Decorating a rental doesn’t have to be a complex task – much less an impossible one. As long as you talk about renovating your rental apartment or home with your landlord – definitely make sure you get their approval before you go on full renovations mode. You might be surprised that most of them will even thank you for exerting the effort and spending the money on renovating their property.
Here are four renter-friendly renovation tips you might consider before starting to decorate your rental space. Explore these tips and give them a try to see for yourself!
Paint Your Walls
Typically, landlords use basic white paint. Almost all landlords are okay with painting the walls of their apartment as long as you paint it back to the basic white color before the next tenant moves in. As such, you can try opting for neutral colors using quality paints as it brings a more decorated finish. If you want to use darker colors, make sure that you use a primer when you repaint so that the walls will be fully covered.
Another quick tip: get the name of the paint color and the brand of the original paint. When you move out, you can repaint the walls back to the landlord’s original color paint. Although in some cities, landlords are required to do the repainting themselves so you might not even need to do it yourself.
Switch Light Fixtures
One of the easiest renovation tips you can do in a rental apartment is to switch out the light fixtures. When you change the light fixtures, make sure that you turn off the electricity while you are installing it. You don’t want to put your entire apartment or your health at risk. Also, you need to store the original light fixtures somewhere safe so that when you move out, it’s easy to install the original fixture back.
If you don’t trust yourself to do all the electrical stuff, it is better to hire an electrician to do the job for you. An electrician knows how to work on a lighting plan and you can just suggest the mood of the lighting that you want to set in your room.
Apply Peel and Stick Wallpaper
Opting to apply a peel and stick wallpaper makes less commitment when you are decorating and renovating your rental than for example repainting. These wallpapers are a no-brainer to use as they don’t leave an adhesive residue on your walls. Also, there are wallpapers that you can peel off in sheets and paste on the wall by hand.
Make sure that before you apply a peel and stick wallpaper, the surface of the wall is clean and dry. That will ensure that the wallpaper will look good all the time while you are living in this apartment. Renovating a rental is easy as long as you know what to do and keep in mind your envision of the entire room.
Add Stylish Decor
Installing stylish decor makes all the difference. Essentially, it elevates a rental space and sets a creative mood for the entire room. You can hang bamboo blinds in your kitchen area or you can just add plants in your living room. Or, you can also change the cabinet knobs and drawers. As long as you get creative in renovating, everything will turn out as you’d like it to be.
Also, if you love to upcycle and DIY furniture, you don’t need to purchase expensive decor or furniture which, most often than not, isn’t stylish at all. You can also search from online marketplaces or visit a vintage and thrift store where you can search for a wide array of statement and decor pieces.
Final Thoughts
Renovating a rental doesn’t have to be difficult and exhausting. The fact that you just rent the apartment doesn’t mean that you can’t make the room your own. Tweaking a thing or two, decorating your rental, or having a small renovation makes a huge difference. And, you may be in luck as most of the landlords are way more agreeable and kind to let you have the creative freedom in renovating your rental space.
