Who do you think has it easier, the landlord, or the tenant? The truth is, in maintaining a peaceful (dare we say, friendly) landlord-tenant relationship over the long term, mutual respect and understanding are essential. This is why it’s important for the landlord to understand your wishes and your need to spruce up the place a bit to your liking, but you should also keep in mind that the owner needs the property to retain a certain aesthetic appeal for future tenants.
So here is your conundrum: how much personal decorating is too much, and where is that fine line between acceptable interior adaptations, and a quick eviction notice? Here to help you maintain your status as the perfect long-term tenant are some of the best landlord-friendly apartment decorating ideas you’re going to love.
Spice up the Kitchen with a Mirror Backsplash
The kitchen is arguably the busiest room in the entire house, so not only do you need to avoid damaging or breaking stuff on a daily basis but introducing too many personal trinkets and decor pieces can even mess up the entire aesthetic vibe of the room. If you want to freshen up the space and introduce a novelty that will make a huge difference without ticking off the landlord, you can opt for a simple mirror backsplash.
Positioning a mirror above the sink will not only make the room feel more capacious while letting natural light permeate the setting even further, but it will add a dash of class and elegance as well! Simply stick to regular cleaning to keep it spotless, and take it with you when moving day comes.
Go Ahead and Hang Up your Favorite Wall Art
Hanging up paintings and pictures on the walls is a tricky problem. Some landlords will completely forbid it, others will tell you where you can hang it, and some won’t mind at all. However, it’s more likely that you will be confronted by an adamant owner than a lenient one.
If this the case, don’t despair, as you absolutely can have your cake and eat it too. Simply use washi tape instead of nails to hang your wall art without damaging the surface. Using Japanese tape is excellent in preserving the aesthetics of the walls and even moving wall art around without the tape losing its stickiness.
Introduce Layers in Every Room for a Touch of Vibrancy
Bare sofas and armchairs, beds covered in simple linens, sounds so dull, doesn’t it? Time to spruce things up with beautiful statement blankets, throws, and pillows across the board! If you’re looking to introduce a dash of personality and charm into “your” new apartment, consider placing feather cushions here and there, preferably on the sofa in the living room and the bed in the master bedroom. Of course, don’t forget to make your home smell like a spa with quality Mor products such as reed diffusers, for example.
Additionally, think vibrant blankets and throws carelessly drooping from the edges of the sofa (you can never go wrong with sheepskin) or gracing the armchair in the reading nook. You can also put cushions and interesting fabrics on the chairs in the kitchen, just make sure they follow the design of the room in color and pattern.
Go Modular and Modern Across the Board
No matter if you plan to stay in this house forever or change the address in the near future, the best way to introduce the furniture you want is to stick to modern, modular pieces you can easily move around and take with you when moving day arrives.
Nowadays, you can find everything from chairs and beds, to work desks and modular storage, so think about places in your rental that need the most decluttering, and create capaciousness by switching out the old furniture with contemporary, functional pieces. Come moving day, just put the old stuff back in, and take you uber-cool furniture with you.
Rejuvenate the Walls with removable Wallpaper
Hate the colors on the walls? Wish it were something more interesting, vibrant, and daring, but the landlord has a strict “don’t mess with the walls” policy? Worry not, removable wallpapers are here to rescue you. Unlike its more traditional brethren, removable wallpaper is easy to install and more importantly, easy to take off when needed. Simply choose your preferred color and pattern scheme, get plenty of sheets for when you misalign sections (it’s going to happen), and personalize every room to your liking.
Cover Up the Age-Old Flooring
Sometimes, there is nothing the landlord can do about the worn-out flooring that doesn’t require plenty of time, money, and effort, so they choose to leave it as it is and pray you won’t hold it against them. If this is the case, then the best affordable option is to cover up certain parts of the floor with beautiful area rugs. This is not only a great way to hide the unsightly surface, but it’s also a great way to bring your personal style and flair into every room.
Mutual understanding and respect is the key to a healthy landlord-tenant relationship. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t have it your way when it comes to decorating the interior. So use these landlord-friendly decorating ideas to spice up your living environment and maintain the piece at the same time.
Author Bio: Cooper Klein is an entrepreneur with a degree in Marketing, based in Sydney. He’s interested in business and home decor. In order to spend more time with his family, Cooper decided to take a break, and he’s currently working from home as a blogger and a business consultant.
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