21 Easy Ways To Upgrade The Look Of Your Apartment For Less Than $100
As a serial renter, I’m always looking for ways to make my home look less…temporary. There’s nothing more disheartening than living in a space that doesn’t truly feel like you belong there. I’ve been lucky enough that all of my apartments have been more on the luxury side—granite counter tops, stainless appliances, modern finishes, and great floor plans—but every space could always use some personalized finishing touches that make it feel more like home.
A lot of people don’t take the time to really make their rental look the way they want because they think it’ll take too much time, money, they won’t see a return on their investment, the home is only temporary, etc. etc. etc. But guess what? None of that is true!
After decorating more apartments than I can count, I’ve picked up on more than a couple ways to add special touches to make your space truly feel like your own. There are so many ways you can make your apartment look more expensive, less temporary AND they don’t require a big budget or a lot of effort. But, before we get to the list of upgrades, here are the 3 guidelines your should follow before making any changes to your rental:
Check with your landlord first— Different landlords and apartment complexes have varying rules about what is allowed, so always make sure you’re following the rules to avoid getting charged at the end of your lease.
Hold on to anything you remove/change — When swapping hardware or installing a new appliance, don’t throw the old one out! Keep it in a safe spot so you can reinstall it before you move out.
Get a return on your investment — Whenever you spend money to change your rental, focus first on fixes that can be used again in your next space, like quality furniture, lighting, etc. For temporary fixes or things your can’t take with you—like painting a wall or or other changes that are just one time solutions—make sure the cost makes sense. The price of making a change should provide a return of equal value, so you feel good about your investment. I.e. don’t buy super expensive wallpaper that you’ll end up ripping down and throwing away in a couple months. Before I buy/do anything, I always ask myself: “Am I okay with only getting to use this thing for the next X months and then possibly having to get rid of it?” For me, projects like painting a wall or installing shelves always outweighs the time and money I put into it, but there are certain projects and items that I pass on, knowing that I won’t get to really enjoy my investment before I move.
With those tips in mind, here’s a list of 21 super simple things you can do to make your rental look better on a budget!
Clean & Declutter
To start us off, my best tip of all: clean and get rid of clutter! Cluttered spaces can feel tight and unwelcoming. Get rid of extra items that don’t spark joy, implement storage solutions to hide things you can’t part with, and get in the habit of cleaning as you go. Once everything has a specific place, putting things back where they belong is much easier and you’ll rarely have to set aside a block of time to clean up. I’ve gotten in the habit of making sure my main living spaces are nice and tidy before I go to sleep every night so I always wake up to a clean home. I feel so much better in the morning knowing I can start my day fresh without worrying about yesterday’s mess. Best of all, cleaning is free! It’s the cheapest way to make your home look great everyday!
Hide Eyesores
Hid unsightly breaker boxes and thermostats with wall art. Hang a canvas using a hook or hinges to cover it, but still allow access when needed. Large radiators, trash cans, litter boxes, and other large eyesores can also be disguised with a little DIY love.
Layer Lighting
Let’s face it, apartment lighting is almost always less than desirable. Start by swapping out your fluorescent bulbs for ones with a less harsh tone. Light bulbs come in a range from warm (yellowish) to cool (blueish) tones and each has their pros and cons. I prefer cooler bulbs, but every home is different. Here is a great guide to choosing the right light bulbs for your space.
After you swap your light bulbs, you should also layer your lighting. Layering lighting means having multiple light sources in a single room, rather than just you standard overhead lighting. Most apartments already have you covered on ambient lighting—the overall, central lighting for the room, usually from a ceiling light. Floor lamps are also good for adding another large light source.
Add task lighting—under cabinets, on side tables, or on a desk— to add more light to specific areas and assist with tasks. Plug in wall sconces are a great way to add light without taking up floor or surface space. Use accent lighting to highlight specific details of your home, like art or bookcases.
Hang Window Coverings
Most rentals come with some type of window covering, fingers crossed yours provides faux wood blinds and not the flimsy paper ones. Either way, these types of window coverings can be a dead giveaway that the space is a rental. You can get affordable window solutions like bamboo blinds and roman shades from Amazon.
If you opt to keep the provided blinds, hang curtains to soften the look of the room and make it more cozy. Simply adding curtains can go a long way with a minimal financial commitment. Hang the curtains high and wide to make the window appear larger and the ceilings taller.
Freshen Up The Walls
Switch up the look of your room with a fresh coat of paint or removable wallpaper. For easy application (and reversal), avoid painting trim and doors and just focus on the walls. You can paint an accent wall to add an interesting focal point to the room, use color to make the wall “pop”, or get creative with wallpaper. If you do go the wallpaper route, make sure it’s renter-friendly and easy to remove!
Bring The Outside In
Plants add a softness to a room that’s hard to mimic with any other decor item. Plants add life (literally) to a space and show that a home is lived in and loved. They can easily add color to neutral spaces and you don’t have to have a green thumb to maintain them. The quality and realistically of faux plants has dramatically improved within the last few years, so you don’t have to worry about killing your new investment. If you do want to try your hand at indoor gardening, start off with a succulent. They need lots of light, but minimal watering and care to survive.
Swap Hardware
Swapping hardware is one of the easiest ways to change the look of your rental inexpensively. Obviously, you can update your cabinet and drawer pulls, but think outside the box! Upgrading things like your kitchen faucet, shower head, or toilet paper holder can be done easily and inexpensively with a quick trip to Lowe’s or an order on Amazon.
Change Flooring
If you’re stuck with ugly flooring that you hate, change it! Add a rug to hard floor to add softness and style to a room. Large rugs also can be used to cover the wall to wall carpeting that comes standard in most rentals. If hard flooring is your issue, check out these awesome DIYs! Emily Henderson used peel-and-stick vinyl squares to cover a kitchen floor and this Apartment Therapy reno used faux-wood vinyl planks over the existing floor in a small bathroom. Both projects came in under $50 and look amazing!
Hang Art
Don’t be afraid to decorate your walls! Large walls with a lot of blank space look great in a gallery…not so much in an apartment. Art.com and Minted both have amazing art pieces with multiple size and framing options. If you’re looking to save money though, download & print free stock photos and frame them yourself. Target and IKEA have a great selection of really cheap frames in all sizes.
For oversized art, buy a large tapestry and build a canvas style frame to back it. Angela Rose Home has a great DIY tutorial on how she made this large art piece for only $40!
Display Photos
Displaying your own photos is another great “art” addition because your own photos are free! Create a gallery wall or use picture ledges to fill up an entire wall with photo frames. You can also use smaller framed pictures to style bookshelves and mantels or large engineering prints to fill and entire wall.
Add Mirrors
Mirrors have so many different great uses & can be found for great prices at stores like Kirkland’s and Home Goods. Use them as decor, to reflect light in a room, and to make a space feel bigger.
Do a DIY Project
DIYing is one of the best ways to get the look for less. You can find all types of different DIY projects and IKEA hacks on my blog, my favorite home design blogs, Pinterest, Youtube, or by just doing a quick google search. If you can, use secondhand furniture from Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to save a little money since you’ll be altering the item anyway.
Maximize Storage
Everything in your home needs a place, especially in rentals where space is usually at a minimum. Mixing hidden and visible storage gives you a place to conceal items you don’t use everyday and display some items as a part of your decor. Open/floating shelving is my favorite storage solution because it allows be to display items without taking up floor space.
Mount Your TV
Seriously. It elevates the look of a room instantly when your huge 70” TV is hanging on the wall instead of teetering on top of your old dresser. TV mounts are pretty universal, just be sure to check that the size and weight of your TV matches the guidelines of whatever mount you buy. Also, I fully recommend going with a full motion mount! We have a one on every TV and it’s so nice having the flexibility to swivel and tilt the TV so we can see it no matter where we are in the room.
Hide Your Cords
Kind of like clutter, nothing ruins a great room quite like a mess of unsightly cords. In a rental, you probably don’t want to worry about hiding your TV cords in the wall after mounting your TV. Instead, hide them on the wall. I use cord covers like these from Amazon which can be painted to blend in with your wall. They stick on the wall similar to command strips and can just be peeled off when you’re done using them.
Style Surfaces
After your big ticket items like furniture have been purchased, don’t forget to add decor! Throw pillows, blankets, trays, candles, small plants, pictures, vases, trinkets, and other items can take a space from stale to styled. Try to add at least 2-3 items to any blank surface you have, like your coffee table or nightstand, to add style without making the space look cluttered.
Dress Up Your Bed
Need an excuse to buy new bedding? Well here it is! Replace your old quilt with a duvet cover & insert to make your bed as luxurious as a hotel. The duvet cover can be swapped out when your ready for a change and removed for easy washing. Add a throw blanket and some decorative pillows to really make the bed a beautiful focal point in the room.
Divide Large Spaces
Define separate areas of your spaces using rugs or room dividers. This is especially helpful for open concept spaces or studios where there are no walls to create separate rooms. You can also arrange your furniture to create conversation areas to help clearly define seating areas.
Shop Outside Of The Box
Think outside of the box while shopping! If you’re not afraid of a little DIY, think about how items can be used for purposes other than their original purpose—like the IKEA TV unit turned litter box shelter. Always checkout the sale section of big stores like Target and At Home. They’re constantly getting in new items so things are always going on sale.
Discount stores Home Goods and TJ Maxx are also a great for finding small decor items and sometimes even furniture. Keep in mind thought that they don’t usually get multiple shipments of the same items, so if you see something you like, don’t wait! Also, be sure to check sites like Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist for gently used items at a much cheaper price than buying it new.
Hire Kayla Simone Home!
If you’re still having trouble making your space come together, hire me! Kayla Simone Home now offers interior design consultations!
