Home Sweet Rental | A Guide to Making your Rental Feel like Home
Making a rental feel like home can sometimes feel impossible. In many cases, you may have to work with what you have in the individual space, and make it feel like your own. By far the easiest way to transform a space is using furniture and accessories. You would be amazed at how big of a difference smart space planning can make, or selecting the right scale of furniture for the space. Throwing in some pillows, and other accessories is an easy way to add some character and some personality to your new home. But there are so many other ways that you can make that rental feel like home, and less like a temporary crash pad.
HANG ART
Staring at boring blank walls all day long would be incredibly depressing. So the first thing you should do when moving into a new rental is get some art hung up on the walls. It is by far the easiest think you can do to make your new rental feel like home. Not only does it instantly add warmth to the space, but it also adds that necessary touch of personality to your new home. Maybe you have a collection of photos from your travels that you can frame, or maybe you have a few vintage pieces that you’ve collected over the years. Even if you don’t have any artwork when you first move into a space, it’s so easy to get some! Art doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive by any means, it just needs to speak to you. Plus with so many affordable options out there to acquire your new art collection - from Etsy, to Society6, to Minted, to Ikea - you really can’t go wrong. You can even create some art yourself! Get some canvas and some paints (maybe some wine for inspiration) and create something beautiful for your new home. Whether it’s hanging a single statement piece, or creating a structured gallery wall, or a relaxed layered picture ledge, adding art to your space always makes a difference.
CHANGE LIGHTING
No outfit is complete without jewelry and accessories, and your new home is no different! Your home’s jewelry just happens to be the light fixtures. Switching out the sad track lighting, or “boob” light fixtures to something a little nicer and current will make a big difference. Once again, adding more of your personality into your new space, while completing your design and décor. Plus, this is something that you can take from one rental to the next, switching out the light fixtures with something you love. Just be sure to store the existing light fixtures somewhere safe, so when the time comes for a new adventure and a new rental, you can switch the lighting back and take your new ones with you. Because the light fixtures can travel with you, this is also an investment. Sometimes it can feel like the money you spend “fixing” your new rental is money that you won’t get back, but that isn’t the case with light fixtures. This also means that you can splurge a little and get something that you will truly love for years to come, even if you don’t with the rental.
ADD PAINT
Another one of the simpler tricks to making your rental feel more like home is painting those beige walls! Most landlords are open to the option of you adding a fresh coat of paint to those sad rental walls. Sometimes, the landlord may even pay for the paint if they approve the colour. You’d be surprised what a big difference the right colour can make on a space. Most of the time when you move into a new rental, the walls have been painted a builder basic white. This is usually because it’s the easiest and most cost effective, but is also helps make the space feel larger and allows people to imagine themselves living there. Painting the walls the right colour to go with your existing furniture and décor will instantly breathe new life into the space. And why not add a little of your personality to your new digs by painting a bright or moody accent wall?!
TEMPORARY WALLPAPER
I just recently discovered the amazing wonders of temporary wallpaper. I was searching for a new and fun way to add some interest and drama when creating a focal point for a client. But since they’re currently renting their home, I was a little limited in my selection. That is until I stumbled upon temporary wallpaper! Just like painting your new rental unit, you can add some personality and life into your new space with some temporary wallpaper. It looks just like the real deal, and there are lots of different patterns and colours to choose from. Plus it’s as easy as 1-2-3 (or so I’ve been lead to believe). You simple peel the back off, smooth it out, and enjoy your new wallpaper. The best part is, when you get tired or it, or want a change, or it’s time to move, you simply peel the wallpaper off the walls with no harm done! Full details on my temporary wallpaper adventure to come, so stay tuned.
HANG DRAPERY
What’s the one thing that everyone needs in their home? Privacy! Adding some window treatments is the perfect way to get some privacy, and make your rental feel less like a fish bowl with everyone being able to look in at you. An added bonus of hanging some drapery is that it softens the whole space instantly. Typically with new condos today, a large portion of the space is dedicated to windows. Which means that adding some drapery is a way to make a big impact on your new space. But I know what you’re all thinking, “drapery sounds expensive!”. Yes, custom drapery can get pretty pricey, but there are so many ready-made options available now that make this process as easy as pie.
