There’s no shame in renting. Owning a home is good and all, but it definitely comes with a certain amount of responsibility, financial and otherwise. While renters out there don’t have to deal with shoveling snow from the front walk or replacing a leaky faucet (dial up the landlord, baby!), many times one does face aesthetic limitations. Can’t paint over the Day-Glo white walls? Facing a whole house of grim, wall-to-wall carpeting straight out of the ’70s? We feel your interiors pain. Luckily, Apartment Therapy has a few thoughts (ten, to be exact) on how to work around such decorating roadblocks. We gotta say, these are lifesavers. Wave your lime-green cupboard issues goodbye and five other great tips, after the jump!
- If your rental comes with some surprising color choices (bubblegum pink bathroom tiles! lime kitchen cabinets! dirt brown refrigerator!), work with it, rather than against it — with accessories. Green tea towels, dishes, and kitchen chairs make the cabinets seem pulled-together and bright. Just like you meant it to look that way.
- To really make an apartment your own, hang some artwork. Even better? Cluster frames on a wall rather than going all out and spending loads on one giant piece of art. (Just make sure you invest in some Spackle and touch-up paint.) If your landlord is dead-set against any nails going into the wall, try some picture hanging strips instead. For cheap art, check out photography site 20×200.
- Replace outdated ceiling lights with something a little more stylish. Or, if you’re stuck with what’s already hanging, I once read: “Lamps are the jewelry of the home,” and it’s true. Indulge in beautiful table and standing lamps; they offer softer, more prettifying light. I love these. They’re a cheaper version of the classic designer gourd lamps from Christopher Spitzmiller.
- A problem that many renters face? Wall-to-wall carpet. By adding bright accents and layering area rugs over the floors, the carpet doesn’t seem so bad.
- Use modular furniture that you can customize to fit your space (and the next space you move into, too!). A sectional sofa, for instance, splits up into chairs or a loveseat.
