How To Elevate Your Apartment (Without Breaching Your Lease)

Making your apartment feel like a “home” can be hard. Most leases will prevent you from renovating or making major changes. This, of course, reminds you of just how not yours an apartment is. (sigh) However, there are still plenty of things you can do to create an apartment that reflects your personal style — without making your landlord gumpy. Here are some of the best ways to elevate a rental apartment, without breaching your lease.

Let’s go! 

Use Vinyl Stickers To “Re-Tile” Your Kitchen

Many rentals, especially these days, have strong college dorm energy. They feel prefab and cookiecutter. Modern apartment kitchens are peak offenders here. If you don’t like your kitchen’s floor or backsplash, (and chances are you don’t) vinyl stickers are an easy way to switch things up! 

These stickers are designed to be placed directly over your floor or wall. They look like real tile and come in a variety of patterns and designs. When you’re ready to move out, you can peel the stickers off without damaging the original surface.

Not only is this an easy way to cover up an ugly kitchen, but you can also use these stickers to add a pop of color to an otherwise neutral space! You can find vinyl stickers basically anywhere on the internet; just google and go! That said, Etsy has a particularly great selection of trendy and affordable  stickers from independent artists. 

Bonus tip: peel-and-stick wallpaper can also help create a more you space.

Add Texture With Hanging Fabric

Many renters decide against painting the walls in a rental apartment. Even if your landlord allows it, painting can be a big hassle if you’re not planning on staying in the apartment for too long. 

So, here’s a hack: hang pieces of beautiful fabric! It’s a great way to liven up your space without painting or putting big holes in the wall. You can even opt to hang your fabric from the ceiling to create an elegant draped effect. Fabric is easy to hang with push pins or staples, and you can easily take it down when you’re ready to move. 

Liven Things Up With Plants

A little bit of greenery can instantly make a space feel more welcoming! There are plants out there for every climate and every type of apartment — whether you want small succulents, elegant hanging plants, or giant ferns. Don’t wanna deal with, ya know, actually being responsible for keeping living things alive? Good news: You can invest in faux plants that don’t require any maintenance. Fake plants may not do too much for you, but they sure do look nice! 

That said, there are some benefits associated with being on team Real Plants™️.

Need a guide for keeping your plant babies alive? Bet.

Swap Out Fixtures

The little details can make a big difference when it comes to elevating your space. Consider swapping out fixtures like doorknobs, drawer pulls, and light switch covers to help make an apartment more reflective or your individual style. 

These fixtures are all very easy to replace when you eventually move out, so making this switch is landlord-friendly. You can find fixtures at any home improvement store, but you can also find them at antique stores and flea markets. (And – psst – there are real benefits to buying secondhand!) 

Replace Your Blinds

Many rental apartments come with cheap white blinds, which can start to break or just look tacky after a while (college dorm vibes strike again!). Removing these blinds and replacing them with something else will instantly make your apartment feel more modern and sophisticated. 

Bamboo blinds work the same way that regular blinds do, but are much more durable (and casually chic). You can also swap out your blinds for curtains, especially if you are trying to block out light.

Add Extra Light With LED Strips

Adding or moving light sources is one of the easiest ways to change how your apartment feels. You can use light to make your space feel bigger, cozier, or brighter — just choose the right light source for your preferred vibe. The only problem is, when you’re renting an apartment you might not always be able to alter the permanent lighting fixtures in your space. 

LED strips are a great way to bring light to different places throughout your apartment! They come in a variety of colors, and some versions even allow you to change the tone and brightness of the light with your smartphone. These lights look particularly good under cabinets and shelves, or even behind pieces of art!

Expand The Space With Mirrors

Speaking of opening up the space with some optical I L L U S I O N S, here’s something to think about… You can use mirrors to make your space feel brighter and more open! Mirrors reflect light in a way that gives the illusion of space. Even small mirrors can make a big difference in the feel of your home.

For more tips on e x p a n d i n g your space, check out this guide.

Just because you’re in a rental apartment doesn’t mean you can’t make it feel like home! These small changes are easy ways to make your space feel more modern and stylish — without breaking your lease or antagonizing your landlord. 

Need some tools for the job(s)? We can help with that. Sparetoolz allows you to connect with other DIYers in your community to rent tools at a fraction of the price of purchasing them new.