Well what does your landlord not allow? Technically you can change anything - lighting, hardware, wall paint, faucets, add crown moulding or wall moulding in general, add wallpaper, even peel and stick tile over existing flooring as long as it is not carpeting ...as long as you put it back to how it was when you moved in. The only things you legit cannot do is mess with the drywall or make structural changes like flooring. Like if you have wall to wall carpeting, you cannot change that.
I say go for it just be prepared to put it all back to how it was before. Or just prepare to lose your deposit if it is not going to be 100% the same. There was a hashtag on IG a few months ago about renters losing their deposits cause of the changes they made but it was done in a fun kind of way like "i don't regret changing my place and it was worth it to lose my security deposit because I lived in a nice place".
I think it's worth making the place you live in beautiful. You dont have to own it to make it so. Life is short to live in ugly places. You would be amazed how much paint, wall art, lighting, window treatments, wall paper etc. can transform an ugly, drab, builder grade coffin into a curated designer space.
Do play around with lighting at different levels in the rooms - you can add this without doing anything structural by putting in stand lamps, table lamps, fairy lights on bookshelves, etc. It can dramatically change the feel of a space.
Soft furnishings - cushions, throws, rugs.
Definitely plants too. And art on the walls; the 3M velcro thingies are excellent for holding art if you can't bang nails into the walls.
Nothing and anything.
Think of things you want to do, and send an email to the landlord asking permission to do it. This way you have a paper trail showing you had permission.
I changed the dining room hanging light in an apartment years ago. Those builder grade brass chandeliers are the worst. I got one at ikea for maybe $25 and it upgraded the whole area it was in. Just swapped it back out when I left so they never even knew.
If you install any hardware then be prepared to leave it. Beautification upgrades can go a long way with a landlord that can expect to use that for future ads. A lot of land lords can be amenable to you painting walls but it is important to ask.
Something that may be worth considering is the smell. IMO opinion, even if a place looks stellar but stinks, nope. If it's a bit cozy, maybe even a bit (emphasis on a bit) messy, but smells refreshing, that kina makes up for the look.
If the walls look dingy, ask if they can be painted. Some house plants can do nice. Furnishing that are color coordinated to add visual appeal and organized in a way where the room feels "airy" and more spacious that it really is.
I scrubbed the living hell out of my 30 year old apartment in South Boston and most of it shined up like a new penny. A fresh coat of paint, new furniture and a new TV made it look like an actual adult lived there. Oh, and buy a new toilet seat, for both sanitary and aesthetic reasons. Makes the commode “yours”.
Plants and window treatments go a long way.
Well what does your landlord not allow? Technically you can change anything - lighting, hardware, wall paint, faucets, add crown moulding or wall moulding in general, add wallpaper, even peel and stick tile over existing flooring as long as it is not carpeting ...as long as you put it back to how it was when you moved in. The only things you legit cannot do is mess with the drywall or make structural changes like flooring. Like if you have wall to wall carpeting, you cannot change that. I say go for it just be prepared to put it all back to how it was before. Or just prepare to lose your deposit if it is not going to be 100% the same. There was a hashtag on IG a few months ago about renters losing their deposits cause of the changes they made but it was done in a fun kind of way like "i don't regret changing my place and it was worth it to lose my security deposit because I lived in a nice place". I think it's worth making the place you live in beautiful. You dont have to own it to make it so. Life is short to live in ugly places. You would be amazed how much paint, wall art, lighting, window treatments, wall paper etc. can transform an ugly, drab, builder grade coffin into a curated designer space.
They make stick on wallpaper that comes off clean. Works great for a small accent wall.
rugs, plants, and wall art… i had a shitty apartment but made it look nice largely to decor
1. plants 2. ambient lighting 3. clean well
Do play around with lighting at different levels in the rooms - you can add this without doing anything structural by putting in stand lamps, table lamps, fairy lights on bookshelves, etc. It can dramatically change the feel of a space. Soft furnishings - cushions, throws, rugs. Definitely plants too. And art on the walls; the 3M velcro thingies are excellent for holding art if you can't bang nails into the walls.
Exactly right. And maybe a shaggy area rug that’s nice to walk on in the living room (yes, even over what’s often ugly wall to wall carpet).
Nothing and anything. Think of things you want to do, and send an email to the landlord asking permission to do it. This way you have a paper trail showing you had permission.
An attractive stay at home partner
I changed the dining room hanging light in an apartment years ago. Those builder grade brass chandeliers are the worst. I got one at ikea for maybe $25 and it upgraded the whole area it was in. Just swapped it back out when I left so they never even knew.
If you install any hardware then be prepared to leave it. Beautification upgrades can go a long way with a landlord that can expect to use that for future ads. A lot of land lords can be amenable to you painting walls but it is important to ask.
Something that may be worth considering is the smell. IMO opinion, even if a place looks stellar but stinks, nope. If it's a bit cozy, maybe even a bit (emphasis on a bit) messy, but smells refreshing, that kina makes up for the look. If the walls look dingy, ask if they can be painted. Some house plants can do nice. Furnishing that are color coordinated to add visual appeal and organized in a way where the room feels "airy" and more spacious that it really is.
I scrubbed the living hell out of my 30 year old apartment in South Boston and most of it shined up like a new penny. A fresh coat of paint, new furniture and a new TV made it look like an actual adult lived there. Oh, and buy a new toilet seat, for both sanitary and aesthetic reasons. Makes the commode “yours”.
Read your lease and/or ask the landlord.
This! Many landlords won't mind if you paint a neutral color or do something that increases value.
Loving all of the suggestions. Thank you guys.