Kitchens are most often one of the hardest spaces to decorate in a rental property! More permanent changes, such as painting cabinets, tiling backsplashes, swapping out appliances, and changing layout to improve function or flow, are all pretty much off limits. And because of all the utilitarian surfaces in a kitchen, there aren’t many opportunities to give a kitchen your personal stamp. However, the kitchen, no matter how ugly or dysfunctional, is often one of the most used spaces in a home. So with some creative thinking, smart storage, and a few DIY details, even the most awful rental kitchens can be transformed into a special place to gather and prepare meals!
Make It Pretty Where You Can
Thanks to cabinets and appliances, most kitchens have very little wall space, making adding color and pattern a big challenge. The wall behind the counter is the best and easiest place to infuse some personality. Play up a boring backsplash with temporary mediums such as paint (and stencils!), vinyl decals, pretty contact paper, removable wallpaper, and splash-friendly artwork. These days, patterns and colors are limitless, so you will be sure to find something that suits your style!
(Get some great vinyl treatment ideas!)
Add Some Artwork
If you have some stretches of wall that are blank and relatively safe from heat and splatters, add some whimsical or cheeky artwork. Food-related prints and photographs are an obvious addition to a kitchen, but also consider stenciling cutting boards, hanging vintage signs, or displaying collections of vintage glasses, platters or pitchers on open shelving.
Make Every Inch Count
In small kitchens, nothing is worse than cabinets left empty because they are too small or awkward to hold what you need them to! Don’t hesitate to change shelf heights, remove shelves and doors, and employ bins and baskets to make cabinets more functional. Thankfully, the endless options of bins, baskets and containers available these days make it pretty easy to find the perfect catch-all for your specific cabinets, allowing you to make the most of every inch in hard-to-reach spaces! In addition to adding function, these types of kitchen accessories are the perfect opportunity to add pattern, color and texture to an otherwise bland and sterile space (and can come with you when you move!)
Double Duty
When space is at a premium, combining style and function is imperative. Try to find and use kitchen items that have color and personality so you don’t have to add extra clutter to your kitchen just to make it feel decorated. Buy or make colorful containers to hold kitchen utensils; hang pretty cutting boards on the wall for art and take them down as you need them; store patterned coffee mugs on decorative hooks near the coffee pot; display beautiful pots and pans on wall rails instead of tucking them into cupboards. Keeping colors and textures consistent will help your kitchen feel accessorized instead of cluttered!
(Learn how to DIY these utensil jars!)
Think Outside the Kitchen
If your kitchen doesn’t have the space or amenities you need, look elsewhere in your rental space and find the function you’re craving. No pantry? Try a free-standing shelf in a near-by closet or utility room. Not enough refrigerator/freezer space? Add an additional freezer in a garage or a mini-fridge in a family room nook. Cabinets don’t hold your dishes? Use wall-mounted shelves as open storage or find a sideboard or hutch that matches your personal style. Not enough counter space? Fashion a kitchen island out of a high table and casters. With some creativity, almost any kitchen conundrum can be solved!
(See this non-traditional pantry makeover!)
A hum-drum or poorly functioning kitchen can be a real bummer…and depending on how much time you have to spend in it, it can cause you to dislike your entire rental space! Don’t just settle for a less-than-ideal kitchen space. Put on your thinking cap, break out your paint brushes and give your kitchen space some décor love to make it a place you truly love to be!