Before & After: A Glammed Up, Totally Temporary Rental Kitchen Upgrade
Raise your hand if you’ve ever lived in a rental. Now raise your hand if you’ve ever lived in a rental with a lackluster kitchen. Underwhelming rental kitchens are about as common as noisy upstairs neighbors, but at least you can make small temporary fixes to brighten up your cooking space (if somebody makes peel-and-stick ‘quiet down and be considerate of others’ please let us know immediately).
From Chelsey: Don’t let having a rented apartment stop you from having your DREAM kitchen. You can totally transform your space without having to do any renovating. Not only can it be done on a budget, but in a short amount of time as well. The only things I spent money on were the runner, hardware and contact paper.
The first thing I did was cover the counters with marble contact paper: It was super easy to do and it’s removable when you have to move out. The second thing I did was replace all of the hardware – it only cost me $30 to buy a pack of hardware on Amazon. Even if changing the hardware is all you do, it can still make a big difference in the look of your space. The last thing I did was buy a runner to cover up our ugly tile. The tile is not only stained from years of use but it’s just plain old ugly. Even something as simple as throwing a rug down over it can make the world of difference.
In addition to all of those tips, it’s also important to keep your counters clean and clear. Make sure there aren’t miscellaneous items out that you don’t need to use day-to-day. If there’s no space for items in your cabinets, think about buying baskets to keep above your cabinets for extra items.
Chelsey’s words of advice: DO IT! Especially if you live in a rented apartment. I want everyone to know that being in a rented space should never hold you back from what you really want to do to your home.
Thank you, Chelsey! You can see more on Chelsey’s blog City Chic Decor.