Rocking a rental without getting evicted
Ten no-damage decorating ideas to pack personality, style into temporary living spaces
Unless you’re lucky enough to have a lax landlord, personalizing your rental property in any way that permanently alters the walls, floors or cabinets will likely be prohibited.
Here are 10 easy decorating ideas that won’t get you evicted.
Stuck on you
Temporary decals, like vibrant wall flowers from wayfair.ca, turn plain walls into artsy focal points. Available in hundreds of patterns, colours or inspiring sayings.
Instant makeover
Transforming a kitchen from drab to fab is an easy DIY project with self-adhesive contact paper. Once used solely for lining drawers and cabinets, it now comes in a rainbow of colours, wood finishes, textures, metals, even chalkboard paint. Con-Tact Metallics FX in stainless steel, $14.29 a roll at Home Depot.
Cabin fever
Even the smallest bachelor apartment can look and feel like a rustic lodge with panels of reclaimed wood on the walls. An innovative new system called Artis Wall makes it easy to create stunning accent walls. Sold in kits, lightweight planks come pre- sanded and stained and adhere to the wall with peeland-stick strips and adhesive backing. Order online at bit.ly/ ArtisWallKS.
Curtain call
Sometimes all a neutral bathroom needs is a splash of colour to give it personality. The easiest way to do that is with a lively shower curtain. Made of durable plastic, vinyl or washable fabric, the sky’s the limit when choosing bold and motifs. Mia fabric Shower Curtain, from $33.99 at Bed Bath & Beyond.
The designer divide
To help define spaces or create privacy in an open layout, invest in a free-standing bifold room divider or screen. From shoji paper and woven bamboo to painted canvas and carved wood, these portable partitions are both handy and decorative. Bota Bird Canvas Divider by
Nexxt Design, $194, at Lowe’s.
Living art
When there’s no money in the budget for original watercolours or bold abstracts, bring rooms to life with potted plants.
Besides looking lush and green, research shows common houseplants improve air quality and relieve stress.
Shocker Flower Boxes, $14.99 at Ikea.
Command attention
When repainting isn’t an option, hanging art, posters and framed photos are the perfect alternative.
But hammering tiny nails into the wall will damage the drywall. 3M Command has a simple and affordable solution: adhesive picture hanging strips and hooks that can be easily removed and reused without damaging the surface.
Prices start around $5 for a pack of three.
Quick comfort
You can never have too many colourful throw pillows heaped on the couch, bed or floor in front of the TV. Ikea cushion covers from $4.99.
Peel and stick
There are self-adhesive wall coverings and murals that can be mounted and removed without any mess extra materials. Brewster Home Fashions Repositionable Self-Adhesive Vinyl Wallcovering, Damask pattern, $29.99 a roll, Lowe’s.
Light it up
Overhead lighting can cast horrible shadows. But you’re not likely to go to the expense of replacing ceiling fixtures in a rental. Time to invest in cool lamps that you simply plug in (and out) for instant ambience or task lighting.
Check out the Cassi floor lamp, $249, Structube.