Making a rental feel like home

It’s a little strange that after living for the last few years in homes we’ve owned, we’ll now be venturing back into rental territory next week. It’s good in the sense that it’s enabling us to buy some time to move on from Florida and decide what we really want for our family next. But of course, it’s not ours nor is it long term, so it won’t quite feel like a home we can settle into. Still, I think it’s important to put a little effort into your home base, even if it is a rental. If you don’t, it ends up feeling stark and unloved, and who wants to spend a year (much less a day) living in a place like that?

I remember in college there was one year I did nothing to my bedroom in the apartment I rented with friends – it literally had the old cruddy furniture that had been left there, some jersey cotton sheets, and white curtains. It was by far my least favorite place I lived in in college, and I remember hating being there. I think the reasons I didn’t decorate was because I didn’t want to spend any money and I didn’t want to have to undo it at the end of the year. Little did I know there are plenty of ways to breathe life & home into a space without making it permanent or spending a lot of dough!

Here are 5 cheap & easy tips for making a rental feel like home…

1. Plants

 

via Remain Simple

Plants literally breathe life into a home – they are beautiful and can be very affordable. The fiddle leaf fig tree is all the rage right now because they are absolutely gorgeous and provide a lush, full look. Not to mention you can snag them at Home Depot & IKEA for under $30…run, don’t walk!!

2. Wall decals

via A Place for Us

Wall decals are a great way to add color & character to stark white walls in kids rooms, offices, laundry rooms, etc. I love all of the decals over at Urban Walls and will be using them for both the boys’ rooms!

3. Large art (see DIY post)

Months ago I posted about large art DIY’s – many of these are super cheap  & easy ways to fill a blank wall in a rental.

4. Pops of color throughout

via Pretty Plum Sugar

With white walls and neutral furniture, I’m going to really a lot on accessories for bright pops of color to give the space personality without splurging on colorful drapes or having to paint (and then re-paint) walls.

5. Chalkboard quotes

Chalkboards can be a cute way to add a personal touch, and keep things changing on a regular basis. I got mine (above) on Etsy for less than $50 and not only use it at home, but for events too!

It’s easy to convince yourself not to put in the time and effort making a rental feel like home – but I speak from personal experience when I say that it sucks to come home to a stark and impersonal space. It’s going to take some time to adjust to our new living space and I know it will take time for me to decorate, but I believe it will be an important part of creating home base and giving us a fresh start.

P.S. please let me know – what are your best tips for making a rental feel like home? 

how to add color (for color-phobes)

Adding color to your home can be intimidating. How do you choose a color? How do you combine colors? What if you spend a lot of money on one color scheme and decide you no longer like it in 2 years?

This is why I always advise investing in classic neutral basics (gray or gray/beige are best) such as a sofa, rug, coffee table & side tables and then layering with color from there. That way, if your tastes change or you want to make swaps for a new season or holiday, you can easily start over with a classic foundation.

Now, how to add color? For newbies, I recommend building your color scheme around a piece of art or a pillow that you love.

In the pink room, I’ve taken two beautiful watercolor paintings and drawn out four colors – light pink, dark pink, peach and orange – in the fabrics and accents. I also brought in some additional greens. Lots of different textures make the room feel feminine and sophisticated.

The next room was designed around the colors of the beach and the photograph which has so many beautiful hues. I love working with blues because you can mix many different shades and they’ll still look good together. The middle pillow has two of the many shades (dark blue and turquoise), and it really helps bring the whole room together.

In the last room, I picked the colors first (primary red & blue) and chose the pillows. When mixing patterns always choose one large pattern and one small pattern, so that they don’t compete. From there, it was easy to add other red & navy accents that worked well with the pillow combo.

Don’t worry about trying to achieve a complete look all at once, either. Let it build over time. Start with a piece of art and let it be for a few months before you choose your pillows and other accents. I also recommend taking a picture of your room/art on your phone, so that when you’re out shopping you can refer to it to see if other accents will work. And remember, you can always return, so don’t be afraid to give something new a try!

one room, 3 ways to add color // alongcameollie.com

To my decorator friends & bloggers, how else do you recommend ‘colorphobes’ introduce color?