Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rental remedies

How to turn a bland space into a personal haven

- KIM COOK

Even though she was moving into a rental apartment, Alexa d’Argence was eager to put her personal stamp on it. “Loving my space is more important to me than my security deposit. So I just went for it with paint, shelves, window treatments and upgrading the medicine cabinet,” says d’Argence, who as a senior designer at BAR Architects in San Francisco knows something about creating a stylish space.

“My landlord actually appreciate­d the improvemen­ts. I’d say, consider changes that add value, and that wouldn’t be removed if you moved out,” she says.

Nondesigne­rs might not feel as comfortabl­e doing that, since most rental agreements stipulate that you can’t change anything permanentl­y. Another approach: Strike up a conversati­on with your landlord to talk about potential changes, and perhaps even offer to foot the bill.

Or, just make some temporary tweaks, little personal touches that can turn bland and basic into hip and homey with just a trip to the hardware store.

“Personaliz­ing a rental is really easy these days; there are so many great accents that are designed to be temporary,” says Jessica Dodell-Feder, HGTV Magazine’s executive editor.

THE WALLS

Jessica Shaw, interior design director of New York’s The Turett Collaborat­ive, is a fan of removable wallpaper. “I’ve used it in my own home. Etsy, where I found mine, has prints, murals and custom options. When your lease is up, you can gently remove it with no residue,” she says.

And don’t forget the ceiling. On one project, she created a wow factor by putting a colorful, removable geometric from Flavor Paper on a bedroom ceiling. Night sky patterns or photomural­s of forests could be especially nice for city dwellers.

Denver designer Rachel Hoback put an eye-catching star-mosaic wallpaper on her stair risers. “This was a very quick and inexpensiv­e project that made a huge difference in the look of our stairway,” she says.

Removable wallpapers also can add pizzazz to kitchen backsplash­es, bathroom walls and cabinetry. Tempaper, for

one, offers a range of designs, including ones that look like painted ceramic tile, terrazzo, marble or embossed metallics.

Liz Morrow of Tacoma, Wash., temporaril­y papered her refrigerat­or.

“A fridge can be ugly or boring, but removable wallpaper can transform it easily into the most interestin­g part of the whole kitchen,” she says.

Dodell-Feder agrees: “This is a no-commitment, fun solution to a blah kitchen.”

STORAGE

“We don’t tend to consider customizin­g our rental storage spaces,” Shaw says, “but there are ways to improve their aesthetics and functional­ity.”

Set up custom organizers in closets to stow wardrobe and household items efficientl­y. (The Container Store and California Closets are among the bigger retailers with options.) Coordinati­ng bins and baskets are inexpensiv­e and ubiquitous in home decor stores.

Or create a roomy closet against a wall. You can take a clothes rack with you when you move. Rebrillian­t’s Liddle heavy-duty adjustable rack, for instance, has rubber feet that anchor against the floor and ceiling.

In a small kitchen, shelf risers and slide-in bins that pop onto cabinet shelves increase your storage capacity. And adhesive hooks are good for hanging not just artwork but pans and utensils.

Metal utility carts come in a range of colors; if you can paint, then stencil or decoupage one yourself. They’re handy for frequently used cooking items, or for bar gear.

THE FURNITURE

Gita Mirchandan­i, a public relations executive in New York, has gradually added colorful and meaningful pieces from her favorite designers to her overall-white apartment. There are Eames chairs, a George Nelson bench, Jonathan Adler screens and Philippe Starck dining chairs. “Each one serves as a significan­t landmark for moments in my life,” she says.

She has also personaliz­ed her bedroom, and honored her heritage. “My headboard is a colorful, hand-painted Indian screen that reminds me every day of my fascinatin­g background,” she says.

Convertibl­e furniture lets you create defined spaces that weren’t there. Murphy-style beds fold up into a cabinet, with options like an attached sofa or table. Tables like those at Resource Furniture transform into dining, office or coffee tables, or consoles.

And a simple room screen can be a workhorse. There are rigid framed panels and folding screens in colored canvas, wovens, paper, metal and wood slats.

THE WINDOWS

Curtains or blinds can bring texture, color and privacy.

If there are no rods already installed, spring-tension or twist-and-fit rods adjust to various window sizes and have protective rubber ends. KwikHang’s brackets can be tapped into the window trim, without a drill. Or look for Redi-Shade’s peel-and-stick window treatments; some also provide enhanced light control.

FINISHING TOUCHES

Paint — especially spray paint — is an inexpensiv­e way to upgrade a space. Some kinds can be used on rugs, and on decorative fabrics on furniture or curtains. (Glidden’s Max Flex is one brand.)

Buy some builder-basic cabinet hardware or switch plate covers from a hardware store and paint them in your favorite hues. Follow product instructio­ns on preparing and testing surfaces before painting.

Changing knobs and handles is another easy way to change the feel of a room, and there are many creative options out there.

Jazz up your bathroom by changing out your showerhead to a colored one, or one that sprays like rain or in colors; Sproos!, SparkPod and DreamSpa are some brands.

 ?? (Alexa d’Argence via AP) ?? This combinatio­n of images shows Alexa d’Argence, a senior designer at BAR Architects, in front of her newly renovated dining room hutch (left) and a photo of the dining room before the renovation.
(Alexa d’Argence via AP) This combinatio­n of images shows Alexa d’Argence, a senior designer at BAR Architects, in front of her newly renovated dining room hutch (left) and a photo of the dining room before the renovation.
 ?? (Liz Morrow via AP) ?? Designer Liz Morrow stands next to her refrigerat­or covered with a stylish patterned Tempaper removable paper at her home in Tacoma, Wash.
(Liz Morrow via AP) Designer Liz Morrow stands next to her refrigerat­or covered with a stylish patterned Tempaper removable paper at her home in Tacoma, Wash.
 ?? (Resource Furniture via AP) ?? This image shows the Tonale sectional wall bed.
(Resource Furniture via AP) This image shows the Tonale sectional wall bed.
 ?? (Resource Furniture via AP) ?? This image shows the Passo transformi­ng coffee-to-dining table.
(Resource Furniture via AP) This image shows the Passo transformi­ng coffee-to-dining table.
 ?? (Sproos via AP) ?? This image released by Sproos shows an easy-to-install shower faucet, offering a quick and effective way to personaliz­e your apartment shower.
(Sproos via AP) This image released by Sproos shows an easy-to-install shower faucet, offering a quick and effective way to personaliz­e your apartment shower.

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