Rental Decorating 101
Beyond White Paint, Episode 3: Tape the walls
Julia here – I’m Jane’s virtual assistant and last wrote on tattoos (ahem, gallery walls) as a spin off on the Beyond White Paint Series. Past Beyond White paint posts have covered gallery walls and curtains as wall decor. This week, as Jane’s out sick (poor thing is laid up bad and won’t be back on TBA till next week), she’s letting me take over the blog again today, as we turn to tape: Glorious tape.
Ah, Beyond White Paint returns with yet another fancy rental-wall-treatment idea. Let us begin with this amazing discovery: GIANT WASHI TAPE invented solely for decor purposes. Thus it is wall friendly. Holla. (Just know this: do you read Japanese? If not, this site may be tough to navigate.)
I had to get that out of my system as I am so excited by the many possibilities such large tape presents. Chevron! Gingham! A whole wall of fat washi stripes! Plaid! Any pattern with corners and lines is possible now.
This post needs to be brief for one reason: There is way too much eye candy to ogle. So the words will be few, but the tape will abound.
So let’s roll with three categories: Easy. Harder. Hardest.
1. Easy: The basic stripe and the discovery of colored electrical tape.
When it comes to tape stripes are as simple and uncomplicated as it gets. Camila at Effortless Style did a great job with a fat black stripe made of electrical tape in her sister’s apartment.
So easy. A nifty diagram is in Camila’s original post regarding spacing as well. Oh, and hello sweet lookin’ colored electrical tape. So many colors. Enough to rival the unconquerable washi.
2. Harder: The diamond pattern and the Chevron in washi and fat washi tape.
This pattern is gorgeous and traditional, even when done with tape. It also seems to do a great job of delineating spaces, as demonstrated by a Dose of Pretty:
Jenny at Little Green Notebook did a fabulous job of explaining just how to do this pattern here.
A step up from diamonds is Chevron, a holy grail of pattern in blog land. Hello fat washi tape. Don’t you look beautiful. (This wall is painted, but I digress).
3. Hardest: The crazy patterns one might not care to attempt because of scissor induced arthritis.
Here is some unrivaled madness from The Vintage Laundress. She painted her design. However, renters armed with an amazing painters tape like Martha Stewart’s Tiffany Blue tape or this particular lavender shurtape painters tape (so, so pretty) could have this design be a reality on your walls in more colors than primary blue. I think any geometric design is good to go when it comes to tape, actually.
As could all of these fabulous designs pictured below via Oh Party. That built in bookshelf slays me. But in the interest of simplicity, why not do just a built-in back with tape stripes?
Now maybe you don’t want the work of a whole tape wall. Behold, a solution which is easier than easy.
Just the corners. Crisp. Clean. Easy. As for other possibilities, here is a nice fretwork idea. Or maybe a Greek key trim as a wall border would look cute.
I have some really ugly kitchen cabinets (pink- i speak the truth people). Maybe some tape fretwork is just the thing to offset their gross glory. What might you consider taping for style purposes? And are there any patterns you think would suit this idea well? Do tell!
Disclaimer: This has not been tried on the walls at TBA and thus TBA assumes no responsibility for damaged walls or peeling tape. HOWEVER, Jenny Komenda at Little Green Notebook mentioned that her diamond patterned entryway suffered no ill effects from her use of washi tape in an email to us. Camila at Effortless Style Interiors also mentioned no damage to walls from the electrical tape thus far. Just a little FYI to be fair. Also, this post is not sponsored by any of the blogs or products mentioned.
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Beyond White Paint, Episode 2: The Gallery Wall
Welcome back to the Beyond White Paint series. Who’s ready for another inspiration in the fight against those drab white apartment walls?
A quick recap – just in case you’re new here. I’ve started the Beyond White Paint series to provide decor alternatives to painted walls. And by that I mean options for making boring white walls work – because I know many of you are stuck in a rental home or apartment that you’re not allowed to paint.
In Episode One, I talked about curtain walls. I thought gallery walls would be a great next step – they’re as easy as you want them to be, and they can make your white wall can really work for you, rather than against you.
(Via Melissa Kaniuk)
Did you know that the first gallery walls were at French art shows? They just threw paintings on the wall floor to ceiling so no matter where you stood you had a shot at seeing something.
Gallery walls are a serious rental multi-tasker. For one, they create a focal point. They also can create a mood and feel for a space, and even distract from less than stellar features that can populate a rental. Heck, you can even place them strategically to camouflage things like that awkward light switch or thermostat. Luckily, we have options. Oddly enough, options multiply as renters because a gallery wall can be made of anything. No lie. Read the rest of this entry »
Beyond White Paint, Episode 1: Curtained Walls
So here’s the deal. You’re renting your apartment, and it’s got those horribly cold white walls that glare at you. You asked your landlord if you could paint, and the answer was a resounding “NO!”
Why not? Does he really think that a little paint on their walls will wreck the place?
I guess so – because regardless of whether or not you agree with his logic, you’re living in a white cell until you find a way to jazz up those walls without hitting up the paint aisle at your local hardware store.
Fear not, fellow renter – because I’ve been there, done that. I (sadly) don’t have the pics to prove it, but I’ve got a few tried and true tricks up my sleeve.
And that’s where my new Beyond White Paint series comes in. Over the next few weeks I’m going to discuss several alternatives to painted walls.
Beyond White Paint, Episode 1: Curtained Walls
Curtains can be used in so many ways around the house – from dressing up a bedroom to hiding the cat litter. But they can do so much more than the basics – like covering up the antiseptic-white walls that too many renters get stuck with. Behold, the curtain wall:
VIA Kara Paslay Designs
Using Curtains to Create an Accent Wall Read the rest of this entry »
Reader Q: How to ask landlord for permission to paint
I absolutely love getting emails from readers! Recently this challenging question popped up in my inbox, from a new reader who’s not sure how to ask her landlord for permission to paint.
Jane,
It must be fate because I’m moving into a new house rental in 3 weeks and here you are with amazing advice for pet owning renters like me!
Thanks for the great advice on preparing for the move (I don’t feel crazy now for packing already). The trick is that we are moving into a house (finally out of the condo). We hope to live here for the next 2-3 years. That being said, I need help.
How do you tactfully and successfully ask your landlord if you can paint?
Our landlord is an interior designer, and for whatever reason he’s chosen to paint lavender on the walls of the small kitchen! The tile on the counter tops is green (the house is an old Craftsman style). My KitchenAid and kitchen art is RED!! Eeeek! Paint is a must. I don’t want to offend, but I must find a way to ask successfully. I’ll go with something mild to tie in green and red without making it look like Santa’s workshop- thinking pale yellow, soft green/blue or in the least bone white.
Tips/advice? We move in three weeks and I haven’t asked yet for fear of offending his taste.
Thanks!
Hmm, what a conundrum! A landlord who is a designer? With a green & lavender kitchen? That’s a tough challenge. But here’s my take on things.
First, I absolutely love Craftsman style homes, so I’ll try not to be envious. They have so much character, like nice wood trim and great windows. But green tile, lavender walls? That sounds a bit . . . unusual.
If you’ve got red appliances and accessories, my gut says I’d go with a soft off-white or pale neutral color on the walls, just to help keep things a bit more neutral. I’d be reluctant to bring in too many other colors with that green tile on the counters.
There’s another approach you could take, though. Playing off the green tile and red appliances, go for a more Tuscan feel in the space, using a warm gold-ish color on the walls. My best friend is doing that in her modern kitchen – red, green, and a nice warm goldish yellow.
Regardless, I’d wait until move-in to ask the landlord about paint. You don’t want to give off the vibe that you’re correcting his design style before the keys have changed hands. Move in, get settled, then after a few weeks ask him about it. Flattery gets you everywhere, right? So I’d probably start by telling him how much I loved the place. Then I’d probably say that since we were planning on living there for 2-3 years, we’d really like to repaint the kitchen to help it better work with our stuff and our style. Then maybe I’d ask “if we were to do that, would you prefer that we go with a neutral or off-white, or would a color be ok?” I asked my last landlord to approve the colors before I did them. To help seal the deal, I’d say something like “of course, when we move out, we’d be happy to paint it back to your current color.”
I always try to be friendly with my landlords, because it’s helpful to get along with the person who owns your home. Of course, renting places that I love makes it easier. Also, landlords don’t like to be bothered with every single little issue in the space, so if something needs fixing and I think I can do it easily, I’ll let them know what I found, and ask for permission to fix it myself. I could be wrong, but I think it helps your relationship with the landlord if they a) feel like you care about protecting their space and b) are trying to help fix little things rather than making them send a maintenance person out for every little bitty thing.
So that’s my 2 cents – do you guys have any other advice to share with this reader?
Also, if you’re renting and want to paint, check out my 6 Tips for Painting Rentals.
Rental Decorating 101: 6 Tips for Painting Rentals
As mentioned in my 33 for 33 list, this year I really want to focus on making The Borrowed Abode a great resource for rental decorating ideas and tips. Today I’m tackling that goal by launching a set of posts called “Rental Decorating 101.” Every other week I’ll try and tackle one specific challenge or topic related to rental / apartment decorating – and I’ll keep going until I run out of things to talk about. So if you’ve got a specific topic you’d like to hear my take on, just let me know.
Rental Decorating 101: 6 Tips on Painting Rental Homes & Apartments
Seeing as I’m painting several parts of our rental house this month , I thought this would be a good time to talk about painting a rental home (or apartment). First, let’s establish that paint is by far the easiest and cheapest way to jazz up and personalize a rented home. It really is. But before you slap some glossy fire-engine red on your boring apartment-white walls, here are my tips for painting a rental – without pissing off your landlord and maybe even losing your deposit!
1. Gauge your landlord’s tolerance
If your landlord seems at all reasonable, talk to him (her) and attempt to compromise. I know the lease may say you’re not allowed to paint, but it doesn’t hurt to ask. To make your life easier, ask if there’s a neutral color (anything’s better than pure white) you could both agree on, so that you won’t have to paint over it upon move-out. Explain that it would not only rock your world to bring a bit more definition to the walls, but it would really make the space look even classier to future tenants.
In my last apartment, I did this – with great results. My landlord agreed that I could paint the walls a neutral (taupe, beige, etc) and not have to paint over it. I had him write it into the lease as an addendum, just to ensure there were no snags down the road. Always, always get these agreements in writing!!
2. Always paint a test patch
In that last apartment, I eagerly went ahead and slapped that taupe-y paint all over the walls, only to wake up the next day and realize my walls were flesh-colored. That sucked. 4 months later I found a much lighter off-white, tested it out, and repainted. Lesson learned? Always do a test patch, and live with the color for a few days to be sure you like it in every type of light – daylight, night with the lamps on, etc.
Eek. I can't believe I'm really showing you this.
3. Choose lighter colors
Unless you’re a weirdo who loves the idea of painting and priming upon move-out, go easy on your future-self and choose lighter hues rather than dark, bold colors like navy, dark teal (been there, done that), bright yellow (been there, done that too), dark terra cotta (it became tiring in my old bedroom), or bright red (yep, been there too.)
Yeah, this terra-cotta bedroom got really old, really quickly.
4. Drop cloth everything!
Cover, drape, protect. I can’t say it enough – especially if you rent! Don’t risk splattering (or worse yet, spilling) paint all over your floors or carpet – that would really eat up your rental security deposit, and make your landlord wish he’d never let you paint. Use old sheets, or plastic drop cloths, to protect your floors. And your furniture.
Got it? Good.
5. Choose your paint finish wisely
Chances are, the walls of your rental are not so flawless. So hide the ugliness: choose flat paint, it’s like the concealer of the paint world. Mask the fugliness of the [most likely] holey, uneven walls by using a flat or eggshell paint. The glossier paint reflects more light, and thus shows off the flaws. It’s like shiny beacons of light emanating from the imperfections, screaming “Look at me! Look at all my old cracks and poorly patched nail holes!”
Worried you’ll dirty your flat-painted walls and won’t be able to scrub them? Although the flat paint may show dirt faster and be tougher to wash, it’s super-easy to patch over with a quick flick of the brush. I have dogs and cats that love to rub along the walls, so trust me when I say that touch-ups work.
6. Use accent walls to define spaces
Our current rental home has a nice open floor plan, with the front door opening directly into the living room, which flows straight into the dining “room,” which flows into the kitchen. The light, airy feeling is good, but we had trouble really defining the living room seating area. To create some real definition of the actual living room, we’re going to paint two neighboring accent walls a contrasting color to set them apart from the rest of the open living space. An accent wall can really help do that, especially when you’re unable to do any construction or improvements to the structure of your space.
(Update: We painted the accent walls in our living room and it made an amazing difference.)
The accent wall example below is from my old apartment, where I turned the dining room into an office, and used bar stools and an accent wall color to define the the bar as “separate” from the rest of the room.
Maybe you need to inject some light into your dreary and dark living room? Pick a bright, cheerful paint color that ties into your space, and cover your favorite wall with it. It’s guaranteed to wake up that space. That’s what I did with my new studio.
So those are my tips for painting your rental. I’m sure there’s some thoughts that I’ve left out, so please share your tips in the comments! And if you’re a renter who can’t seem to sweet-talk the landlord into allowing paint, then stay tuned for another episode of Rental Decorating 101. I promise to cover options for transforming your walls without paint.
