Fluffling the rental pad

The rental apartment had good bones -- high ceilings, original woodwork, abundant light -- and its city location unbeatable.

But when Alice Danino moved into her two-bedroom home, it felt empty and dull.  The kitchen cabinets, walls and countertops were all white.  There wasn't a hint of embellishment anywhere.

So she put her creativity to work, making the place feel homey.

She bought silver decals in the shape of cutlery for the kitchen cabinets and quotations in calligraphic font for the hallway walls.  There are plants in every room now, and colorful small appliances, dishes and cushions that Ms. Danino and her roommate, Vanessa Tobin, have brought home.

"I would love to have painted the walls purple, but then they would have had to be returned to the orginal white when we left," Ms. Danino says.  "Instead, we found temporary ways of bringing in personality."

Rentals can be boring or dreary, with monotone cabinetry and floors and countertops that have seen better days.  Usually, rentals are outfitted in neutral colours and surfaces chosen more for durability and mass appeal than beauty.  Many landlords forbid anything but cosmetic changes.  Besides, who wants to invest a lot of money in a place they don't own?

But here are ways to make inexpensive, temporary improvements......Read More

Source  Photo and Text:  National Post