How To Bring Charm To Your Rental

(Revised and updated on 7/10/23)

There are many ways you can bring charm to your rental home, and do it on a budget. So please don’t let the fact that you live in a rental stop you from having a stylish home.

I live in an apartment, so I know how it typically goes: The blinds are ugly. The bathroom is terrible. The appliances are tacky. And it’s just so damned generic.

First consult your landlord to ask what changes you can do and still remain within the bounds of your lease. Then put on your creative thinking cap and figure out ways to make changes that you’ll be happy with.

Removable Wallpaper:

Ask the landlord if you can paint the walls in your apartment. Tell him/her that you will paint them back to the original color before you move.

There’s also removable wallpaper to consider to make a real statement in your home.

I’ve compiled a list of companies where you can buy removable wallpaper. There are always the big box stores like Target and Home Depot. Or you can order from Amazon.com.

Stylish Alternatives:

• Spoonflower
• Chasing Paper
• Tempaper
• Rifle Paper Co.
• Wallshoppe
• Etsy
• Graham & Brown
• Flavor Paper
• Eazywallz

After painting or putting temporary wallpaper on your walls, consider adding trim and molding. This will finish off the walls and give the room instant style.

Vinyl Floor Cloths:

Enter the world of vinyl floor cloths. They lay down like rugs, but they’re more heavy duty, durable, and easy to clean.

Vinyl flooring can be cut to fit your floor space.

You can also purchase carpet tiles, click-in flooring planks, or peel and stick tiles. This can easily update the look of your kitchen or bathroom.

Peel & Stick Tile:

Peel and stick wall tiles are ideal if you’re renting. They will install on any clean and smooth surface, and can be removed with no damage to the wall when you move.

You can find peel and stick wall tiles at any of the big box stores. And you can also order peel and stick back splashes at RoomMates.

Change Light Fixtures:

If you’re stuck with ugly light fixtures like “boob lights,” there is an alternative. (Boob lights are flush-mounted ceiling lights you’ll find in many apartments.)

Builders and landlords love boob lights because they’re cheap to replace and swap the bulbs out of.

Most ceiling mount light fixtures can be easily replaced without rewiring anything at all. Choose your new fixture, unscrew the old one, and replace it with your new light fixture.

Plug In Pendant Light With Cord:

Or you can purchase a plug-in pendant light with a cord like you see below. That would be the easiest fix.

Just attach it with a hook in the ceiling and plug it in. Voila! Instant charm.

Switch Faucets:

Of course, as with most of these tips, you should check with the landlord first.

If you’ve never done this before, it would be wise to hire a plumber who knows what he’s doing.

Updating faucets can bring a whole new look to your kitchen and/or bathrooms.

Kitchen Appliances That Don’t Match:

Lots of places sell appliance covers, magnetic as well as self-adhesive contact paper.

Let’s say you want your appliances to look like stainless steel.

Apply right over the existing cover and get a totally updated and stylish look instantly.

You can get a roll of Yancorp 16 x 120 stainless steel contact paper for under $10.

With that much contact paper on the roll you could probably cover all your kitchen appliances cheaply.

Switch Shower Heads:

One of the first things I did when I moved into my apartment was order a removable handheld shower head.

I also had a plumber install a taller toilet because I’d just had surgery on my ankle. This expense did make my life infinitely easier. And I did ask the landlord first.

The landlord said just have it professionally installed.

You can easily switch out the toilet seats.

Switch Wall Outlet Covers:

This is as simple as unscrewing the original light switch plate and putting another one on.

Check Amazon or your local Home Depot or Lowes. They will have a variety of light switch plates to choose from.

Or, if you’re crafty, you could buy cheap light switch plates and decoupage them. They’ll truly be unique if you do that!

Cover Vertical Blinds:

When I moved into this apartment, I discovered “No-No” Brackets. These are brackets that fits over the existing vertical blinds, and cost about $20.

These brackets are such a game changer for renters!

You can then add curtains without putting a hole in the wall. Just put your curtain on your curtain rod and slip it into the space allotted for it.

Then tighten the circular piece at the front to keep the rod firmly in place.

Curtains aren’t just for looks. You can opt for curtains that filter light too.

Switch Door Handles & Knobs:

By switching out the door handles and cabinet pulls, you can quickly make a cheap kitchen look much fancier.

Just keep your old ones so you can put them back on when you move.

Unifying Colors:

A unifying color can also make your rental kitchen look cohesive.

Choose the color palette you’d like to incorporate and use it in as many places as possible. To do this choose rugs, countertop appliances, and curtains in colors that unite and complement one another.

With all the wonderful new products on the market today, there’s so much you can do with a rental. Don’t let the fact that you’re renting keep you from having a home you truly love.

As I always say, love it while you rent it. A temporary or leased home is still the place where you live.

So you want it to be as inviting as possible.

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