5 Designer-Approved Ways To Make A Rental Feel Like Home

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A Veranda report featuring designers Fran Keenan and Mackin Thompson offers five ways renters can make a home feel more personal without taking on a major renovation. Their advice focuses on designing around the apartment, asking the landlord about changes, investing selectively in window treatments and choosing pieces that can move to a future home.

Veranda has published five designer tips for making a rental feel more like home, drawing on advice from interior designers Fran Keenan and Mackin Thompson. The recommendations focus on adapting to a rental’s existing limits, checking with a landlord before making changes, and spending on personal, reusable details rather than costly fixes for features a renter cannot control.

The first recommendation is to assess the apartment itself before making a design plan. The designers advise renters to account for room dimensions, available light, existing features and move-out limits, rather than copying an online image that may not suit the space. A small living room, for example, might work better with a compact sofa and movable chairs than an oversized sectional; a dim bedroom may benefit more from layered lighting than added decor.

Thompson says renters do not have to correct every feature they dislike. “I don’t think you need to fix everything,” she says. “Sometimes you just need to find the things that are already good and just give them a little more love.” Her second suggestion is to ask the landlord about potential improvements. Painting cabinets, changing a light fixture or adding trim may be possible with permission, but the source does not suggest doing such work without approval.

Keenan and Thompson also recommend treating window coverings as a worthwhile investment. Keenan suggests adding pinch pleats to ready-made curtains or hanging them from rings, while Thompson says well-chosen treatments can add softness and personality and move with the renter. For less flexible features, Thompson advises restraint: consider affordable hardware changes or ask about paint, rather than spending heavily to disguise cabinets that cannot be replaced. Her final advice is to prioritize durable furniture and objects that can move, such as a sofa, chair, lamp, chest or table, and mix them with pieces that give the room character, including antiques.

Spend on Comfort That Can Move

The guidance addresses a common rental-design tradeoff: renters want a home that feels individual, but they may face restrictions on permanent changes and may not stay long enough to benefit from expensive upgrades. The designers’ approach separates portable investments from temporary fixes. Curtains, furniture and personal objects can improve daily life in the current apartment and remain useful after a move.

The advice also puts permission and practicality ahead of cosmetic ambition. Asking a landlord before changing paint, fixtures or trim can help avoid disputes and clarify what improvements are allowed. Meanwhile, working with the apartment’s actual light, layout and features can keep renters from spending money on solutions that do not fit the space.

Designing Around a Rental Lease

The Veranda report frames rental decorating as a matter of working within constraints rather than renovating. It notes that floors, lighting and wall colors may not match a renter’s preferences, while lease terms can limit permanent changes. The designers’ recommendations respond to those constraints with a mix of low-commitment adjustments, landlord conversations and reusable furnishings.

The five ideas are: start with the apartment rather than inspiration images; ask the landlord about changes; invest in window treatments; avoid overspending on features that are temporary or difficult to alter; and choose pieces that can adapt to a future home. The source presents these as designers’ advice, not as rules that apply to every lease or apartment.

““I don’t think you need to fix everything. Sometimes you just need to find the things that are already good and just give them a little more love.””

— Mackin Thompson, interior designer

Lease Rules Still Set the Limits

The report does not specify the terms of any particular lease or establish which alterations landlords will approve. Permission depends on the landlord and rental agreement, so renters should confirm terms before painting, changing fixtures or adding trim. The article also does not provide price estimates, product comparisons or a one-size-fits-all budget for curtains and furniture; costs and suitability will vary by space and renter.

Check Permission Before Changes

For renters considering a change, the practical next step is to review the lease and ask the landlord what is allowed before buying materials or starting work. Then measure the space, check how much natural light it receives, and identify which improvements are temporary and which belongings could be used in another home. The designers’ advice points toward a room-by-room plan that prioritizes daily comfort and portable pieces over costly attempts to remake the apartment.

Key Questions

What are the five designer-approved ways to make a rental feel like home?

The designers recommend starting with the apartment’s actual layout, asking the landlord about changes, investing in window treatments, avoiding overspending on temporary fixes and choosing furniture or decor that can move with you.

Should renters ask before painting or changing a light fixture?

Yes. Thompson recommends asking the landlord about changes such as painting cabinets, replacing a fixture or adding trim. The report does not say every landlord will approve them, so check the lease and get permission first.

Which rental upgrades do the designers say are worth considering?

Keenan and Thompson highlight window treatments as a way to make a room feel more finished. Keenan suggests tailoring ready-made curtains with pinch pleats or rings; the designers also favor furniture that can be used in a future home.

How can renters make a room feel personal without a major renovation?

Work with the room’s dimensions and light, add layered lighting where needed, and bring in personal or collected pieces. Thompson suggests mixing antiques with newer furniture rather than spending heavily to disguise features that may not be changeable.

Source: rss