So you’ve moved into a new place. After weeks of house hunting, you’ve finally landed a new apartment in a new location, but on move-in day, you look around and think that it just doesn’t feel quite like you. Even after bringing in all your belongings, there’s still something a little off.
Being a renter, it can be hard to know what you can and can’t do. The obvious place to start is to check with your landlord to find out what changes they’re happy for you to make. But there are also plenty of rental-friendly changes you can make that are easily reversed once move-out day comes around.
Swap Out the Hardware
If the handles on your kitchen cupboards or wardrobe doors can be removed, grab your screwdriver and replace them with something more your style. Just remember to put the old handles and their original screws in a bag and store them somewhere safe to replace them before you leave.
When hunting for new fixtures, have a think about the type of interior design styles you’re most drawn to. Are you more of a country chic person, looking for a classic iron finish handle, ultra modern with matte black finish, or an eclectic collection of mismatched styles? Whether you’re buying brand new or rummaging through antique shops, switching out the hardware is a small swap that can make a surprisingly impactful difference.
Peel and Stick Everything
You would be surprised by just how many options there are for peel-and-stick products. From wallpaper to tile, you can add a temporary feature to just about every room of the house.
If you’ve always dreamed of having your very own mural in your bedroom, adding peel-and-stick wallpaper is the perfect choice. If you’ve got a laser level on hand, use that to start the project; most rooms aren’t perfectly square, so using the corner of the wall or the line of the ceiling will usually result in a wonky application.
There are also options for flooring to make a big impact in your kitchen or bathroom. Whether you’re creating a classic checkerboard floor, faux terrazzo tile, or something more unique like a tessellating pattern, you’re sure to find something that perfectly fits your vision. Peel-and-stick tiles can also go up on the wall, with options to update your kitchen backsplash or create a feature tile on a dry wall in your bathroom.
For best results, clean everything down with a degreaser and an alcohol-based cleaner for the best stick. And for easy removal, grab your hair dryer (or a heat gun if you have one) and warm it up so the glue releases without issue. Ripping it straight off the wall is a sure-fire way to take bits of the paint underneath with you, or leave sticky patches on the floor.
Create a Perfectly Curated Gallery Wall
One of the easiest ways to put your stamp on a place is to fill it with art. Art prints by your favourite artists, quirky pieces collected from op shops, photos of friends and family, or even an abstract line drawing may not seem like they work together, but once they’re in frames and placed in a thoughtful layout, they can be the perfect statement in your apartment.
When you’re planning out your gallery wall, think about colour combinations that are complementary to each other and will work with the rest of your decor. Decide whether you want all your frames to be identical, or lean into making it a really eclectic collection and choose mismatched frames. Play with positioning, mixing larger images with smaller ones, and consider adding in a few bonus pieces, like mounted plates, embroidery still in its hoop, or even a wall-mounted planter. Gallery walls really can be whatever you can think up.
Change Up Your Window Furnishings
Chances are, your new rental either has cheap roller or old Venetian blinds. You can’t always blame a landlord for going quick, cheap and easy. Blinds are some of the most frequently used fixtures in the house, and tenants aren’t always going to do the necessary upkeep to keep them looking good. But that doesn’t mean you have to live with an eyesore.
Swapping out blinds for something more to your taste is pretty easy; just make sure you store them somewhere safely where they won’t get damaged, so you can replace them when you leave. But if you don’t, or can’t, remove the existing fixtures, keep them rolled up, and with some clever curtain choices, they can be successfully hidden.
Between tension rods and the increasing strength of things like command strips, there are plenty of options for adding curtains without drilling into the walls. If you have the space, consider hanging two sets of curtains, something like a light, loose linen for daytime privacy that still lets light into the room, and layer that with a heavier opaque or blackout curtain in your favourite colour for the evenings.
Lighting is Everything
Nothing quite changes the feel of a room than changing up the light fixtures. For an easy fix that produces an instant result, swap out your light globes. Rental properties are often filled with cool lighting, which can make your new home feel a little like a hospital. Changing the globes for something warmer can instantly make your apartment feel cozier.
Plenty of people completely opt out of using the “big light” and fill their homes with lamps, which is a great way to add more decor that also serves an essential purpose. Source interesting floor lamps from Facebook Marketplace, or hunt through op shops for unique table lamps. Even Ikea has a constant rotation of on-trend lighting options, many of which are perfectly designed for apartments and smaller spaces.
For a slightly bigger DIY project, you could change out the ceiling lights for something more to your taste, just make sure you turn off the power before messing with the wiring. If you’re not up to that challenge, adding some ceiling hooks and using an ultra-long plug cord with a light globe end, you can create your own statement ceiling light with the shade of your choice. Just make sure any hooks are properly secured into the ceiling before hanging anything heavy.
Just about everyone will live in a rental at one point or another, and while there are lots of rules about what tenants can or can’t do, it doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to make a space feel like yours.
Whether you’re just hanging a few pieces of art with command hooks or getting in touch with your landlord before popping some nails in the wall, taking the time and making the effort to customise your space will always pay off and make a house feel more like your home.
