Skip to main content

ADD PERSONALITY TO YOUR LEASED LIVING SPACE


(Family Features) Even if you don't own the house you lease, there's no reason you can't make it feel like home by taking a creative approach to designing and decorating your space.

More U.S. households are renting now than at any point in the last 50 years. That's why Invitation Homes, the premier home leasing company in the United States, put together a team of design experts to create the "Make It Home" design forecast with lease-friendly, affordable design and decor ideas created with renters in mind.

Before starting any design, you need a plan. Here are a few tips to reimagine your rental home:

Embrace Color and Pattern

Emily Henderson, author of "Styled," a "New York Times" bestseller, believes color gives a room life, but it doesn't have to be on the walls. With rugs, textiles and furniture, you can have a lively, fun, lease-friendly room by choosing colors that are on the opposite sides of the color wheel to ensure balance.

Temporary Wall Coverings

A permanent wall texture or design may be a no-no in a rental, but removable wallpaper is a yes-yes and an instant way to add personality to your space. Brittany Hayes, author of the "Addison's Wonderland" blog, believes that bold and daring geometric patterns are perfect for creating an accent wall. Or simply incorporate your favorite colors to embrace a custom feel while you lease.

Unconventional Storage

Staying organized is key when living a leasing lifestyle. "Live Pretty on a Penny" blog writer Erin Marshall recommends using space-saving and unconventional items that are beautiful and functional to effectively store and organize items. Look for furnishings that are both attractive and practical so you can achieve the look you want with the benefit of added storage. Options like nesting chairs or storage boxes that double as benches can add seating options with a modest footprint.

Live Outdoors

Maximize your living space by creating usable outdoor settings. With the right combination of outdoor seating, pillows, shade and colorful planters, you can turn any patio into an outdoor oasis, said Rhoda Vickers, author of the "Southern Hospitality" blog. Whether you treat the space as a garden retreat or an extension of your entertaining area where guests can spill out during a party, the right decorative elements can allow you to add livable square footage without any construction.

Make it a Smart Home

Smart homes aren't just for homeowners. Options like thermostats, doorbell cameras, smart locks, light bulbs and smart plugs all can be easily integrated into a rented property, said Meghan Giddens, design expert at Invitation Homes. In fact, nearly everything in your home can be connected to the internet and controlled by your smart device. Just keep any originals stored safely, and when it comes time to move out, swap out your devices.

Light and Bright Paint

Cooler paint tones and white trim can brighten a room and offer a timeless color scheme. Plus, they welcome of-the-moment decor. If your lease allows it, Giddens recommends creating a light and airy ambiance with paint to bring a rental space to life. If you're unsure about your lease guidelines, talk to your property manager before painting.

Visit InvitationHomes.com for more tips on how to make a rented house a home.

Living room photo courtesy of Sara Ligorria-Tramp for EHD
Bedroom photo courtesy of Luis Noble for Invitation Homes
Source: Invitation Homes

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

4 TIPS FOR A PRODUCTIVE 2021

  4 Tips for a Productive 2021 (Family Features) This year has taught many workers a thing or two about being productive when offices and homes blend into one. As the calendar turns to 2021, consider these key products and processes to stay productive next year. Find a system (and stick to it): Creating an organizing system is an easy way to ensure your at-home workspace is ready for optimal productivity. Designate space to house all your work items – a drawer, cabinet or box – and keep work items organized by type (pens, papers, computer gear, etc.) At the end of each day, transitioning to “offline hours” can be easier when you have a place to stow your work items. Start your day clean: Studies have shown cleanliness has a direct impact on productivity. Yet, many people struggle to find the time and energy to clean, especially at the end of a busy day at home. An option like The DEEBOT T8 from Ecovacs provides a hands-free cleaning experien...
Post a Comment
Read more

UNDERSTANDING HOW POCKET LISTINGS WORK

Have you ever wondered what a “pocket listing” is?  Learn a little bit about this trend in hot markets and how an agent familiar with pocket listings can help you sell your home faster or find homes which haven’t hit the market yet. If you’ve been searching for a home or have been considering selling your home, you may have heard the term “pocket listings” from real estate agents or even friends and family. What is a pocket listing? Where did the term come from? How are pocket listings being used today to buy and sell homes? Pocket listings are homes which are for sale but not yet widely advertised or entered into typical MLS databases. Often an agent will enter into an agreement to sell a home, but will first reach out to their personal and professional network to see if anyone may be interested in a quick, private purchase. Ideally, the agent knows someone or another agent who has a client interested in the home and the whole process of listing and marketing the ho...
Post a Comment
Read more

UNDERSTANDING MULTIPLE OFFER SITUATIONS

In a seller’s market, multiple offers are not uncommon. But what does that really mean?  And how should you and your agent work together to generate the most interest in a multiple offer situation? Find out more in my post…  When inventory is tight and a market heats up, sellers often dream of finding themselves in a multiple offer situation. In a multiple offer situation, more than one potential buyer submits a written offer on the home. With multiple offers on a property, the listing agent can then try and “shop the top offer” in order to try and get the best deal possible for their client. If you live in a hot market, how do you structure your listing in such a way that you get the best possible offers in a multiple offer situation? One strategy for cultivating multiple offers is letting buyers know that the seller will only entertain offers on a certain date. Rather than deal with offers dribbling in one at a time, there’s a deadline for offers. When thi...
Post a Comment
Read more