Decorating a Rental Home or Apartment

Many people living in rentals end up not decorating or making their space reflect their personality because of the many restrictions placed on rental properties. Some landlords don’t mind if you decorate, some don’t even accept thumbtack holes in the wall.

How can you make a space reflect your style and feel like home despite the often unappealing architecture and limited wiggle room of a rental ? Here are a few tips:

Make Pieces Work in the Space.  While the small spaces often seen in an apartment or rental are great for house cleaning , it can be hard to fit your furniture in the small spaces you’ll often see in a rental. Sometimes you’ll need to make your pieces work by turning them into multitaskers. For instance, you can turn a chest into a coffee table or a bookshelf into a pantry.

Be Thrifty with New Furniture. If you’re going to buy new pieces for your space, don’t spend a lot of money on furniture that might not work when you move out of your rental. Instead, look through thrift stores and garage sales for good-quality pieces, then paint them yourself for the look you want.

Creativity Wins on the Walls. Walls are one of the trickiest areas in an apartment or rental home because there are often big restrictions on painting and wallpapering. Don’t let that hold you back from having your space, though; there are some great options. Try temporary wallpaper or stenciled designs that are easy to paint over when you’re ready to move.

Colors Where You Can. Since the walls are tricky, you can bring in vibrant colors through art, accessories, and fabrics. For instance, a bold area rug, some decorative pillows in bright colors, and a strong curtain can inject bright colors into a room without any permanent change, so it’s a perfect way to decorate space with limitations.

How do you make your rental property feel like home?