Weekend decorator: How to make a rental unit feel more like home

National Post

19-06-2025

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Dear Virginie,
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I rent a lovely house but hate the feeling that it isn't 'ours,' given the cabinets, flooring, fixtures and blinds all came with the place. What changes can I make to freshen it up and make it feel more custom for our family without doing anything to irritate our landlords?
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Paint is the obvious first choice. I wouldn't tackle anything like trim or doors — it's too much work — but a quick coat on a wall can go a long way towards changing the look of a room, or even the whole house. Generally, landlords don't love really dark walls, so if that's what you want, be prepared to spend a lot of time repainting when you leave. (You'll often be required to return the walls to their original colour; and some leases will specify that you need to ask the landlord for clearance before you paint.) And don't paint anything that is wood without asking first – my guess is you'll get a hard no to that. Ditto the ceilings, unless you're willing to paint them basic white again before you leave.
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You may be surprised to learn that, once the painting's done, you can actually change hanging light fixtures. Remember to photograph the old one and keep it so you can replace it before you move out. Again, check with the landlord to make sure they don't want you to hire a licensed electrician to make the switch, but replacing chandeliers and pendants with new cheap and cheerful ones (or maybe not even cheap, since you can take them with you) will go a long way towards adding your own touch to your home.
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Curtains would be my next piece of advice. If your place already has curtain rods, you're in luck. You just need to find some ready-made panels that match your style and replace whatever was there when you moved in. If not, invest in some nice curtain rods and curtains to frame your windows. Choose heavy fabrics like lined linen panels for a custom look, and make sure they hang to the floor. It's better to buy longer ones and have them altered at the dry cleaners — and ask them to hem them without cutting off the length, in case you have higher ceilings in your next place. A living room, dining room and bedroom will look amazing with floor-to-ceiling drapes. If you're a modernist, choose plain fabrics, and if you're a maximalist, go wild with pattern. You can easily remove the rods and patch, sand and paint any holes when you leave.
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The kitchen and bathroom are harder to make your own. In the bathroom, you can always replace a shower curtain. If you can find handles and knobs that line up with the existing holes in your cabinetry, you can change those, too. Make sure to photograph and keep the old ones to replace them when you leave. There isn't much you can do though if you hate the cupboards and counters in your kitchen and bathroom. If they are badly dated or damaged, you may be able to strike a deal with the landlord to have them painted or changed, or split the cost of updating them, but that is money you won't get back. If you're really feeling ambitious, you could apply peel and stick wallpaper over the cabinets, but make sure to try it out in a small area before committing to the whole project.
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Another fun use for peel-and-stick wallpaper in a rental is to use it to create a feature wall. Again, try it out in an inconspicuous spot to make sure you can safely remove it without damaging the existing wall. Peel-and-stick works best on smooth, somewhat glossy paint. It definitely will not work on stucco walls, textured walls or walls that already have wallpaper on them.