The 10 Commandments of Rental Decor

As seen on popsugar.comThe 10 Commandments of Rental Decor

April 8, 2016 by EMILY BIBB

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Image Source: A House in the Hills

If there are rules that you as a renter must follow, make it these 10 commandments. Because, while paying your rent on time is important, so too is making sure your place is personalized and stylish. Working within the boundaries of your landlord, it's little things like a new light fixture that will make an impact without costing a lot of time or money. And, the best part about this entire list is that you'll leave with your security deposit intact once it's time to move up and on.

1Thou Shalt Add Storage

Image Source: Love Grows Wild

Let's get real, custom cabinetry is not an option if you don't own the place. Since rentals usually lack storage, add your own with affordable Ikea bookcases, simple shelves, or theseorganizing solutions.

2Thou Shalt Change the Hardware

Image Source: Julie Blanner

Rental hardware is basic . . . your style, not so much. Switching out cabinet pulls and bathroom hardware will make a huge difference. Just remember to keep the original pieces to swap back in before moving out.

3Thou Shalt Ditch Vertical Blinds

Image Source: Dana Miller for House*Tweaking

They are the ultimate decorating sin! To prevent your space from looking like a hospital room, take them down or hide them under curtains. Again, don't toss — they're essential if you want your security deposit back.

4Thou Shalt Line Cabinets

Image Source: Sarah Hearts

This might seem trivial and a bit annoying, but lining your cabinets is a must. Not only will it make your kitchen look clean, but also it will mask worn and grungy cabinets without having to paint. Adhesive liner works, but a softer grip liner is better because it's easy to install; it will also prevent glassware from chipping.

5Thou Shalt Accessorize Like Crazy

Image Source: Brittany Makes

It's true, and that's the only way you're going to get a truly personal space. Go to town with throws, pillows, and accents that reflect your style.

6Thou Shalt Avoid Wallpaper

Image Source: Hello Lidy

Well, in most cases. Sure it's stylish, but in all honestly, wallpaper is really inconvenient to remove, especially if you won't be in your place for long. If you love the patterned look, consider the removable wallpaper seen in this studio or these alternative wallpaper ideas.

7Thou Shalt Hang Art

Image Source: Sarah Sherman Samuel

No excuses — get your art on the walls! Patching up a tiny hole come move-out day is nothing compared to the impact it will make on your space. No need to create a full-blown gallery walleither. Try hanging one statement piece and resting photos on a mantel or shelf, similar to this home.

8Thou Shalt Invest in Rugs

Image Source: Natalie Franke

Especially if your place has carpet! Rugs are an easy way to cover up that not-so-cute carpet and can be packed up with you come your next move. Rugs are also a necessity to keep noise down, especially in older apartments with wood floors.

9Thou Shalt Emphasize Lighting

Image Source: Brittany Makes

This is another trick that many renters often overlook. Take it from HGTV stars Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri who suggest you use lighting to set the tone and make an impact in a rental. Get creative with floor and table lamps that can easily be moved from place to place.

10Thou Shalt Make the Most of Plants

Image Source: Camilla Bromann

No yard? No problem. Pots are a great way to achieve the bohemian jungalow look or even have your own urban garden. The best part is you won't have to fret about leaving any of them behind.

Thanks For Stopping By!

Brooke XOXO

Nate Berkus

I am loving Nate Berkus for his home decor collection at Target, but my love for him started way back in 2002 when he first started appearing on The Oprah Show.  Do you remember this? It amazes me the flooring he used in this renovation back in 2008, it's the same flooring I just saw in a renovation done this past week, I believe on HGTV's Flip or Flop.  Somethings never go out of style! I would love to know if those homeowners kept this look. :)

So back to the reason I currently love Nate Berkus.... 

Long Woven Wall Hanging Cream - $34.99

Large Metal Wall Art - $19.95 (original price $39.99)

Square Gold Accent Table w/ Marble Top - $99.99

Metallic Jute Pouf - $34.98 (original price $49.99)

Diamond Bath Rug - $18.99

Fringe Striped Bath Towels - $7.60 and $9.99 (original price $7.99 for hand towel, and $9.99 for bath)

Matte Black 16-piece dinnerware set - $48.00 (original price $59.99)

Textured Comforter Set in Cream also available in Teal - $89.99 (full/queen) $99.99 (king) 

Nate's number one design tip? Make a room look layered and "created' over time, even if you didn't.  Use textures and layers!  All of his items I have shown here, (he has hundreds more) are great examples of textures and items you can use to layer.  He also says without actually saying it, basically to use lots of neutrals, and "no matchy matchy"! So, whites, tans, blacks, and grays, as well as, use different metals; gold, silver, copper, brass and the list goes on!

Instagram @nateberkus, @target

As always, Thanks For Stopping By!  Tell me what you think, do you like this collection? Let me know in the comments below!

Brooke XOXO

Bedroom Color Trends by Anna Kocharian

BEDROOM COLOR TRENDS  we're trying in	2016
by   ANNA KOCHARIAN

	Plummet Farrow & Ball
	A gloomy shade with a refined feel and an unadulterated finish that's effortlessly chic.

Lustre Ralph Laurent Paint
Much like the inside of an oyster shell, the sheer luster of this paint is simply perfection.

	Blue Benjamin Moore
	A saturated and unapologetic shade of blue for the one who doesn't shy away from color.

Folded Card Ralph Lauren Paint
An understated take on the classic sea foam blue, with a slightly more pigmented effect.

	Verona Pink Ralph Lauren Paint
	This classic hue is reinvented with deeper tones and a delicate finish.

Parma Gray Farrow & Ball
A serene shade with a cool blue undertone, perfect for the dreamy bedroom setting.

	Fresh Basin Valspar
	Consider this an exemplary take on Pantone's color duo of the year. Refined elegance never looked so good.

Railings Farrow & Ball
Black walls may be unconvential in the bedroom, but there's no denying the sheer chicness of this moody shade.

	Pottery Green Ralph Lauren Paint
	H&M’s latest jungle-inspired home collection has us vying for this saturated sage that's complemented with a subdued hint of brass.

Oleander Sherwin Williams
A dusty blush inspired by the earthy tones of the desert, is flawlessly paired with exclusively black flooring.

Thanks For Stopping By, and let me know what color you would choose!

Brooke XOXO

Article From Houzz: Holding Out For Quality

Article by Micheal Cannell, Houzz Contributor. Former editor of The New York Times House & Home section. Author of The Limit. @michaelcannell

That incredibly inexpensive Parsons table you bought five years ago — how’s it looking now? It glowed with rakish country charm when you spotted it. And it was cheap, almost too cheap to believe. It had the style of an iconic piece of furniture, but the truth is, it hasn’t aged well, with peeling veneer and patches of fiberboard peeking through. Would you buy it again? Many are saying they would rather do without until they can afford something lasting.

Le Michelle Nguyen

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“We eventually realized it’s better to do things slowly and invest in great pieces,” saysHelen Howard, pictured with husband Johnse. 

Americans have had a 15-year romance with inexpensive sideboards and ottomans, nightstands and valances. Prices for mid- to low-range furnishings fell as much as 40 percent in the late 1990s, as manufacturing moved from its traditional U.S. hubs to lower-wage elsewhere, says Warren Shoulberg, editorial director of retailer resources HFN andHome & Textiles Today. Plummeting prices were a gift to consumers who could now afford to renovate and furnish broad expanses of square footage in the condos and spec homes they bought with low-interest mortgages.

A kind of giddiness followed as high and low converged at the cash register. At least one major chain promoted itself as the go-to source for the kind of handsome but sensible goods for the masses that midcentury modernism had always promised but never quite delivered. Architect Michael Graves, interior decorator Thomas O’Brien and other signature designers produced collections for big-box outlets, proving that furnishings could be stylish and affordable. Knock-off versions of midcentury classics like the famous Tulip table by Eero Saarinen and the Barcelona chair by Mies van der Rohe became available at roughly half the normal price. 

Now come signs that the romance of the cheap may be turning to fatigue. The pendulum appears to be swinging back to a new appreciation for quality and craftsmanship, even if it means higher prices. “Inexpensive furniture is like a gateway drug into the design world for most millennials,” says Helen Howard, who lives in a 1920s Craftsman in Berkeley, California, shown here. “We eventually realized it’s better to do things slowly and invest in great pieces.”

And when Jessica Schmid and her husband, Kevin, moved out of their Vancouver home in October, they left their old, inexpensive furnishings behind. “They looked nice,” she said, “but up close you could see how ratty they were.” For their new residence, a 1,500-square-foot floating home, they bought a $4,000 couch and invested in a built-in desk made from reclaimed barn wood. “I’m now picking things that last longer,” she says. “I’d rather pay the extra money.”

Caela McKeever

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The change derives in part from a generational shift. Many baby boomers have already bought most of their furnishings. Millennials — roughly defined in 2016 as 20- to 35-year-olds — make up the majority of people getting married and setting up households. Raised on curated photos of homes filled with vintage, handmade and salvaged finds, many millennials are less accepting of particleboard, plastic laminates, spray dyes, factory machining and flimsy hardware.

“I made a conscious decision not to buy cheap furniture,” says Mitchell Pride of the converted loft in Seattle, shown here, that he moved into after graduate school.

“It took me several years to furnish. Friends would have to sit on dining room chairs. My goal was to get pieces that would be around for a while, things I really wanted and would not have to rebuy.”

Andrew Snow Photography

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Andrew Snow Photography

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“I prefer farmers markets and small, one-of-a-kind finds,” says Christine Minerva, pictured with husband Chris.

Millennials are a design-smart generation accustomed to seeking out homespun and handcrafted sources online, and critiquing one another’s amateur decorating in comment fields. “The millennials want their furnishings to be curated, and they’re willing to pay for it,” says HFN’s Shoulberg. “They want to know the back story before they make a purchase, just as they do with their clothing.”

And their food. “My parents are so stuck on big-box stores and chain restaurants,” says Christine Minerva, who lives in a Toronto loft, shown here. “I prefer farmers markets and small, one-of-a-kind finds. I might spend $5 on a baguette,” she says. “Our generation is going back to basics.”

And it’s not just the younger adults. Susan Doban, a New York architect with a sideline in product design and custom-built furniture, says her clients are generally more knowledgeable about what they want than they were just a few years ago. “By the time they come to me, they’ve spent a lot of time looking at Houzz, and they’ve drawn up idea boards,” she says. “It elevates their taste.” Among other things, she says, they gravitate to hardwoods and other traditional materials in reaction against the pervasive plastics and synthetics of phones and computers.

This move is driven by taste, but also economics. Wages in China have risen by an average of 12 percent a year since 2001, so the bargain factor is diminishing. “Wages are increasing,” Shoulberg says.

It isn’t that we no longer want inexpensive furnishings. People of all ages still want them to be modestly priced, but not so flimsy as to be disposable. “People are trying to find that line between affordable but keepable,” says Stephen Treffinger, a freelance writer with an emphasis on home products and tech — even if that means doing without for a while.

Tell us: What is the biggest influence on your shopping choices?