns, colors, and textures. Decorating with an area rug should go beyond covering things up. It should also be a conscious statement that helps the rest of your living room decor take root. This is also a great solution for insulating hardwood and tile floors. Your living room rug can also set the stage for coordinating your curtains and throw pillows.
When your living room calls for extra lighting, a floor lamp is a discreet option that makes a world of difference. In a small space, a classic floor lamp takes up little room and still provides plenty of light. If your budget has more wiggle room, opt for an arc floor lamp that makes a statement and can stand in for inadequate overhead lighting.
Decorating a rental is all about finding opportunities to add personality and accents with both practical and decorative items. Use throw pillows to add color and intrigue to neutral furniture. Use your area rug as a guide when choosing colors and patterns for your throw pillows, or look for graphic throw pillows with favorite sayings and prints.
When heavy renovations aren't possible, you can still create a sanctuary by using symmetry, playing up patterns, and giving the illusion of a larger space.
Coziness is key in your bedroom. It's the place where you wind down and relax, so make it inviting. When heavy renovations aren't possible, you can still create a sanctuary by using symmetry, playing up patterns, and giving the illusion of a larger space.
You might be battling a small space, neutral walls, or both in a rental. No matter which decor challenges you may face, an accent headboard provides a focal point in your bedroom, helping to maintain balance in your bedroom design. Tufted and upholstered headboards give a glam look while wood and metal are distinctly rustic. If you need more storage space in your bedroom, choose a headboard with built-in shelves.
Create the illusion of height and add comfort to your bedroom with floor-to-ceiling curtains. Use your bedding pattern and color as the starting point to determine the look you want for your curtains. Use blackout curtains if natural light tends to interrupt your sleep, or hang sheer curtains for a light, open look.
Table lamps can improve the look and feel of your bedroom by providing soft lighting and fun details. Look for lampshades and bases that accent your bedspread, and place the lamps on a nightstand or dresser to diffuse light throughout the room. Try out cool and warm-toned light bulbs to customize your lighting.
When it comes to bedding, don't settle for anything less than what jives with your style and makes you feel completely cozy. A colorful or patterned bedding set will add personality and life to your bedroom and solidify your decor scheme. If you aren't big on patterns, you can still add interest with a solid but textured bedding set. Look for bedding with scalloped edges or all-over tufts or embroidery.
When it comes to your kitchen, focus on creating a warm, intimate workspace. There's no need to battle old tile or laminate floors if you're armed with the right decor. It's easy to embrace the oddities of a rental using detailed and clever decorating tricks to update your kitchen's look.
There's no need to battle old tile or laminate floors if you're armed with the right decor.
Details make all the difference, which is why updated hardware can freshen up your kitchen's look. Removing boring cabinet knobs and drawer pulls and replacing them with stylish hardware is an easy task. Go for crystal knobs for some sparkle, or choose colorful and patterned hardware to add a playful look. Don't forget to store the original hardware somewhere safe so you can replace it before your lease is up.
Cover that tile and warm up your kitchen with a jute or sisal rug that is both stylish and durable. Natural fiber rugs are a perfect fit for the kitchen since they're tough enough to stand up to the traffic of this heavily used area. They also come in plenty of colors and patterns that will add a pop of style to your kitchen.
Tailor your rental kitchen to your exact storage needs with decorative storage. If your kitchen is small and you only have so much drawer or cabinet space, put your tools and gadgets on display so they double as decor. Consider hanging pots and pans from hooks, and stow coffee mugs on a shelf near your coffee maker.
If you want to take your kitchen floor transformation a step further, peel-and-stick tile offers a quick, short-term solution to upgrading your floor. Adhesive tile is also great for temporarily revamping a less than exciting backsplash. It might even look so good that your landlord asks you to keep it.
In your rental, there are easy and affordable changes you can make to have a great-looking and updated bathroom.
In your rental, there are easy and affordable changes you can make to have a great-looking and updated bathroom. Your bathroom is the place where you take a refreshing shower, relax in a bath, and get ready for your day. This is why great decor plays a leading role in feeling comfortable and refreshed in this part of your home.
If you have a faucet that produces a trickle or lighting that is outdated, there's an easy solution. Swapping out tired fixtures for stylish ones with better functionality is cost-effective and easy. Make sure your fixtures have similar finishes to promote a cohesive look, and don't forget to keep the old ones in a safe place so you can replace them before moving out.
A shower curtain is one of the few ways to make a statement in your bathroom. Rather than seeing a shower curtain as something completely utilitarian, see it as an opportunity to hang a piece of art. Because it's a focal point in your bathroom, your shower curtain's color, pattern, and design should speak to your personal style.
It's a good idea to coordinate your towels with your bathroom's decor. Hand towels, washcloths, and bath towels will likely all be stored in plain sight, so they should add to your decor and mesh with your color scheme. Along with your shower curtain, your towels will also add a fresh pop of color.
Choose accessories like hooks, soap dishes, and toothbrush holders to round out your bathroom decor. This sounds minimal because it is! Bath accessories are practical details that help bring out and reinforce colors in your shower curtain, bath mat, and towels.
Olivia has moved a lot, and loves looking at a new home as a fresh start. Since she has lived in her fair share of rental homes and understands the importance of getting your deposit back, she's excited to share her best tips on making your new space stylish and landlord-friendly. Olivia lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and two dogs.
