A rental dwelling can be a studio, loft, apartment, condo or a house. Right off the bat, I want to put it out there that I do not differentiate between Homeowners and Rental Dwellers. I believe that you should fully inhabit the space you live in whether you are there short term, long term, paying your own mortgage or paying someone else’s mortgage.
I’m speaking to all rental dwellers today. It’s time to start a Rental Revolution!
We all deserve to live in a home that is a reflection of our personal style and our story. Are you a student? I’m totally down with that. IKEA has amazing furniture (hope you can follow directions), clean modern lines, great prints and colors at super affordable prices. You can blend it with flea market finds to give it an eclectic customized look. Way past the first apartment stage? Then you’ll be investing more in the pieces you acquire and I’m pretty certain that you have quite a few that you’ve acquired already that will work just fine.
It is the blending of the old, the new, the hand-me-down, the collected, the worn but loved things in your home that make it a reflection of you and your story.
Truth is, if you're a homeowner these tips work for you too, so keep on scrolling...
Layer on some color and pattern. There are so many ways to add color in your home without painting the walls. In fact, when I’m redesigning rooms for homeowners I am typically repainting the walls in a neutral color so that it compliments their home décor and doesn’t compete against it. Think of bringing color into your space with painted furniture, wall art, pillows and throw blankets.
Add house plants and fresh cut flowers. Indoor plants not only help clean the environment around them, but they act as a quick decorating tool. I suggest a Jade Plant, they’re sweet, easy to care for and are also known to help with prosperity. And who doesn’t need a little of that?! Fresh cut flowers are uplifting and add great color to your space. Have you ever noticed that your favorite room photos in magazines always have fresh flowers in them? There must be a reason, just sayin’.
Invest in pieces that will move with you. If you find furniture pieces you fall in love with don’t pass them up. Please don’t wait until later to fill your space with art and antiques that light you up. Do it now, Grasshopper, I insist.
Break up the boring floors. Rugs are the best remedy for boring floors that plague most rentals. Floors are often forgotten about. It’s huge real estate and a great opportunity to express your personal style. Even wooden floors need some lovin'. Also, consider adding a patterned pouf or upholstered ottoman in lieu of an area rug. Look at the difference.
Get rid of the “Boobs”. I’ve got nothing against boobs but boob shaped light fixtures are just wrong. They must’ve been invented by a man, they are the only ones that seem to like them. They look like a boob and they are cheap – have I made myself clear? Replace them with.....anything! Make sure to keep them stored so that you can return them to your penny pinching landlord when you move on to greener pastures.
I'm worse than Joan Crawford was with wire hangers!
"No Boob Light Fixtures!"...
Hang window treatments…always. HUGE opportunity to add color and pattern. You can layer them right over the typical rental blinds. And if there are verticle blinds, remove them immediately. That’s an order.
If you need more help, we can set up a Design Strategy Session. Click the contact tab or any of the pink buttons at on my website to get started.