Everyone finds themselves living in a rental kitchen at some point in their lives. Whether right out of college, waiting for a new house to be built or because it fits your lifestyle, we can all relate.
Renting has its pros and cons, one of the cons being that you don’t have free reign to renovate and make big changes to the property. Don’t let that stop you from using your creativity to make it your own and spruce it up. See several simple and practical ways to change up your rental kitchen without getting in trouble with your landlord.
Design & Decorate With A Theme
Decorating with a theme in mind is a smart way to bring continuity and style to your rental kitchen. Rustic, farmhouse, coffee themed and Italian kitchen décor are a few fun and creative ways to make your kitchen come together nicely. No matter what foundation you choose to go with, a theme will force you to incorporate attractive pieces and take the focus away from what you don’t like about your kitchen.
Get Organized & Add Storage
Your first step to a better rental kitchen is to remove all clutter. This is especially important if you’re working with a small space. As long as you patch up the walls when you’re done, floating open shelving is a great way to add extra storage space without requiring any major remodelling work. Magnetic wall-mounted blocks and hanging pot holders will also give you more space and less mess. Take advantage of organization tools that make your cabinet storage smarter and more structured.
Put Up Decal (Temporary) Wallpaper
These days, you can find just about anything on the market to make a homeowner’s or renter’s life easier. A wall decal, or a temporary backsplash, is a budget-friendly way to transform your kitchen walls without them. It’s also an opportunity to pick out something bold or unique that you may not want in your home some day, but like for the time being. Add a temporary backsplash design above your countertops and sink for that extra spunk.
Update Hardware
Replacing your cabinet hardware is something so simple and practical that it surprises me homeowners aren’t doing it more often. It’s an inexpensive and quick way to give your cabinets a facelift. If you’re renting, make sure you save your old hardware so you can put it back on when you’re ready to move out and not risk any of your security deposit.
Add Counter Space
Anyone with a small kitchen knows that limited counter space is a real pain. A super easy and practical way to give yourself more room to work is to invest in a stylish rolling cart. Use it to vegetables or display décor and cook books when you’re not using it. Purchasing a chopping board that covers your stove or sink is another way to temporarily add counter space for slicing and dicing.
Hang Artwork
Hanging beautiful artwork, pictures and mirrors should be at the top of your list when sprucing up your rental kitchen. Blank walls are boring and drag the room down. Use paintings to add a pop of colour or mirrors to make the room look bigger, and see how quickly they transform your kitchen. Just because you’re renting, that doesn’t mean you can’t invest a little time and money into adding personal touches. When you’re shopping, make it a point to pick out pieces you know you’ll want to take with you when you move.
New Paint
While you need to get permission from your land lord or building first, a fresh coat of paint is a fun DIY project that’ll instantly improve your rental kitchen. Put some thought behind the colour choice and overall appearance before approaching the property owner, and use it as a selling point as to why you want to complete the project. If you get the green light to move forward with the new paint, hire a painting pro to do the if you aren’t comfortable painting the room yourself.
Fresh Flowers & Plants
Head to your local farmers market and pick out some lovely smelling and colourful fresh flowers to display on your counter tops. Put them in your favourite vase and place them strategically around your kitchen. In addition, plants and greenery help liven up the space and freshen up the air, making your rental kitchen not only look good, but smell good is also important.
The idea of renting just got a whole lot better with these tips and tricks for sprucing up your rental kitchen. Making a rental feel like home isn’t hard, but it does take some creativity, determination and trial. Don’t let renting get in the way of decorating your place to your liking and personal style.
