Have you ever wondered why some people are just so amazingly stylish? You walk into their homes, and everything looks just as beautiful as something you’d see in a magazine. And this person didn’t hire a designer. They didn’t go to school for design, either. Somehow, they just are stylish. For some people, they are intuitively good at design. But it’s definitely a skill that can be learned and honed over time. Here at Home Addict, we’re giving you some of the best tips on how to cultivate great style in your own home.
50. Update What You Can, Even if It’s a Rental
When people rent an apartment, they’re afraid to do too much decorating and renovations, because they want their security deposit back. Because of this, nearly every apartment looks relatively the same. The truth is that as long as you don’t damage the apartment, it should actually be fine to give it a bigger makeover. Before you get started, ask yourself if the changes you plan to make are an improvement on the space, or a detriment. As long as it improves the value of the house or the apartment rather than lowering it, you should be fine. Obviously, don’t knock down walls or do anything dramatic. When a property doesn’t belong to you, most changes can only be cosmetic like painting, wallpaper, etc. You should never assume that it’s okay to change something structural if you want your security deposit back.
I’ve actually experienced this first hand. A few years ago, I worked in an office of an apartment community. There was one tenant who took the time to install new light fixtures, light switches, knobs on the kitchen cabinets, paint, and more. When she moved out, we were trying to rent the apartment to someone else. It was surprising to see how dramatically different her apartment was to nearly every other tenant, since I had seen the inside of a few dozen apartments. I asked my boss if she got in trouble for doing so many customizations, or lost her security deposit. The answer was no- she kept her security deposit. And they can actually charge more rent for that space now, because the former tenant took the time to improve it. So your makeover could actually help your landlord! When in doubt, ask your landlord for permission.