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This post is all about upgrades to transform your rental apartment.
Living in a rental apartment doesn’t have to be basic and boring. Although the place may seem like it when you first move in, there are quite a few easy upgrades you can make to your space to transform it and make it feel like a curated home.
Making your rental apartment feel cozy, inviting and reflective of your personal style will not only change the way you feel about the space, but give you serotonin boost as you enter your space.
We aren’t gatekeeping any design secrets here…these 10 easy upgrades are totally doable in any rental apartment! Once it’s time to move out, all you have to do is remove, swap or patch to get your place back to your landlord’s standards.
This post is all about upgrades to transform your rental apartment.
10 Easy Upgrades to Transform Your Rental Apartment
1. Paint!
Apartment beige has got to go! One of the simplest ways to transform your rental apartment is with paint! Whether you want to paint an accent wall or an entire room, paint is a super inexpensive way to change the look and feel of your room.
2. Make a Statement with Peel and Stick Wallpaper
We swear by peel and stick wallpaper! It’s one of the most amazing inventions since sliced bread.
But seriously…peel and stick wallpaper can dramatically make your apartment feel so much more like a home. Not only does it add personality to a space, but it also makes a stunning statement. Plus, you can put it pretty much any space in your home!
Our Favorite Peel and Stick Wallpaper:
3. Swap Out Hardware
If we could only choose one thing to transform a kitchen and bathroom, we would swap out the hardware. A lot of people don’t think to make this minor tweak to the space, but you will be surprised at how much it changes the mood and feel of your home. It adds so much character and personality to a basic apartment, and it it won’t take much time to do at all.
*Pro tip: Make sure to save the hardware your apartment comes with. Place it in a plastic bag, label it and store it in a drawer in your kitchen or bathroom, so you can easily swap it out before you move out.
Our Favorite Hardware:
4. Swap Out Light Fixtures
Another easy swap is changing out your existing light fixtures! Apartments comes with basic, boring light fixtures that you can more times than not easily swap them out.
Whether you’re wanting to swap an ugly boob light in your entryway with a new gorgeous flush mount, or basic pendants in your kitchen for some gorgeous statement lights.
*Pro tip: Talk with your landlord before making any changes, just to make sure they approve. We recommend hiring a handyman to swap the lights. Lastly, save the lights in storage or in a closet just in case you have to swap them back out before move out.
Our Favorite Light Fixtures:
5. Install New Faucets
If you swap out your kitchen or bathroom hardware, you’re going to want to change the faucets as well. This is a simple way to add more of a curated, luxe look to your apartment that it wouldn’t have had before.
We personally love the look of brass and polished nickel fixtures, so finding faucets for the space would instantly elevate it!
Our Favorite Kitchen and Bathroom Faucets:
6. Install Large Art
Just because your apartment may have smaller spaces, it doesn’t mean you can’t install large art work! Oversized art pieces make a space feel more luxe, and instantly upgrade the look of a basic apartment.
Shopping for oversized art prints at place like Wayfair, HomeGoods or Target will help you achieve the high end look your wanting, without breaking the bank.
Some of Our Favorite Oversized Art:
7. Mount Your TV
When we lived in an apartment in Dallas, one of the best decisions we made with mounting out TV to a wall. It’s a small, seemly normal change, but it has a way of making your living room or bedroom feel more permanent and lived-in.
8. Add an Electric Fireplace
We love a gorgeous fireplace in a living area, however most apartments don’t have them. One of the easiest ways to add one to your space is with an electric fireplace. There are so many gorgeous fireplaces with surrounds that will give you the cozy, classic style in your rental apartment.
Our Favorite Electric Fireplaces:
9. Install Peel and Stick Tiles
Peel and Stick tile backsplash is a a super simple way to add a gorgeous design to your basic apartment kitchen. There are so many options to choose from, so you’re bound to find one you love and one that reflects your personal design style.
They also make peel and stick tiles for your floor, so if you want to add a stunning tile detail to your kitchen, bathroom or entryway floor, peel and stick tiles is the way to go! All you have to do when you move out is remove it from the floor.
Our Favorite Peel and Stick Tiles:
10. Add Custom Details
The small, custom details are what truly make your rental feel like a home. Finding ways to elevate the design of your space through decor, renter-friendly architectural details and furniture will help you create a space you truly love.
Some custom details we recommend for a space are:
This post is all about upgrades to transform your rental apartment.
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