Renters Care too!

People often ask me what they can do to their place if they are renters, obviously, major changes are out of the question, but I have put together a few ideas that you may want to try, that can make that rental house, feel like a home.First thing is to check with your landlord, many don't mind a little paint job, and if you select something neutral you just might find that you will not have to paint over it before you leave. A funny thing happened to me a few years ago, I rented a small place for a while, I painted it my favorite color at the time (Nigerian Peony by Ralph Lauren), by pure chance I heard of someone I knew distantly had rented the same place more than a year later, he was told when he moved in that a designer had lived here at one point and picked this color and he liked it so much, he now paints all his places that color...If the landlord won't let you paint the whole place, then maybe a feature wall is in order! It's amazing what a strong shot of color will do if used on one wall,,,,, it can really create a simple drama, without much work.The kitchen is always a challenge. One of the first things I always did was change the knobs on the kitchen and bathroom cabinets. They are the things that can make a huge change to the way the room feels and it takes only a morning. Look at www.anthropologie.com for some unusual selections. Other sites you may want to check out are listed on the side under, my favorite sites.One of the biggest issues in a rental place is that the windows are either bare or have coverings that are so bland, you wish they were bare. Luckily now there are a lot of companies that offer premade drapes and window treatments that can quickly give you a lift. One of my favorites is www.silktrading.com they have a ton of options and you can create custom looks with going crazy. The other thing that you may want to try is layering with a split bamboo shade as well or even just the shade by themselves is great.