5 Quick Rental Fixes for the Bedroom

published Jul 4, 2015

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Olivia’s Elegant Oakland Apartment (Image credit: Esteban Cortez)

Decorating a rental can be tough, but we’re often so focused on wrestling with the rooms we can’t do much about — such as the kitchen and bathroom — that we ignore those we can. The bedroom, for example, is rife with possibilities for quick and easy upgrades. Read on for five ways to make your rental bedroom shine.

Kelly’s Cozy Chic Studio (Image credit: Bethany Nauert)

Put down area rugs to cover ugly floors.
Ugly rental flooring, whether it’s carpet or tile or laminate, often seems par for the course. Try to cover up as much of it as you can with area rugs: your choice of color and design, and you can take them with you when you go. Even if you’re lucky enough to have beautiful hardwood floors in your rental, an area rug makes the bedroom that much more cozy.

Oscar’s Swedish Inspired Renovation (Image credit: Molly Anderson)

Swap out the ceiling shade.
Too often a rental will come with a bashed and battered paper globe shade as standard, if not a bare light bulb. Swapping this out for something a bit more stylish- even one of the many great paper shades there are to choose from these days- will make all the difference to your bedroom’s vibe. If your ceiling light really is beyond help, I’d recommend you try to ignore it and use table lamps to create ambiance instead.

Sara & Becky’s Collaborative Abode (Image credit: Alexis Buryk)

Look at the windows.
Unless you want to wake up with the birds every day, you’ll want good light-blocking window treatments in your bedroom. But all too often, rentals come with old and useless blinds or nothing at all. Invest in some curtains or roller blinds with blackout lining- you won’t regret it.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Boost your storage.
Unfortunately, there’ll be no bespoke wardrobe in this home. If you don’t have any built-in clothing storage, you’ll need to add some in the form of freestanding wardrobes, or even open rails. If your rental bedroom comes with a closet, you can still maximize your storage within it- consider adding shelves, an extra clothing rail, and hanging shoe/accessory organizers.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Add your own style with color and art.
The bedroom is often the last room we turn our attention to, especially when renting. Guests rarely see it, after all. Focusing on the place you spend roughly one-third of your time makes sense to me, though, so make it your own. Color is a great place to start: even painting one wall can make a big difference, and as usual, art is your friend. Boost your bedroom’s style quotient and you’ll soon be showing it off to everyone.

How have you decorated your rental bedroom? Share your tips below!