DIY Diva: 7 Temporary Decorating Ideas for Renters

So you've got yourself an apartment, huh? That's great, until you run into some decorating obstacles, such as no painting or no holes in the wall.... BLAHHH. Violating these rules can lead to losing your deposit! OH NO! So how do you decorate an apartment and make it a home within those limitations? I'll show you:

1.Removable Wallpaper... YES, REMOVABLE!

Jackpot! Painting walls is so messy, and time consuming, not to mention the fumes and the fact that you have to paint over it when you move! So if you are like me and you don't think its worth the effort for a rental, check out this awesome technique to wallpaper or create fabric walls, and I love the fact that patterns are only limited to your imagination! You can use anything from book pages to wrapping paper!! Go hunting at a gift store for wrapping paper, try the thrift store for fabric (you can use curtains, sheets, etc. for small areas), My absolute FAVORITE paper idea is book pages!!

DIY Removable Wallpaper

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-make-removable-fabric-w-74483

Buy Removable Wallpaper

http://www.tempaperdesigns.com/home.nxg -The patterns here are to die for!!

2.Washi Tape

I recently read about Japanese decorative tape called Washi Tape, and was really intrigued!! The tape removes easily from the wall so go crazy! The uses are endless- Make a mural, cover a lamp base, create the illusion of painted stripes!! Again, this is only limited to your imagination!!

Use this tape for other things:

-Cover Light switches

-Decorate appliances and furniture

-Artwork

-"shadow boxing"

-Trim Doors and Windows

- I have even seen it being used on hardwood floors!!

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="482"] Washi Decorated table[/caption]

Washi Tape Ideas

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/washi-makeover-5-ideas-for-dec-164245

Buy Washi Tape

http://www.wishywashi.com/category/washi-tape

3.Coat hooks and picture hangers

Command by 3M is a product line of removable and wall friendly hooks and hangers. Save yourself the time and effort of having to fill-in and paint walls left damaged from invasive hooks and picture hangers by using these sticky backed products. Each one lists the amount of weight it can hold as well!

Command Products

http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/Command/Products/Catalog/

Ideas for Command Products

http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/Command/Smart-Ideas/All-Smart-Ideas/

4.Mirrors

Mirrors are all around awesome! You can see yourself wonderful self, but more relevant, mirrors reflect light around the room making it seem bigger and brighter. To avoid damaging a wall to hang a mirror, simply place the mirror on something, a dresser, a tv stand, even the floor! Because a well placed mirror looks deliberate if done correctly, your guests won't even know you can't hang it!!

Try this with large canvas art, mix and match pieces for a on the floor collage!

5.Removable Tiles

Rental flooring is often the cheapest material the landlord can buy, can you blame them though?? Save yourself from hating that awful tile by covering it with removable tiles in chic and modern designs! Best part is, when you move, you can take them with you!!

Chilewich Tiles

http://www.icarpetiles.com/chilewich-plynyl-tile.aspx

6.Contact paper backsplash

The simplest solution to reinventing your kitchen, is to apply contact paper to your TILE (must be tile) backsplash!! You can do this two ways, cut the paper into tile shaped squares or apply the paper intact. Get creative! Try a metallic paper and cut it into squares, alternate the grain to make it stand out even more!!

How to apply the contact paper:

http://www.remodelaholic.com/2010/11/quick-and-painless-backsplash-makeover/

Amazing patterned contact paper:

http://www.chicshelfpaper.com/

Another idea for contact paper is to use it as art! apply it to a cheap piece of plywood and mount it in a frame!

Use here as well!

-Cover wooden or plastic furniture

-Cover a bathroom window (blocks view, lets in light if you get transparent)

-Inside drawers and shelves

7.Removable Wall Tiles

Just like the wallpaper, these tiles adhere with a easy to remove glue. But unlike the wallpaper, these tiles also add texture and depth to the wall. Personally I love these and permanently glued them to wall in my rental property (Yea, I'm a landlord, but I promise I'm a renter too!!). In the article below there are links to vendors selling these tiles, however, you can find similar tiles at home depot or Lowes. AGAIN get creative, glue them to the ceiling and mimic old and rich architecture, glue them to the fronts of cabinets(not confirmed if this will damage, you should test it out first) or mount them in a picture frame, possibilities are endless!

How to and where to find:

http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/adding-architectural-interest-removable-wall-panels-168323

Buy Tiles:

http://www.decorativeceilingtiles.net/glue-up-ceiling-tiles/

So all you renter's out there have no excuse anymore to have boring white walls!! Happy Decorating! Check out www.aparmenttherapy.com for SERIOUSLY AWESOME DIY and decorating ideas!! 

Looking for decorating ideas, tips, tricks? Write us a comment and we will help get your creative juices flowing!!