Ask Your Brother: Drew and Jonathan’s Easy Decorating Ideas for Renters
Not everyone who watches Drew and Jonathan’s shows like Property Brothers and Celebrity IOU are homeowners. In fact, lots of us are renters who just love home design and get a ton of inspiration from watching the Bros renovate! Unfortunately, we can’t always do what we want to do to improve our space’s style. (The landlord probably won’t like it very much if you started tearing down walls…) But that doesn’t mean you don’t have options! That’s why Drew and Jonathan are showing you some smart apartment decorating ideas and renter-friendly upgrades that will make your home feel like yours… without any damage.
There are tons of creative ideas out there to update your rental home or apartment—like peel-and-stick wallpaper, swapping out your drawer pulls, or just hanging beautiful framed art. But Drew and Jonathan have even more tips to share! Whether you’re on a budget and are looking to stretch your dollar as much as possible, or you want to invest into your rental upgrades because you plan to be there awhile, these design ideas will get your home looking chic and stylish. Maybe you’re moving into your very first apartment, or perhaps you’ve lived in the same unit forever but are in need of a change. No matter your situation, the Bros have you covered.
On this Ask Your Brother, they’re solving Kayla from Brooklyn’s common rental dilemma: “I’m renting an apartment but it doesn’t really feel like my taste. What can I do to add some style?” Here’s what our trusty twin experts recommend for easy apartment decorating ideas.
Removable Wallpaper
“Removable wallpaper is a beautiful non-permanent way to add some style to your home,” Drew says. “What I love about this is that anybody can do it! People say all the time, ‘I hate wallpaper; wallpaper’s terrible; it’s what my grandma used to have in her house.’ Wallpaper can add a stunning look to a space—it can define a room; it can bring depth to a space; it can make it feel bigger. You can also put wallpaper on a ceiling!”
Shades and Blinds
“The easiest thing you can do to add a little color; a little warmth; a little personality is to put up some beautiful curtains,” Jonathan says. “There are so many different ways you can go when it comes to different window coverings. Think about the functionality: You want something that’s going to black out a bedroom? Great. Most apartments I find just have those venetian blinds or something—that’s not blocking any light. So put something in that actually looks good, feels good, and then you can take it down when you leave, and the landlord can’t complain.”
Lamps and Lighting
“I love lamp,” Drew jokes. “Many apartments don’t have a lot of natural light, so to have a tabletop or a standing lamp can add a lot of brightness to a space; it can make it feel bigger. And also, if you have a sconce or a light fixture like a chandelier that you can swap out, a lot of landlords will allow that. Then, you can bring your style to the space, and it should be reversible because whatever you put in, you should be able to take with you when you go.”
Paint If Possible
“And if you’re saying you just want to paint—put some color into your space—well this is the trickiest one of all. Because it’s nice to add some color and some personality, however a lot of landlords will say they don’t want you to paint it, or that you have to paint it back to the way it was when you leave,” Jonathan says. “However, I’ve heard of a lot of successful tenants who have been able to paint their spaces—as long as they do a good job and they use contemporary colors, it’s going to be something that the landlord says ‘yes’ to. So be prepared for a little extra work, but it might be worth the fight.”
Hardware Upgrades
“Hardware: Super easy upgrade for the house, and it can make a space look great,” Drew says. “Whether it’s hooks, doorknobs, hardware—wherever you need a change, this can freshen up a space. And you can take it with you when you go.” This is one of those apartment decorating ideas that’s so simple, but makes a big impact on the overall style in your room.
Area Rugs
“What is one of the largest surfaces in your space that everyone always forgets about? It’s the floor! So putting in a nice big area rug can not only anchor furniture, but it’s something that’s so easy and instantly warms up a space,” Jonathan says. There are so many colors, patterns, and thicknesses to choose from as well, so it’s a great way to integrate your specific style without much work at all. Apartment decorating ideas like this are a great way to elevate your space, too.
Updated Shower Head
“Swapping out your shower head is an easy, easy way to add a little bit more oomph to your bathroom. Not only can you save water with the right head, it can give you more pressure, and you can have different settings,” Drew says. “This may seem like a big plumbing job, but it’s not. You need a little plumber’s tape, you screw this off, you screw it back on, and you can absolutely transform how you shower.” To make it extra easy, we even have an easy guide on how to swap your shower head!
Ask Your Brother: Send us your issues!
Have you ever wished Drew and Jonathan could help you fix a problem around the house? Or weigh in a decorating decision you can’t seem to make? Maybe you’d like them to point you in the right direction when it comes to your reno?
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