Generic apartments feel boring and “not so homey”. Neutral walls, basic finishes, and landlord-approved fixtures lack personality and sometimes get depressing. But personalizing your rental doesn’t mean breaking the rules or your budget or making any permanent changes.
If it’s your first rental, you would have just learned that you can’t hammer or drill the walls. So, here are our top 7 creative ideas to personalise your rental unit. No major renovations needed.
Start with the Walls: Color Without Commitment
Neutral walls are practical, but that doesn’t mean you’re stuck staring at beige forever. Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a game-changer for renters. There’s endless patterns and colours to choose from and will take you only a day or two to apply all over. If you want to play it safe and colour the walls, these are some neutral-ish colours that landlords don’t mind – Creamy White, Taupe, Pale Sand, and Ivory.
Bring Life Into Your Space with Plants
Nothing brightens up a space like plants do! Indoor plants are no more expensive and you can get a good variety within $200 in Ontario. From trailing vines to sleek snake plants and dracaenas, this project will only take a couple hours. Plants also improve air quality indoors.
Upgrade Lighting for Instant Warmth
Ceiling fixtures in rentals tend to be boring. Swap them for statement light fixtures or add floor and table lamps from Ikea or your local Homesense and Marshalls to set the mood. Plug-in pendant lights are also a great option and don’t require rewiring.
Add Personality with Furniture and Textiles
Find furniture that matches your aesthetic. A bold couch or a differently-shaped coffee table to reflect your personality can make the living room look chic. Rugs are also great to create spaces. If you like textures, you can layer up a few of them on the couch and bed.
Make Windows a Focal Point
Most rentals don’t come with blinds, so you can simply install any colour of curtains you’d like. For a soft, dreamy effect, sheer curtains work best. Or, you can find inexpensive black-out curtains in Ikea that work really well too.
Showcase Art Without Nails
3M adhesive strips are going to be a timesaver for you. While they cost more than an average nail does, they are reliable, don’t leave any residue, and can bear a good amount of weight. Choose frames with plastic glass since they are lightweight and need fewer strips. Same goes for hooks – 3M has some great options for you. For behind-the-door hooks, you can get over-the-door storage solutions that work well.
Customize Your Kitchen
From cute decals to peel-and-stick backsplash tiles, you can customize your kitchen on a budget. And when you feel bored, just switch them out. Another fun option is to swap out generic cabinet handles for vintage ones. You can find unique spice jars at your local thrift store, which make for a great display if you love cooking.
While all these tips can help personalize your rental, just make sure it feels like home. Focus on pieces that you’d like to keep for a long time and design your apartment around them.
Which of these ideas will you try first? Share your favorite tip!
