Even though you may be renting your apartment, you might still wish to upgrade it in certain ways to give yourself a better living environment. However, upgrades must always be cleared with the landlord/lady first, and while some may object to any changes being made, most will gladly allow you to carry out the following upgrades:
Painting the walls
Instead of boring, safe, neutral colored walls, wouldn’t you rather be looking at brightly colored ones that inspire you and bring a splash of cheer to a dull day? You might even be able to go wild with the color palette, provided you repaint the walls in a neutral color at the end of your tenancy.
Adding feature walls
Feature walls are a fantastic way of brightening up a space and adding a touch of personality to a space that you don’t own. Choose your favorite wallpaper and get creative!
Installing new light fixtures
How you light your apartment can change the entire atmosphere of the space, and most landlords will accept these upgrades if they are considered to be an improvement.
Adding shelving
Shelves are great spaces for displaying your favorite items and keepsakes, and with the addition of some vibrant shelf paper, you can not only add storage to a space, but make it look more visually inviting, too.
Upgrading hardware
The door knobs in your apartment are a cost-effective but aesthetically pleasing upgrade to make for most tenants, and with some unique, colorful options, you can breathe some life into your doors! Remember to keep hold of the old hardware so that you can swap it back when you vacate the apartment.
Upgrade the showerhead
A new showerhead can change your showering experience, and is a relatively cheap upgrade to make. Choose from ones with a variety of spa-like settings, or one that will help you conserve water.
Dress up your cabinet doors
Cabinet doors can be painted to give them a whole new look (be sure to do it well and get your landlords approval for the color, otherwise you may end up having to replace them all when you leave), or you can try removing them and having your wares on display, as is the fashion currently.
Upgrade appliances
It’s important to read your leasing terms carefully before replacing any appliances, or speak to your landlord, as this may not be permitted in your contract. If you’re not allowed to change any major appliances, however, you can opt for smaller upgrades such as a wine fridge.
Always check with the person you rent the apartment from before making any changes, but if they’re relatively easy going about upgrades, you could make a few simple, cheap alterations – such as those listed above – that could improve your life while living there.