Discover 30 rental home decor ideas to help personalize your space without breaking your lease. Get inspired and start decorating today!
Apartment Decorating Ideas That Will Transform Your Living Space
Decorating your own space is a big task that can be a lot of fun but also a little stressful, especially for new homeowners who want to make their rental apartment comfortable and elegant, a Haven for all senses.
When starting your apartment decorating journey, there are a few starting points to consider:
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The Budget: Remember, you can decorate your apartment without breaking the budget. Decor items don't have to be expensive to look tasteful and stylish. Neill's Homestore has a wide range of decor.
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Your Taste: The decor should reflect your personality and preferences. Choose pieces that reflect your taste, as that will add personality to the whole ambiance.
Leithick - Black / Tan / Gray - Accessory Set (Set of 5)
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Comfort: Decorate, but don't overdo it. Try to be moderate because too many decorative elements can make the whole space feel cluttered and stuffed. Consider your comfort and try not to add too many details.
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Maintenance: You aim to spend less time cleaning and more time enjoying the beauty of your decor. One way to do that is to pick simpler decorative objects that are easier to clean.
1. Open the Space With Floating Shelves
Show off your collectible objects and mementos with simple yet effective floating shelves. This arrangement is easy to install and affordable, and it is usually made from MDF board. A few floating shelves staggered together to create a rotating display that you can update whenever you want and refresh the look of the whole ambiance. Put them in the visible space or use that empty wall space to make it a quick makeover. Ideal for a living room or office.
Floating shelves give additional storage to your apartment.
2. Use Statement Furniture Pieces
Choose a focal furniture piece for every room. Fill your apartment with the furniture you love and give it a unique, personalized touch. Mixing and matching chairs can create personality in small rental spaces.
A stylish sofa like Cavalcade will quickly add a fresh tone to your living room. Offering the cool look of weathered leather, the feel-good upholstery takes neutral to a new level.
3. Give Your Entryway a Makeover
Add a few wall-mounted pieces and hooks for stashing jackets, hats, or purses. For a finishing touch, add a hanging mirror that will give your smaller apartment a more spacious feel.
Fulkmore - Antique Gold Finish - Accent Mirror
4. Create a Friendly Ambience With Stylish Lighting and Natural Light
The light and brightness of your space can determine the mood of your home. Look for accent lighting items that will give an elegant flair to your rental. Use a stylish floor lamp and wall scones to visually improve the look of your space and create a relaxed atmosphere.
Hallburg - Black - Poly Floor Lamp
5. Update Your Blank Walls
Give your walls a fresh coat of paint, or go with a more straightforward solution like, wall art, clocks, stick wallpaper, or removable wallpaper.
Updating a rental with wallpaper, molding, or paint colors may not be allowed.
Using peel-and-stick wallpaper is a way to customize an apartment rental without damage. Removable wallpaper is less work and can be taken along when moving.
Panchali - Brown / Silver Finish - Wall Clock
These wall decor items are easy to apply and remove, later when you need to.
Choose an eye-catching pattern that will brighten up your living space and give it a refreshing makeover.
6. Decorative Curtains for the Flow
Drape your space in decor with gorgeous draperies and curtains.
Hanging several sets of curtains along the blank walls in your apartment will add layers and depth to the atmosphere while making it look more spacious. Draperies can also be used for extra privacy to separate shared spaces like a bedroom or an office.
7. Built-in storage space
Many vintage apartments have spacious built-ins great for storing necessities. Although not common today, you can still enjoy a rustic touch and the functionality of a built-in storage space.
You can easily fake the look by adding a tall bookcase or a wall unit that reaches the ceiling.
If allowed, install moldings around the top of the shelf that accentuates the whole look.
8. Set up a Gallery Wall
The gallery wall is a clever apartment decorating idea that will turn any wall into a focal point. Use the space behind your TV and turn it into a stylish display of your favorite art pieces. Surround this modish setup with an accent chair and a round end table.
This is a simple way to create an elegant space within a room that will serve as a stylish oasis of comfort.
Chettings - Beige / Gray / Blush - Wall Art Set (Set of 4)
9. Daybed for Convenience
A daybed is a sofa by day and a guest bed by night.
Sink comfortably into a daybed and enjoy your favorite book or TV show. Add a few accent pillows and soft throws to make the area more cozy.
If you have overnight guests, this chic decor idea can be transformed into a comfortable sleeping space.
With hidden storage under the seat, Ottomans can store bed linen and extra pillows.
At Neill's Homestore you can find the Tide & Timber - Upholstery Day Bed MADE IN USA - Discover the Tide & Timber Collection by Vaughan Bassett, where the charm of coastal living meets the craftsmanship of American Hardwood. This fresh and versatile colleciton offers a wide range of finishes, fabrics and colors, making it easy to style any home. Storage pieces feature a modern reveal beneath the top as well as classic beaded rails, blending contemporary and traditional design. Choose from two wooden bed styles - the Fretwork and Pencil Post beds - both available with an optional storage footboard. The collection also includes a customizable upholstered bed in various fabrics, an upholstered daybed, and a writing desk paired with a windsor desk chair. Produced by 500 skilled craftsmen and craftswomen. Constructed from American Maple and American Oak and stocked in Galax, VA.
10. Bring in Extra Kitchen Storage
Give your small kitchen extra storage with an industrial metal shelving unit. This unit will give your small space a streamlined look and a cool finish. Pair it with stylish baskets to corral kitchen essentials, and incorporate a few decorative elements to keep it fun.
11. Advantages of a Temporary Look
Embrace the temporary look!
If you're on a budget but still want stylish decorations for your living room space, consider the display of prints and neon-colored washi tape. Pick your favorite motifs, print them in black and white, and decorate your walls. This will add color to your apartment without affecting your budget.
This ingenious technique works best in eclectic or boho-inspired homes, where creativity is key to maintaining the casual look.
12. Transform Your Furniture With Color
Give your furniture a makeover with a new layer of paint.
A paint job on your dresser, nightstand, dining table, or coffee table is as impactful as a new color on your walls. To keep everything together, include accessories and fabrics in the same color for a cohesive look. Furniture colors can be used as springboards for new decorating ideas to introduce to your small apartment.
13. Rugs as an Inspiration
Colorful rugs are a simple way to update your small apartment. You can use extra-large area rugs or combine multiple layered rugs for a more casual look. This will camouflage boring-looking or damaged floors and give them a touch of style and elegance. Layering rugs adds sophistication to a rental space.
This decor style is recommended for a dining area or a small bedroom because adding personality to these rooms sets the mood for the whole atmosphere.
If you want to introduce an abstract design to your apartment, we recommend a Brycebourne rug. Its ethereal look dresses up a room with subtle color, visual texture, and a highly contemporary point of view.
14. Have Fun With DIY Window Treatments
You don't have to be stuck with plain vertical blinds, that are common in most apartments. Instead, dress up your windows with easy DIY projects. Search the Internet for easy, no-sew ideas that can be accomplished over the weekend, and update dull windows without spending much money.
Research other fun window treatments and get creative.
15. Furniture Rearrangement For a Huge Difference
Think outside the box and simply create a more functional apartment space by moving around your existing furniture. Play with the layout and you might discover a spacious solution.
16. Spicing up With Toss Pillows
One of the smallest apartment decorating ideas is throwing soft accent pillows into the mix.
This will add personality to any room and make it more fun, inviting, and friendly. Play with colors and shapes, mixing and matching patterns for a more exotic and eclectic look. You can also look for a natural palette and keep the pillows low-key for a simpler and more relaxed look.
17. Organize Your Bathroom
Remove the clutter. It sounds simple, but organizing your bathroom can make a big impact. Maximize what you already have and reduce the need for storage units that can be overwhelming for small spaces like a bathroom. Enhance the look by adding hanging elements and sheer curtains to let natural light in. Don't forget to use the space behind the door as a simple hidden storage for bathroom essentials.
18. Out-of-Sight Storage
When you start researching apartment decorating ideas, you will realize that hidden storage will significantly improve the visual appeal of your room. A skirted table will add style and function to your small apartment.
19. More Accent Colors
Don't be afraid to have more than one accent color in your rental home. For example, you can spice up your white-painted room with colorful curtains, throw pillows and fun art work so your eye travels around the room. A bed with a bright yellow headboard will give a nice contrast that elevates the elegance of the whole bedroom.
20. Hide Unappealing Features
Decorate your apartment in a way that will hide the all not-so-pretty parts of your apartment. Find an easy workaround for the areas you don't like, embrace it, and improve it.
If you don't like your old bathroom tiles, pick a different color. Introduce decor features of a contrasting color that will direct the viewer's attention away from the tiles. Stick on tiles are also popular for a low budget DIY fix.
21. Multipurpose Storage Solutions
Most space-saving apartment decorating ideas rely on multifunctional storage options. For example, you can invest in a large bookcase that can hold books, dishes, and other belongings. Open shelving provides both storage and visual interest in a rental.
Starmore bookcase is a great multipurpose solution that will bring elegance and style to your space. The metal frame is sleek, sculptural, and ultra-modern. Accentuated with an oiled walnut-tone finish, and five gallery shelves stacked up for great form and function.
22. Light and Reflection
Using mirrors is a clever decorating trick that will visually enlarge your apartment. They reflect light and make the space both brighter and more spacious. Hang a large mirror with an accent frame in the bedroom or dining room, as that will reflect sunlight and create a soothing, natural ambiance.
Lucia - Antique Silver Finish - Floor Mirror
23. Dine With Style
Use clear chairs or a glass-top table to make your small dining area look bigger. Add some artwork, adjust the lighting, and install wall sconces, and your dining room will get an easy transformation. Adding colorful accents in small appliances can brighten a kitchen.
24. Portable Furniture for Style and Convenience
A quite clever idea that will give a stylish note to your home is to use garden stools as an impromptu coffee table or a nightstand. These pieces are lightweight, and you can move them easily from room to room.
Ottomans are practical additions to any apartment because they can serve as additional seating, hidden storage, or a small coffee table. The possibilities are limitless.
25. Table Replacement
If your dining area is small and can't fit a dining table, you can turn your kitchen island into a comfortable dining place. Add a few swivel stools that can be tucked away.
Valebeck - Upholstered Swivel Stool
26. Go Green
Use the power of luscious greenery to add a pop of color and freshness to your apartment. Research low-maintenance plants, pick the one you like, and place them in a prominent spot in your room. If you don't have a "green thumb," opt for high-quality faux plants with the same effect.
27. Repurposing Familiar Items
Repurpose hampers and use them around your apartment to stash umbrellas, hats, extra linens, or kids' toys. Don't throw away your old rocking chair; turn it into a fun addition to your outdoor space.
28. Don't Waste Square Footage
Don't leave a corner of the room empty. Place furniture in the corner at an angle and use the space behind for stashing bulky items. This will help utilize as much of the square footage as possible and give every corner of your home a purpose.
29. Lighten Up With Linens
Use white linens in your bathroom to brighten the space and create a hotel-like experience. Choose towels with soft and fluffy textures to soften the bathroom ambiance. Put a white rug in the bathroom's center for a stylish floor enhancement.
30. Matching Hardware
Use metal essence, antique brass, or chrome elements in your bathroom to give it a luxurious feel. This creates an expensive-look and a tasteful visual effect that will completely transform the style of your bathing area. Replacing cabinet knobs and pulls is a simple upgrade.
FAQs
What are the most recent apartment decorating trends?
The most popular decor styles currently include vintage vibes, lots of patterns and textures, and a nature-inspired color palette.
Is decorating a small apartment expensive?
It doesn't have to be. You can still have a beautifully decorated apartment without breaking the bank. Explore DIY ideas, shop secondhand, and look into repurposing old furniture.
How much should I spend on decorating a small space?
Depending on your budget, you can spend between $1500 and $5000 on decorating a smaller rental home.
How Do I choose proper lighting for my rental home?
That depends on the use: Task lighting is ideal for the kitchen area while reading lights will be great for your desk or a reading nook. Overhead lights illuminate the whole room. Try to use natural light as much as possible.