Home Improvement For Renters: Ideas And Suggestions
Are you are renter, but want to feel more like your house is a home? There are ways that you can improve your living space without spending a lot of money. In many cases, the projects can even leave with you when you relocate. Read on for some simple home improvement ideas created specifically for renters.
While you may be limited by what your landlord will allow you to change in your rental, remember that paint is a simple alteration that can always be changed back when it is time to leave if necessary. It also makes a huge difference in the overall look and feel of the living space. If you want to keep things simple, choose one wall and repaint it a different color to make it a focal point. This will add a splash of color to any room and it won't be that hard to fix if you need to repaint it at the end of your lease. Remember that lighter colors cover better than darker ones, so stick to a light color if you will have to go back and repaint.
If your living room is bland, invest in both a quality rug and a few throw pillows. Each of these items can add a much needed dash of color, and they aren't permanent fixtures in the home. Rugs are particularly useful if you have an open layout and you want to make it apparent that there are two separate rooms. A folding screen will serve the same purpose or it could be added as a way to increase the amount of storage that you have in a space. Put children's toys back behind it or cleaning supplies like a vacuum cleaner. It's an attractive and functional additional that doesn't require a change to the structure of the home.
If you want to make a small room seem bigger, hang a few mirrors. Shop for a couple of large ones; to make the purchase cheaper and more personalized, simply go to a framing shop and find the size of frame that you want. Talk to the framer and request that he add a mirror to the frame. This allows you the flexibility to choose the style of the mirror that you want. Rather than picking from what is available, the sky is the limit. If you prefer to have an unobtrusive frame, you can always paint it the same color as your wall paint.
Finally, you can customize the look of your living area by building a bench seat to place underneath one of your windows. If you are really handy, build two additional bookcases and put them on either side of the bench. This is a nice way to change up the feel of a room, and the additions can be transported to your next home as well.
Just because you are renting does not mean that you have to accept your living space the way it currently is. There are a number of improvements that you can make that will not violate the terms of your lease. Try out one of the ideas in this article, and have fun making your home your own!
