There are a multitude of reasons that so many dream of owning their own home. The independence it brings, the investment it will become, and the freedom to make and remake it into a personalized and beautiful place to live are all enticing factors that reel in first-time home buyers. That being said, owning a home will come at the right time when you are in the right spot to take on that responsibility. In the meantime, renting is a viable option and there are still a number of things you can do to make your rental feel like home, even when it comes to decorating.
We’ll look at 3 ways to spruce up a rental that are landlord approved, and are sure to make your place look amazing. If you own, you can also use these tips in your home!
One aspect of your rental that you may have overlooked are fixtures that can be replaced. These are fixtures that you can easily store away and put back in when you move out—or your landlord may even like the new ones!
Light fixtures are a great example of this. Your rental home most likely has a pretty basic setup for lighting, and you could switch out pendant lights in the kitchen, as well as the ceiling fixture in the dining room. Of course, first make sure you can do these without any damage to the property. Additionally, more and more companies are finding innovative solutions for lighting fixtures that are less impactful on walls; some don’t even require drilling! For more lighting inspiration, check out our Pinterest page!
Another fixture that you might consider replacing is your shower head. For this change, you might want to communicate with your landlord about having a professional install the new shower head. This is a great opportunity to spruce up a possibly older and less-than-ideal part of the bathroom. Finding hardware that looks better, functions better, and will last longer might be another change your landlord just might let you keep on there for good!
On a smaller scale, but for just as big of an impact, you could switch out the hardware in the kitchen. There are so many fun options out there from finish to color, to shape, and you can really bring out your personality with this little detail.
One of the things you might be the most scared to do when you don’t own your property is ruin the walls with a bunch of hold trying to hang art, photos, and more. This is where alternatives to nails will come in handy!
Renters everywhere have discovered the beauty of command strips and other noninvasive adhesives for hanging things around the house. You can also get creative if you’re not ready to invest in large photos or pieces of art until you have your own place, and try these alternatives:
LARGE, YET NONINVASIVE CHANGES
Before getting caught up in any major projects or driving yourself crazy trying to figure out a way to leave the least damage possible, consider pieces that you can add around your house that add to the aesthetic but don’t normally require any invasive installment to begin with.
Hating the carpet that came with your place? Find a rug that you love that will cover most of the carpeted area and tie the room together. Our designer used both a rug and the leaning art trick in this model home:
Perhaps it’s not the floors, but the walls that aren’t exactly your favorite at your place. Removable wallpaper has had a surge in popularity. No longer is wallpaper a relic from your grandmother’s house; it’s actually become a trendy and innovative way to express your style without the commitment of old fashioned wallpaper. We used wallpaper for our Parade of Homes model home (pictured below) this year! Check out some fun prints here!
NEXT STEPS
If renting a home is just not cutting it anymore and you’re antsy for a change, we get it! EDGEhomes works with first-time buyers every day, and we love to help educate and empower new buyers to achieve their dreams and own the home they’ve always dreamed of! A good start to understanding what that process will look like is our Home Buyer Guide. If you’re looking to get in touch with someone to see a model home or start discussing what your dream home looks like, our agents are here to help!
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