Make your rental feel like home with these decoration tips
After countless showings and numerous Craigslist inquiries, you deserve a place that feels like home. This is because it can be disturbing when you finally find your perfect home in the location that you wanted but it looks dated. Despite the landlord painting it for you, you might feel the need to make that space feel like your own and that is when decorating comes in. With rentals, you do not have the room to make major renovations such as changing the layout of your home but there are tips that you can adopt to spice up that space such as:
Upgrading the kitchen
The kitchen is one of those spaces that need extra attention because it is the most frequented room in the house and it is also where you entertain. Despite looking functional, it should ooze freshness at all times. Most landlords will not allow you to paint the house, so you can glam your cabinets with removable contact paper in the color grey, white, or charcoal to make the kitchen look modern. Given that most rental kitchens have laminate countertops that are prone to stains and scratches, you can replace them with instant granite and a backsplash to make them stand out. Having brought color into your rental kitchen, you can install warm LED lighting to accentuate the room. LED lights can be found in various shapes, sizes, and prices making it easy for you to light up your kitchen to perfection.
Transform the bathroom
The bathroom is also another room that needs to be customized to your liking because it is the room where you nurture and cleanse your body daily. In case you have landed yourself a bathroom with ugly tiles, you can still turn it into your dream restroom. For instance, you can cover the ugly tiles with a beautiful rug which you can match with a brand new shower curtain deviating the focus from the floors. You can also swap amenities such as the toilet, showerhead, and hand-wash sinks with affordable ones from local stores. Additionally, you can bring in the outdoors into your bathroom by adding some greenery. Among the plants that you can incorporate include Begonia, Orchids, Moss, Chinese Evergreen, and Bromeliad.
Get major repairs sorted out
Before you move into your new house, you might want to have it checked out so that major repairs can be done. Where the siding looks worn out, you may need to hire a siding contractor to replace it. This is because bad siding will make your house look old and over time, it will begin to overwork your heating system. Suppose your house also has dated roofing, you can have it replaced with something new to give your house an appealing look. In instances where such major repairs have to be done, you need to have a written agreement with your landlord so that you can get a reimbursement for the money spent.
Accessorize your rental
Another interesting way to decorate your home is with your collection of artwork. There are some rental properties that do not allow you to add as much art as you would like. In such instances, you can get innovative by layering it on a mantel, bookshelf, or floor so that you do not have to poke holes in the wall. You can also replace old blinds with aesthetically appealing ones in the color and fabric that you want. You can either buy fabric and get a seamstress to make your curtains or buy the ready-made ones. You should ensure that curtains run from the ceiling to the floor to make the room look larger. You can also make a statement in your living room by incorporating throw pillows whose color contrasts with your couch. Lastly, you can replace the boring lighting with long pendants and lanterns to create a warm ambiance. The best places to hang pendants are on top of the kitchen island and in the dining area. Lanterns can be used to place those boring lamps on your nightstand.
Conclusion
Given that a rental is a temporary living space, it is possible to decorate it to perfection on budget with the above tips. The trick is to have a theme in mind so that you can create that small paradise that you want. But before you do anything major, you should consult the property manager so that you do not get into trouble.