Renter Friendly

”The office didn’t exist before,” Alana Resnick says. When she and her boyfriend, Miles Ronbeck, found their Upper East Side apartment, it had a very long living space. And while they originally were looking for an apartment with two bedrooms (to convert one into a dedicated office), they fell in love with the natural light and the ample square footage.

Are you a renter feeling limited, home improvement-wise, by the terms of your lease or by the fact that you might someday move? Heed this advice from Lily F Tsutumida: “Do the math and consider what it’s worth for you to be happier in your space while you’re there; if it’s feasible, go for it!

While living in Germany a few years ago, Morgan Ford, who’s known for being “sunshine personified” among friends, experienced countless gray skies and gloomy days.So when she moved into her new Colorado rental apartment and wanted to update the kitchen, she vowed to design it to cultivate creativity and good vibes all year round.Luckily, the space was already in decent shape. “The kitchen wasn’t bad, but it also wasn’t very inspiring,” Morgan says.

Renters can copy this look, too!

"I knew I wanted to give it a comfortable and practical look: modern-meets-retro," this renter says of her fun revamped kitchen.

It's totally understandable if you think living in a rental apartment means you're pretty much stuck with the bathroom you've got. However, if you're willing to get creative, you can absolutely give this space a reversible, renter-friendly upgrade.

A brownish gray kitchen becomes a fun, retro-looking cook space — no demo required.

And it’s renter-friendly!

TikTok is divided on this rental-friendly project!

Is curtain drenching the new color drenching?

It solves one of my biggest wall decor problems.

It looks just like the real thing.

Zero wiring or power tools required.

In a way, it’s the opposite of a Before & After!

The results are so luxe, you can’t even tell it’s a DIY.

This DIY was super easy, but did require some patience. Here’s how I did it.

They might be no-paint, but they’re still full-color.

All of the supplies you’ll need are super easy to find, too.

This is the must-know intel from a DIYer who’s mastered the art of peel-and-stick.

It can make your lighting at least three times as bright.

“I always really wanted to add open shelving, but didn’t think it was possible because we were renting,” this DIYer says. Using about $200 worth of materials, she proved herself wrong.

If you’re short on space or cash but still want to DIY, it’s time to find your local tool library.

"If there’s anything that you should invest in, it should be your home and where you live," she says.