Home sweet rental home: Make it yours and keep the landlord happy
/Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • April 9, 2016
Colorful adhesive tiles from Mirth for an entry, bathroom or kitchen. Photo Courtesy of Mirth.
Renting. It's a lot like moving into a home that you own. Almost.
You want to repaint the walls. Replace the carpeting. Hang some artwork. Update the kitchen. Get new window treatments. Toss out the grungy switch plates. And a lot more.
In other words: you want and need to make the space your own.
But there is the landlord to think about.
Changing drawer and cabinet pulls to personalize your rental decor. Photo courtesy of Anthropologie.
Maybe you have sold a home and have temporarily moved into a rental space until you decide what to do with the rest of your home-owning life. Perhaps you are a boomer and plan to free yourself of the responsibility, throw caution to the wind and travel for the rest of your life and keep a rental apartment as a place to come home to. As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I've had clients in both rental situations. And many more.
Eventually, we all seem to end up in a rental home for the long or short term. And the fine line between making it your own and crossing over to where the landlord decides not to give you the deposit back when you leave...well the lines can be a bit blurry.
Before you paint that red accent wall in the entry, you may want to consider a few rental-friendly tips that will have you saying "home sweet home" in no time. And even if you never plan to rent, these tips will serve you well if you are in a temporary situation or just don't have the budget to do everything right now.
It's only paint
It an accent wall or a bathroom with color on the walls will make you happy, do it. Just be prepared to paint it back in a neutral tone when you leave. This alone, can make all the difference in how you feel about your rental space.
Accents
Drawer and cabinet pulls will change your kitchen and bathrooms. Replace them with something that you like and take them with you when you leave. And while you are at it, dump the old switch plates and replace them with new ones. Favorite: the colorful Nannette pull from Anthropologie.
Change the flooring (some of it).
Peel and stick floor tiles have been around for a while but today, you can find a selection that is colorful and fun. And easy to apply. Sources: Mirth Studio and Home Depot. Try this in an entry, bathroom or kitchen to completely change the look.
Pottery Barn's Lucianna Medallion pole pocket drape is a great "fix" to add your own look to windows or sliders. Photo courtesy of Pottery Barn.
Window treatments
These are often the worst part of what a landlord leaves for tenants. At best, you may have not so attractive blinds. But this is where you can put some fabric and color into your decor. Invest in some drapes. Or at least drapery panels to give your rooms a little love. One of my favorite, inexpensive go to sources: the Moorish tiles drapes at Pier One. Or the Lucianna medallion-pole-pocket-drape from Pottery Barn. They come in a variety of colors and great for a temporary fix.
Kitchen backsplash
For a tile look, Tic Tac adhesive tiles. Photo courtesy of Tic Tac Tiles.
This is one of my favorite fixes. Since I always spec a neutral backsplash for my clients when redoing their kitchen, I love the fact that you can do the same thing with Tic Tac adhesive tiles or the Smart Tiles from Home Depot. Completely change the look of your kitchen and remove them when you leave.
You won't believe it's removable wallpaper
ReUsable wallpaper tiles by Hygge and West are removable so you can take them when you leave your rental or enjoy them for a long time. Photo courtesy of Hygge and West.
You would be surprised to know how many of my clients use this in part-time homes or if they just aren't sure about using wallpaper. And the result: spectacular. You can find these in Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond and other big box home stores. They vary in quantity and in price depending upon how much you want to invest. My favorite is Hygge and West. These removable wallpaper tiles can go with you and are reusable. And you will want to reuse them. Beautiful colors and designs that are ideal for renters and temporary installations. A game- changer for a rental property.
Lighting
Overhead lighting may not be the best in your rental home. So invest in a few floor lamps that warm up your rooms. And they will go with you to your next home. If the builder's grade lighting in the bathroom is not working for you, try a lamp on the counter to tone down the glare. Or invest in inexpensive lighting over your mirror.
Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. Home Inspirations appears the first Saturday of each month. Visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog
