Style Spotlight: Next Level Rental
Design Tips When You Don’t Own Your Home
More then ever before, Americas are renting their homes. And while there are certainly perks to that choice, but there are a few drawbacks when it comes to your interior design. Namely, that you’ve got rules to follow. And while they’ll vary from one home or apartment to the next, generally, you can’t make big design changes.
Don’t love the chandelier in the dining room? Not a lot you can do. Wishing you could add a ceiling fan in the bedroom? Probably not going to happen. And forget making wholesale changes to flooring…
But that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything to really reinvent your space and make it feel a whole lot more unique and personalized to your taste.
So, here are our best tips for creating a look you love:
Patterns! From peel-and-stick wallpaper to create an accent wall, to funky throw pillows on the sofa, adding patterns in your home create instant texture and dimension. And don’t sleep on peel-and-stick tiles! They’re a great way to perk up a backsplash, add detail to bathroom, or even define and entryway.
We love these Terrazzo tile decals from Chasing Paper.
And can you imagine the impact of this Tropical peel-and-stick wallpaper from Flavor Paper in an entry or bathroom?
Major impact and it gives you a color palette to work with when selecting surrounding decor.
Lighting! You know this one, but there’s much more to it than choosing the right floor lamp. Adding plug-in sconces beside the bed or flanking a fireplace creates a cozy and welcoming vibe. Color-changing light bulbs can be controlled with your smart phone to create just the right ambiance for every occasion.
We like the Hue line from Philips, but there are plenty of options out there. One more suggestion: replace the boring shade on a table lamp or two with one that makes an impact – ether in a bright color or a pattern you love. Lamps Plus has tons of options at a variety of price points.
Tell me this one wouldn’t instantly enliven your living room or home office!
Flooring! Sure, you can’t tear out that wall to wall carpeting and add hardwood, but you can certainly add area rugs that introduce personality and create a look that’s a whole lot more interesting than boring beige. We love Ruggable – they’re washable! – and come in tons of fun patterns, colors, and sizes. You don’t have to commit right away, start with a couple small rugs in the entry or kitchen and then when you love it, graduate to that 8x10 in your living or dining room to really make a statement.
Something like this rug from Wayfair adds color and pattern, but you can go as subtle, or as bold, as you’d like here.
Of course, there’s a ton you can do with decor – everything from bedding to upholstery to furniture style – to make you home feel like, well, home.
What are your best tips and tricks? We want to hear about them in the comments.