If you’ve just signed the lease on a new apartment that’s leaving you less-than-enthused about the decor, don’t worry. There are renter-friendly products that can give your place a refresh without having to break out a paint brush or resort to sticking contact paper to your countertops
These five renter-friendly products are clever solutions that are specifically designed to make your rental feel totally personalized with minimal effort. They’re easy to install, easy to remove, and they look nothing like your usual DIY rental hack.
Tulip Shades
You’ve moved into a space with the dreaded “boob lights” on the ceiling. Why, oh why, did these ever become the gold standard for ceiling mount lights in rentals? In theory, you could replace the boob light with another light fixture. But that involves buying a hard-wired light, then either figuring out how to DIY it yourself or calling an electrician. What could be an easy fix might end up costing you several hundred dollars and more coordination than you’d bargained for.
Tulip shades are the answer. Invented by a woman who was stricken with the exact same boob light aversion that you’re facing, they’re lightweight shades that add a soft, glowy light to your space. They attach with removable tape and a few simple steps, and you can easily remove them when you move out. You can choose from over a dozen colors, shapes, and sizes to find the perfect shade for your space, and you’ll find yourself wondering where that dreaded boob light even went.
Poplight
Hard-wired wall sconces instantly give a space a styled, sophisticated look. They’re the sleek alternative to a bulky floor lamp or just flicking on the overhead lights anytime you walk in a room. Sconces add a layered look to a space, and they’re the minimalist alternative to adding a lamp everywhere you need to shine a bit more light.
But adding sconces isn’t realistic for most renters, even if you offer to pay for it. Installing them involves drilling holes in the walls and, even if they’re plug-in, you’re going to leave a mark. Poplight gets you around all of these barriers to install. These modern, colorful sconces stick on the wall in seconds, giving you a warm glow everywhere from the bedside to the kitchen to a dark hallway.
Blue Poplight
$99.00
Rechargeable, stick on wall lighting ⏱ Instant Installation: Stick on in seconds—no tools needed! Transform any space with Poplight's effortless setup. 👉 Customizable Lighting: Enjoy perfect ambiance with dimmable settings and three color temperatures to match any mood or occasion. Simply… read more
No-No Brackets
White plastic blinds are an epidemic in rentals. Part of the landlord special, if you will. They add no character to your home, they’re impossible to clean, and you don’t want to take them down because who knows if you’ll be able to get them back up? Yet you also can’t help but focus on them, particularly when they’re the only thing framing your windows. Installing drapery would soften the look a bit, but drilling brackets into the wall? That’s advanced-level DIY, particularly when you know you’re going to have to cover up the holes at the end.
No-No Brackets are perhaps the most clever window hack to hit the market, maybe ever? These renter-friendly products are drapery brackets that, rather than installing directly into the wall, hook onto the top of the white plastic blinds. You can hang drapery to add color, texture, and interest to your wall (and hide the blinds!) without having to worry about the hassle of installing.
Wallpops
Peel-and-stick flooring and wallpaper have been a renter’s best friend for several years now, but Wallpops takes it to another level. This bold, funky peel-and-stick brand works with designers to create vibrant, colorful patterns that add a stylish look to floors, walls, and backsplashes. They’re easy to install, and they remove seamlessly when you’re ready to move on to your next place (or your next look).
Wall Molding Kits
Nearly everyone puts “character” or “charm” near the top of the list when they’re looking for a new rental. But unless you’ve lucked into the perfect pre-war building, it’s more likely that you’re staring at four blank white walls. If there’s crown molding, that’s a win.
But Luxe Architectural creates wall molding kits that can give your apartment a historic look, without the permanence of installing trim or molding. Their self-adhering wall molding kits let you install picture frame molding that gives your rental an aesthetic that’s worthy of a Parisian apartment or a New York brownstone, while also being both removable and reusable.
