I am an interior designer. That title truly defines who I am as a person, as well as who I am creatively. It is my true passion. I love nothing more than working to make a space beautiful. For the past several years, I have been renting. And as a designer, renting certainly poses its own set of challenges. It definitely limits what I have the ability to do with a space. But rather than allowing myself to feel stifled because of it, I chose to use it as a catalyst for discovering just how creative I can be.
When limits are placed on me as a designer, it forces me to think outside the box. How can I create a space that reflects my own personal design aesthetic within the framework of finishes that can’t be altered? I’ve actually found that it’s fun to challenge myself in this way, and I’ve come up with creative solutions in the process.
I call this design philosophy reversible decorating. It involves discovering ways to make changes that aren’t permanent so that everything can easily return to the way it was when it’s time to move. Some of these ideas have been pretty darn creative. Some have just been common sense. But they’ve all helped to make the rental spaces my own.
For example, in the last house we lived in, there was a very awkward little space between the back door and the kitchen. The back door was our primary entrance, and the space really needed to serve us as an entryway /mudroom. I finally hit on the solution of simply removing the door between the entry and the kitchen. I left the hinges there, so that the door could be easily replaced when we moved, but in the meantime, not having it there really opened up the space and allowed us to use it more efficiently. And it looked a whole lot better too!
Another example from that little space, was the way that I gave it some color. I couldn’t paint. I certainly couldn’t add wallpaper. So I chose to use wrapping paper like wallpaper. But in order to make it reversible, I simply stapled it to the wall in the entry. It looked great! And when we moved, it came down in a snap.
Renting is a part of life. It doesn’t mean that you can’t bring your passion into your space. Where you live should be a reflection of you! Find creative ways to incorporate your passion into your home. It will make you a happier person – and help you discover just how creative you can be.
