7 Landlord-Approved Ways to Add Personality to Your Rental

Adding personality to your rental can be a challenge for some, but while the task may seem impossible, there are some easy, affordable, and reversible ways to add personality to a temporary space.

Before getting started, influencer and interior designer Wayna of Waynaworld says that you should read your contract and check in with your landlord. Most updates should be fine, but if your landlord allows you to make changes outside the scope of what's in your contract, ask your landlord to amend it to reflect any wishes that they have granted you verbally. 

Whether you're in your rental for a few months or even years, we've got you covered with some renter-friendly, landlord-approved ways to add personality to your home.

Add in Window Treatments

A lot of rentals come without any window treatments, giving you the perfect blank canvas for adding the look that you want. Window treatments range from curtains and drapes to blinds, shutters, and more. It's important to know your rental's limits when picking a window treatment as some styles aren't renter-friendly. You can never go wrong with mounting a curtain rod with Command hooks and adding your fabric of choice.

Removable Wallpaper and Wall Art

It's no secret that peel-and-stick wallpaper is a renter's go-to for adding some flair to your home. If you're not allowed to paint your walls, peel-and-stick wallpaper and other kinds of wall art are great ways to add in personality that is easily removable when the time comes. Removable wallpaper comes in a variety of styles, making it a perfect solution for any design style.

"Add high-quality peel-and-stick contact paper to unsightly or boring areas of your home," Wayna says. "To avoid damage be sure to use a heat gun or blow dryer when removing contact paper."

Wall art can be anything from paintings to posters to hanging baskets to a curated gallery wall of all your favorite pictures—or a mix of all four options.

If you're the kind of person interested in a museum-like touch in your home, try incorporating public-domain art—it's free and safe to get printed at your place of choice. You can easily add it to a frame, print it as a poster, or get a smaller print to include in a gallery wall.

"I did this [gallery wall] in my entryway, all mounted safely with command strips," says Maddy Corbin, a content creator who focuses on renter-friendly upgrades and CEO of Maddy Corbin & Co. If you feel like a spot in your home is missing that extra touch, think about ways you could customize your walls to piece it all together."

Corbin recommends checking out Facebook Marketplace, local vintage shops, and estate sales for unique art.

Make Builder-Grade Closets and Cabinets Work For You

This may not be your first thought, but making adjustments to builder-grade closets and cabinets is actually an easy renter-friendly way to add small improvements to your rental.

For cabinets that you can't stand, consider adding a peel-and-stick wallpaper that looks like wood (or doesn't) for an instant facelift.

Looking for a change that's a bit more dramatic? You can even remove your cabinet doors for a lovely open-shelved look that keeps your cups and plates on display, doubling them as decor. While this option is easily reversible upon moving out, make sure to ask your landlord first if this is okay and keep those cabinet doors in a safe place.

For builder-grade closets that just don't seem to work for you, maximize as much vertical space as possible by adding in bookshelves, shelf dividers, and other chic closet storage solutions. You don't have to own your home to get that custom closet feel.

Corbin updated her closet by adding bookshelves from Amazon, mini puck lights for shoe storage, and wire shelf dividers to neatly stow away any overflow clothes that couldn't be hung.

"All of these items function together to give that walk-in closet look without overspending or putting my rental in jeopardy," Corbin says.

Swap Out Your Hardware

Like your builder-grade closet and cabinets, sometimes the hardware in your home just isn't for you. Luckily, this is another super easy solution that can elevate your space. You can remove the cabinet knobs and pulls in your kitchen and bathroom and replace them with ones that are more your style.

Just don't forget to store the original ones in a safe place so you can put them back when you're leaving. You can also do this with doorknobs as well as the knobs on your furniture if you want to give those a refresh as well.

Change Your Light Fixtures and Switch Plate Covers

It might not seem like much, but something as small as changing your switch plate covers can really help you have some control over your home, even if it's just a temporary rental. Switch plate covers come in more styles than you can think of—they don't always have to be white and boring. It's a small way to experiment with your style.

For a bigger approach, change your light fixtures. This may be something you have to ask your landlord for permission for depending on the scope of the project, but it's another thing you can change back when you need to. There are a few different types of light fixtures that range from being as simple as adding a couple of floor and table lamps to elevate the mood lighting in your rental or it can be a bit more involved like replacing your existing ceiling light fixture with something that's more your style.

Add Some Greenery

If you want to make a change that doesn't require asking permission from your landlord, this is the one for you. Plants are an easy, renter-friendly, and natural way to add personality to your home. You're only limited by the amount of space you can provide and your ability to care for your green friends, luckily there are plenty of houseplants perfect for small rentals. Get creative with adding greenery to your space: you can include real plants, faux ones, plants that hang from your ceiling, air plants that can grow on your walls, and more.

"Before I started adding plants both faux and real, I couldn’t put my finger on why it didn’t feel homey in my living space," Corbin says. "Now I keep some type of tree branch, moss balls, or plant in every room. I even Command strip-mounted faux greenery squares to my bathroom wall to give a luxurious spa feel every time I start and end my day."

Get Creative With Your Decor

Lastly, and most landlord-approved, use decor to your advantage. Finding your personal style can be an ever-changing journey, but adding decor that makes you happy is a big part of making your rental feel like home. Some people lean towards being more conservative in their decor choices because rentals are such short-term spaces but that doesn't have to be the case—you deserve to feel at home wherever you live, regardless of how long-term or short-term the stay may be.

Even if your rental isn't the home of your dreams, treat it like it is. Buy that couch that you've always wanted, or the area rug that might be a little outlandish but makes your heart sing—you're only limited by your own creativity.