Renting your home has some advantages over owning it: your landlord will be responsible for maintenance and upkeep, giving you less to worry about if the water heater breaks or a pipe freezes. However, less responsibility comes with less freedom, and not owning the space can present some limitations in how you personalize your home.
But just because your name isn’t on the deed doesn’t mean the space you live in can’t reflect your personality! Here, we take a look at some of the most common problems with decorating rented apartments, and our favorite solutions you can do yourself that won’t make you break your budget or lose your deposit!
*But always ask your landlord or property manager first
Unless you are lucky enough to live in a corner unit or the top floor of a building, many apartments can have a short supply of natural light. Add in a shortage of electrical sockets, and you can end up with a dark and dreary space.
Luckily, there are a few tricks to maximizing what you have and brightening up your home!
Simple Fix:
If your apartment has blinds that block out natural light, replacing them with curtains can maintain your privacy while allowing light in. Ten minutes with a drill and a level and you can hang your own curtain rod, complete with custom curtains.
Placing a large mirror on the wall opposite a window will not only increase the amount of natural light in the room, but will also make the space look bigger.
For the Diehard DIY:
There is no reason for you to be stuck with the lighting in place when you moved in. If there is no overhead lighting in a room and floor lamps aren’t quite cutting it, you can create your own hanging lamp that plugs into a wall socket with parts available from any hardware store. Simply tack or tape the cord up in the corner of the wall and along the ceiling; you can even paint the cord the same shade as your wall to camouflage it better by asking your landlord if they have any samples of the paint.
Your creativity is the limit when you create your own hanging lamp to light up your room!
Photo from Brian Paquette Interiors
Character is all in the details. You won’t be able to change larger features in your apartment to fit your style, but small details are important when building an overall impression. A space with few personal details can end up looking temporary and bland. If it still looks like you moved in yesterday, here are some changes you can make to leave your mark.
Simple Fix:
Live plants add color and personalize a space. Even if you aren’t much of a green thumb, there are plants that can survive in just about any climate. While totally transportable, plants can give an impression of permanence and make a space look livable.
Blank walls can look impersonal and thumbtacks on the wall can look like a dorm room. For a more sophisticated look, frame your wall hangings. Frames can be found cheaply at garage sales and thrift stores and will look good as new with a fresh coat of spray paint.
For the Diehard DIY:
Any bathroom or kitchen can be given a five-minute makeover with new hardware. Replace boring kitchen and bathroom drawer pulls with updated ones from a hardware store for a classy, pulled together look. These can also be taken with you when you move; keep the originals together in the bottom of a closet or drawer, and you can take your personal additions with you when you leave.
Apartment decoration comes with its own set of challenges, but sometimes limitations can be the spark for creativity.
