Hmm not a lot of options. Changing the door handles and drawer pulls would make a difference.

But the tiles are the pink elephant in the room. Maybe approach your landlord about updating them....go halvsies?

If that doesn't work out, I say get some bead board, or mdf and cut it to the sizes you'll need to cover the exisiting tiles. Basically a series of rectangles. Paint the rectangles with water/stain resistant paint. Maybe light turqoise to pick up on the chair color. Use removable those 3m velcro hangers to attach your painted backsplash to the walls.

Note that in this scenario there is the possibility of food, grease splatter, etc getting behind your "faux" back splash. You may need to remove them to clean behind them from time to time.

Centsational Girl addressed this today: http://www.centsationalgirl.com/2013/03/solutions-for-renters-kitchens/

ikea sells wall panels that can be used as a backsplash http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70185953/ you could attach them with the 3m velcro hangers as dirkish suggested above ^

I would not remove cabinet doors (one of the suggestions via centsational) if you store a lot stuff in them... because it will get dusty from disuse, and/or tacky from kitchen fumes. Cabinet doors are there for a reason.

I think sometimes the best option is to just embrace the whimsically awful room as it is and decorate it by adding some carefully selected cool retro kitsch. Try a few 50's print tea towels, table cloths, oven mits, a cookie jar, a toaster, a ceramic pot for plants, some retro labels or ads... see what decor items you can find from that era that uses that color scheme. Just have fun with it.

As suggested by others, change the backsplash. Perhaps a rug with the table and chairs?

Using the 3m velcro to attached the ikea backsplashes is genius. I too would remove the doors from just the top cabinets, and change the hardware of the bottom cabinets. I think with 50 dollars you'd have a whole new kitchen.

Love the Ikea wall panels idea. The white tile pattern would look great! You could also put up some colourful curtains that pick up the blue of your chairs, and splurge for a roll of removable wallpaper on one wall (AT had a post on this yesterday for kids' temporary wallpaper, but most of those companies make grown-up patterns, too).

The cupboards are in good shape and they're certainly not hideous. You have a lot to work with. Please share "after" photos!

I agree with Parnassus....especially since it's a rental & you're on a budget. Years from now you'll always remember the rental you loved, with the ugly pink kitchen. I've lived in many rentals which had decorative "challenges" when I was young and now look back at those nostalgically!

New hardware might help -- look at the "contractor packs" available at Home Depot -- usually about 10-12 pieces for about $20. Something simple in satin nickel will update the space (I'd just ignore the hinges). Then the "stainless steel" backsplash from Ikea, and perhaps a cheap rug from there too? The blue and white Circles rug they have is inexpensive and might coordinate well with your existing floor & furniture.

Home Depot also has a plastic backsplash product called Fasade that you can look into if the Ikea one doesn't work out. It is a little more expensive, I think, but still cheap enough for a rental upgrade.

Oh, and right now our Home Depot location has simple bar pulls in the contractor pack of 10 for only $10, in a bin marked "Special Buy" in the cabinet hardware aisle.

In total agreement. My kitchen is straight out of the 60s and I've embraced it. My friends think it's darling and don't notice the god-awful linoleum floor or the cheesy counter tops like I do. Rugs, art, kitsch - things that make the space your own and go with the theme instead of against it are the cheapest way to deal with a rental kitchen in which you aren't allowed to make permanent changes.

The Ikea wall panel idea is your best bet! That white tile pattern will completely change the look of your kitchen. I'd leave the cabinets as-is. If you can afford to change out the hardware, fine, but if not, just make-do. Your counters are so neat and clean! The only thing can suggest is a colorful accessory or two on the counter top once you get the Ikea tiles up. Some colorful mugs, a bright pottery crock or pitcher, a plate in a display rack - just a little something.

Why don't you look for a table runner to pick up the turquoise in the chairs? If you can't find one, look for a piece of fabric for a DIY project with hand-sewing or iron-on hemming tape.

You could also put placemats on the table, if you like that idea. Add some color and it'll look great. I like the bouquet of flowers you have there.

Consider covering the design on the tiles with some sort of stickers. Change the handles on the cupboards. Put up colorful cafe curtains on the windows and a large, colorful painting on the wall and the walls will fade into the background.

Like the 3M wall panel suggestions, plus new hardware. You would not catch me wanting to embrace this kitchen and it is clear that you want a new look. You have a good eye and a good start with your table and chair area. I agree that you can make some differences on a shoestring budget. And lastly, I don't like the idea of removing cabinet doors.

I love how cute those IKEA chairs become once painted - I bought some of these on craigslist a few years ago, already painted, and loved them.

How about double stick tape and Moroccan tiles? Like so: http://www.thekitchn.com/design-inspiration-moroccan-tiles-in-the-kitchen-165375

updating cabinet hardware and sink faucet will make a huge difference....roman shades with
colors from the back splash will make the room design have purpose

good luck

Wow, that link above is a great compilation of ideas.

Change the hardware - it is easy to do, and easy to replace when you go. It will change the look. I'm about to do it myself in my new rental kitchen.

I don't hate the oak (though I wouldn't install it) - the shape of the doors bothers me more. The shape makes it hard to cover the middle panel of them. I'd say resign yourself to them, and do what I do: use lots of color to distract from them. Towels, bowls, floor coverings, window coverings, other kitchen stuff on counters - color will distract. The blue you have now on the chairs is a good starting point - branch out to add a few more colors. The blue is good to tone down the pink - did that in a pink bathroom I once had, added blue and grey. And you can probably easily cover the flat wood portion of the walls with something, anything, easily.

You could use a more colorful table. And I've learned that wall color I hate but don't want to or can't paint can actually look very good as a backdrop to colorful art on the walls. You complain there's no color, but you can add a lot to what is there already...nothing stopping you from adding color.

I would leave the tiles, they are just kitschy, and distract from them with more color, but you certainly have enough ideas above for creating a temporary backsplash in front of them if you want.

I would do the fake back splash as suggested (though in white instead) and maybe get some contact paper to lay in the center of the cabinets. You can get chalkboard contact paper too!

Oh, just paint the brown walls! If the landlord is that design-challenged, s/he probably won't even notice.

Tin ceiling tiles make a great temporary backsplash and would go with the oak plus new knobs.

I'm going to agree with the others to cover over the backsplash and wood on the corner of the wall. Bilk has some great wall tile decals that are pretty easy to install and cut around existing shapes. I put some up in a former apartment and they didn't mess up the paint at all.

http://www.whatisblik.com/shop/explore?wall_tile=227

Embrace the pink, you won't be there forever. I know the floor has blue flowers but I think blue and green are not the right colors for this space. Put down a rug with as much or as little pink as you can stand and replace the blue/green chairs with white ones. If those are your chairs, paint them white. Put some art on the walls and enjoy your large kitchen. I wish I had a window in my kitchen!

You could always just lean into the weirdness of it with some tacky era posters and say, "oh well. now it's an ironically ugly kitchen." Good luck!

ashley erin mayer

Do not put anything in the center of those cabinet doors - it will just look busy and attract more attention to the dated wood pattern.

You have two choices: 1) New backsplash with coordinating kitchen towels (white or blue mosaic would both work well) or 2) embrace the kitsch and decorate accordingly.

Paint the walls a more neutral color, refinish or replace the dining set to something understated. Get everything super clean but otherwise - I've been there - I suggest you embrace the retro vibe. I would ensure your accessories (dining set, window treatment, any other decor) are of great quality, understated so as to not compete w/the kitschy stuff you can't change (floor, tiles), and coordinated well w/one another (that way, fewer loud, distracting elements and more cohesion).

There are such things as 'tile tattoos' and tile paints, but I can't imagine the former hold up to frequent and thorough cleaning and the latter is unlikely to look nice if applied by mere mortals.

Use the cool, light blues in your kitchen to cool down the pinks/browns and reds.

Maybe I'm too picky . . . but I would never move to a rental where I hated the kitchen and/or bathroom. I don't want to pay for and live somewhere I'm not happy. Life is too short to live with an ugly kitchen or bath.

I vote for the contact paper over the cabinet & drawer faces. It's what I did in my rental kitchen (see link below) and added new hardware. The contact paper isn't all that sticky so it should peel off pretty easily once I'm ready to move.

Kitchen Redo: Before & After

I'd avoid the contact paper - unlike others, my experience is that pulling it off will be a nightmare and probably result in losing all of your security deposit. I vote for wall painting combined with embracing the era - call it your time capsule kitchen.

I agree with fuzzyegg, just paint the walls! It IS a non permanent change! If your landlord has a problem with the (much needed) improvement you can offer to repain them brown when you move, but I guarantee that will not happen.

One thing that I have encountered and are yet to try because my husband didn't think it would work but could be cool, is to go to the fabric store and find an really nice piece of fabric with an updated pattern on it. Use wallpaper paste to apply it in the areas that are hideous and then when time comes you just use water and steam to remove it and give the wall a wash. Also because you'll be cooking in the area a panel of glass or perspex by the stove will protect the fabric from splatter and could brighten the place right up. As for the cupboards, I have always said that I don't usually care to make my rentals look pretty or done up. My kitchen has all sorts of ugly stuff in it but I use it as is because the land lady is tiresome.

Also consider using lighting to highlight the parts you like. Or start collecting coasters or bottletops and stick them onto the wall to create a texture and a point of interest.

Another idea is to find a long thin mirror and apply it (using the 3m strips as mentioned before) to most of that back so that your other colours in the room and the space in front of the mirror gets reflected back at you.

Do not use contact paper. I had the same cabinets and the sticky ripped the wood right off in some places then, I was screwed with my landlord. I know they sell cabinet covers that adhere with static electricity. That would work. I also have painted fabric onto walls with fabric starch. That was easier to remove. You may find something here Walldecorshops.com or Wallsplots.com. Good Luck!

I love @parnassus's idea, and frankly i think that kitchen already has a lot of retro charm and it would be a shame to try and cover it up. If it were my kitchen i would get a small bookcase or a kitchen island and put all my cookbooks and liquor bottles there and hang up some framed posters, maybe one of the popchartlabs food/booze posters because they have a fun vintage feel to them.

I'm lazy. In your shoes, I'd get some cork tiles, paint them the lighter color on the chairs, seal them, and mount them over the pink tiles with some adhesive velcro tabs. (You could use double-sided tape, but I've never had good luck with that holding long. Especially in a damp environment.) Don't even worry too much about the moisture as it seems you have a small backsplash and unless you are a messy cook, clean-up shouldn't be much of a problem.

Personally, I'm not keen on open cabinets because of the grime factor. But why not give it a try and remove a couple over the sink area or far away from the stove? If it doesn't suit you, put them back up.

Having been in your shoes, I would: Decide what sort of kitschy-cool decor you want to add to the place, what contact paper, what paint...and total up the cost of that...and stick that money in a savings account toward a down payment on your own place.

Seriously, maybe painting is a good idea, but trying to personalize an ugly rental is an exercise in futility and waste. If you buy stuff, buy stuff you want to keep and move to a new place, not just stuff that covers the ugly of the place you have now.

Hang a framed mirror over the sink. My neighbor did this and it looks great. I didn't use a mirror myself, but a large white cow platter over white tile.

I also live with an ugly rental kitchen, but I've simply overwhelmed it with my own touches. Keep it clean, and add enough functional items that take the focus off the backsplash and onto whatever it is you like to cook! I have a big red kitchen aid mixer on my counter, with a basket full of tea and keurig on the other side of the stove. A few homey touches distract the eye and make it feel like you're too busy enjoying life to care about that backsplash. My friends (who have absolutely perfect kitchens in their nice big new homes) come over and talk about how much they love my cute and cozy apartment because it has character. Ugly kitchen and all! Just embrace it!!

Since you can't paint or do anything very dramatic, anything you can do is putting lipstick on a pig. I also wonder about all these fantastic backsplash ideas and whether it will be harder to clean. Just live with it, decorate it up, and save your time and energy and money planning for your next home where you will have more choices. We've all had our fair share of bad apartment decor in our lives.

Simply cover the tile with a sheet of beadboard. Paint and then sealed with an polyurethane should hold up to everyday splashes and grease. apply then over the tile with a tube of caulk.