First job, new city, and first home. Chances are that it’s going to be a rented one. Sifting through newspaper and online ads and making one home run after other may give you the best option, but there’s plenty more to be done. After the deal is inked, you run into the biggest roadblock between you and the home of your dreams: the landlord.
It seems to be a way of life for the landlord to deny you simple pleasures. Wallpaper, no. Nails n the wall, no. New coat of paint, no. Amid so many no’s, how do you make sure you don’t turn into a yes man! If the rented apartment you’re living in is far from the home of your dreams, it’s time you got down to fixing the problems that plague it.
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We give you 11 easy ways to banish the blahs from a rented apartment:
#1 If you can’t paint or wallpaper the walls, pick up an oversized canvas
Paint the canvas the colour you wanted your accent wall to be. Instant moodupper! Or else, try framing a wallpaper you like in a barely-there frame to create your own wall.
#2 If you don’t have the kind of spaces you need, create them with screens
You can work with the original wooden screen – be it Victorian, Chinoiserie or Japanese style — or can bring in a modern touch by using a shelf or book rack as a room divider.
#3 If you can’t hammer nails into the wall, lean your artwork against it
If the landlord’s really got a thing about nails, consider leaning your artwork — big or small — against the wall. Larger pieces can stand on the floor; smaller ones can be placed on tables and sideboards.
#4 If you are always short of storage, work with multifunctional furniture
Choose from the multitude of options available — beds with storage, under-bed drawers, poufs that open up, coffee tables that offer extra surfaces or nifty benches with storage. The choices are plenty.
#5 If you don’t like the floors, go shopping for a brand new rug
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Mosaic and terrazzo might have been the most popular flooring material once but if it’s not what you like, cover up with a fancy rug. Layering rugs can give you a wall-to-wall carpet kind of feel.
#6 If the windows seem grimy no matter what you do, cover them up with vibrant drapes
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A set of colourful curtains will get your mind off the dull windows and up the style factor of the room. You can also use curtains to section off awkward corners and niches.
#7 If the living room doesn’t seem party ready, get home a couple of lamps
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A combination of lamps — may be a floor lamp, a chandelier or a pendant — will create a warm ambience and instantly make your room more glamorous.
#8 If the corridor seems too dingy, brighten it up by placing a large mirror at the end
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Most often than not, corridors tend to grubby and dull. Brighten them up by bringing in a large mirror in a shiny metallic frame and placing on the dead wall.
#9 If the kitchen doesn’t seem homey, consider open shelving
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Most rental kitchens tend to be sterile and uninviting. Make them home-like by displaying colourful crockery and jars on open shelving. Don’t forget to line the shelves for greater impact!
#10 If the bathroom’s not to your taste, add colourful touches
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Bright towels, a cushioned bathmat, a pretty shower curtain, a vibrant counter set... the bathroom will no longer look like what it did when you moved in!
#11 If the apartment still doesn’t look lived in, bring in some greenery
Chances are you won’t have a garden so bringing in potted plants is a quick and expensive way to add a new breath of life to your rooms. Pick hardy plants that will survive even if you don’t have a green thumb!
Once you’re done, see how the rented house becomes a home.
Published - January 07, 2022 01:24 pm IST
