Rental homes have their virtues: The maintenance isn't your problem, and you can move out without having to find a buyer. Yet a temporary living space can often feel a bit ... soulless.
You're usually dealing with standard-grade appliances, budget finishes, and that old classic, "Apartment White" walls. While it's understandable that a rental apartment is someone else's apartment, an apartment devoid of any personality can be a bit of a downer to come home to after a long day. Here are 6 ways to add some personality to your apartment, without losing that security deposit.
1. Adjusting the light
Is the only source of illumination in your apartment coming from a sad fluorescent overhead fixture? Most overhead fixtures cast harsh light, creating weird shadows that make everything look odd. Incorporating more lighting at eye level or higher, whether in the form of table lamps, plug-in sconces, or floor lamps, makes a house feel more like a home.
2. Replacing hardware
Swapping out the handles and knobs of cabinets for more stylish options can be a simple task. It's really just a matter of loosening a few screws and tightening a few others. The only downside: keeping track of the original hardware, or risking damaging the finish of the cabinet accidentally while installing the new knobs.
3. Paint
Paint is temporary but generally frowned upon by landlords. All it takes is one tenant with a penchant for highlighter-lime-green paint that bleeds through several coats of white primer to make a landlord flat-out refuse additional painting.
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