Sometimes renting a home or an apartment is like the saying “being stuck between a rock and a hard place.” You’re already renting a living space and then they tell you that you can’t personalize it and make it your own. You’ve ultimately signed a contract promising to not paint or tamper with the paint on the walls, but that doesn’t mean you can’t creatively change your wall look! Here are five renter alternatives to decorating your walls, even if you can’t paint them!
MAKE A WALL COLLAGE
Photo Retrieved: Nov. 17, 2014, From: apartmentsilike.wordpress.com
Instead of placing photos all around your apartment in random places, consider creating a collage. Use your favorite portraits, art, and letters in various shapes, sizes and depths, create a memorable collage. Decorative plates make for a great collage in your dining area as well.
CREATE WASHI TAPE WALL STRIPES
Photo Retrieved: Nov 17, 2014, From: designindulgences.com
So you may not be able to paint, but who said you can’t have stripes? Whip out the Washi tape for a DIY project. You can create stripes or any creative design you desire with the adhesive damage-free tape. You will wow your family and friends at your apartment warming and everyone will believe you went against your landlord’s rules and painted anyway!
INCORPORATE COLOR SHELVING
Photo Retrieved: Nov. 17, 2014, From: misafa.com
Shelving in your home is one of those things that serves dual purposes; they look good and they save space! You have the flexibility to display collectibles, vases, art and books (of course). Shelves are sold in a wide range of materials and finishes as well as colors. So when your landlord says you can’t paint your walls, opt out for adding color to your accent pieces instead. Take that landlord!
GO DECAL CRAZY
Photo Retrieved: Nov. 17, 2014, From: walldeccor.com
Decals are a fun way to add a little personality to your living space. It’s like a poster board for expressing yourself. You may not be able to get the wall color you want, but you can still make your walls fun with peel and stick decals that won’t damage the surface of your walls.
ADD NEW-ERA WALL PAPER
Photo Retrieved: Nov. 17, 2014, From: istyleinteriors.blogspot.com
In most cases, if a landlord does not allow you to paint, then wallpaper is not allowed either. This is due to the damage it causes when removing it, which is understandable. However, wallpaper has improved over the years in ways that require minimal labor and hardly no wall damage. Shop around your local department stores and online for peel and stick wallpaper and then simply dress up your walls to your liking.
Now that you have learned the five easy ways to decorate your walls without paint, you are one step closer to living in your dream rental. Consider using all five steps in your apartment. For example, decals in the bathroom, wallpaper in your bedroom, a family collage in the hallway paired with wall shelving and stripes in the living room. After all, you deserve to live in an apartment you love … and we’re sure you’ll feel a lot better about paying the rent too.
Written by: Ashley Nicole, Home Décor Staff Writer