I have never owned a house, but as Southern Living’s assistant photo editor by day and a fledgling interior designer by night, I’m passionate about making wherever I spend my days feel like home. In my years living in Charlottesville, New York City, and Birmingham apartments, I’ve learned many tricks for working around landlords’ sometimes arbitrary rules and creating a cozy environment for myself. No, I may not be able to paint the outside shutters in the Sherwin-Williams’ Soji White I’ve been eyeing on Pinterest for months or drench my living room in Farrow and Ball’s Selvedge Blue, but even us renters have some creative power. Here’s how to make your rental feel more homey, without ever picking up a paint brush.
Courtesy of Turner Spottswood
Courtesy of Turner Spottswood
Welcome Hand-Me-Downs
If you’ve been storing away a sideboard, drop-leaf table, or demilune that your relative passed down to you many moons ago, it’s time to pull it out of the storage unit. An antique immediately adds personality to a sterile room. Not to mention, antiques typically become conversation pieces and each has a story I love to tell. In my mind, asking about an antique in my humble rental is equivalent to someone asking where you get your hair done—the ultimate compliment.
Showcase Your Treasures
Hang a plate on the wall. I am not sure why a plate on the wall immediately screams “This is home,” but to me it says, “Someone lives here, eats here, and took the time to select this ceramic to live right her—on purpose.” Plus, the teeny tiny nail requires little need for patchwork when it’s time to move out. Low lifts that make an impact, from plates on the wall to thrifted artwork, are a design heavy-hitter and a gift.
Courtesy of Turner Spottswood
Prioritize Window Treatments
Adding treatments to any window, especially in the living room, can elevate a space in a snap. In my rental, I’ve hung Amazon’s bamboo Roman shades wherever possible; I am particularly keen on the ones that come with a valence. They feel so much fancier than the plastic blinds that came with the place, plus they allow me to watch my evening TV in privacy.
Embrace Fun Lampshades
Because you can’t control paint colors, enjoy creative freedom in choosing colorful decor for your rental instead. One of my favorite ways to add flare is a lampshade. Typically, lamps come with a generic white paper shade. Swapping those out for a patterned one or a simple pleated one with color can shift a room from blah to “ta da!” It feels like a piece of art, adding instant character to even the most bare-bones corner.
Remember Rentals Have Their Perks
One day, I hope I can select my own bathroom tile and paint the trim in my guest bedroom a snazzy green. But for now, I’m grateful that when my pipes are busted or the ceiling has a water leak, it’s not on me to fix. All I have to worry about is adjusting my crooked—but colorful!—lampshade.
