The $14 Renter Hack I Stole from My Sister Made My Sterile Apartment Feel Like Home

I recently moved to a new apartment in Los Angeles. While I love my new home, the new-build vibes are less than ideal for a design-lover. The actual architecture of the building is seriously lacking in personality. But as a renter, I knew I couldn’t make any major renovations or permanent additions. So I’d have to get creative with the decor. 

The boring, builder-grade doorways stood out to me as the biggest issue. Without trim, arches, or any other detailing, they looked like a modern eyesore. But then, while visiting my sister Divya’s apartment in New York City, I found the perfect solution to my problem: a traditional Indian toran. 

Divya loves to dress up her home with sentimental accents. In India, the toran is a vibrant, traditional door hanging, typically found draped across the primary entrance of a home or temple to welcome guests. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but torans are also symbols of good fortune. People also believe that torans ward off negative energies.

Torans can be crafted from fresh mango leaves and marigolds, adorned with colorful tassels and metallic accents (like my sister’s). Or they can be made from patchworked vintage fabrics representing different regions of India. Divya sources hers from local Indian boutiques and during her travels to India. Torans come in several different styles, so there are plenty to choose from.

These Indian door hangings are vibrant enough to draw the eye upward, faking a bit of that architectural grandeur — and instantly made my sister’s cookie-cutter hallway feel like a soulful, welcoming threshold. Inspired by Divya, I ordered a beautiful hand-embroidered, patchworked toran for my own doorway. It cost just $13.99; I couldn’t believe the price! I used double-sided tape and hung the toran on my doorway. What an instant, colorful upgrade! 

This hack is super-affordable, doesn’t cause any building damage, and brings a beautiful, dramatic touch to my door. Also, it doesn’t hurt that it wards off bad vibes and brings in good fortune. It’s the best 14 bucks I’ve ever spent!

If you’re in the same boat as me and are on the lookout for budget- and renter-friendly ways to spruce up your doorway, consider a colorful Indian toran. The striking, hand-embroidered piece added a much-needed dose of warmth, texture, and character to my previously sterile hallway and basic doorframe. I couldn’t believe how easily it transformed an eyesore into an exclamation point.