Category Archives: Rental Remedies

How is it now? Contact Paper as Temporary Wallpaper for Renters

Sometimes I try and share wacky projects that have readers emailing/commenting later on, asking how those wacky projects have held up. I’d like to share “how is it now” status posts occasionally. After all, what good is a project I’ve shared if it totally falls apart on me later?

Two years ago, in March 2011, I set about organizing our disastrous coat closet. Six hours and two home depot trips later I finished. . . having gone a little overboard, wallpapering the closet with contact paper.

Contact Paper How Now1

I chose contact paper because I knew it was made to stick onto drawers and shelves but peel off safely later. Why not walls?

So, How Is It Now?

I’m happy to report that the contact paper is still stuck on the wall, and peeled off, with no damage to the walls, when I tried peeling up a corner in the back.

Contact Paper How Now3

Where the edges of the contact paper meet the molding on the inside of the closet doorway (see below), there is a small bit of separating from the wall – but occasionally I just press it down to fix it. Contact Paper How Now4

Even the hanging bar, which I wrapped in contact paper because it was so ugly, is holding up well. After a few years of use, the contact paper is still holding strong.

In short, I’m very happy with how the contact-paper-turned-wallpaper has worked in our closet. It was the perfect solution.

However, now that I’ve tried Tempaper, the “official” temporary wallpaper option that’s out there, I’m not sure if I would recommend using contact paper to cover a whole large accent wall in a room. The contact paper cost $12 for the small closet. That was fine, because it’s just a closet. But covering a whole wall with it would probably cost the same as an $80 roll of Tempaper, and the Tempaper designs are prettier and wider than most contact paper I’ve seen.

However, if you’re looking for an economical and rental-safe way to cover the walls of a closet, or to cover a very small wall, contact paper could be the way to go.

Guest Room “Reveal”

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This spring we are making some big changes in our borrowed abode, including – *spoiler alert* – dismantling the guest room.

I never did finish decorating the room like I wanted to, but I did get it pulled together enough to comfortably welcome a few guests over the last year. At the end of the day, having a comfortable space for guests to call there own is all that really matters. Since this blog is my home diary of sorts, I have to share the guest room in its most final state – just for the sake of posterity.

The room is a small (10×8?) room, separated by French doors from the basement TV room.
Guest Room Final | The Borrowed Abode

There was just enough room for two twin beds, a small dresser that I found on the side of the road, and a chair. While waiting to refinish it, I covered the very scratched top of the dresser with a piece of fabric.

Guest Room Roadside Dresser | The Borrowed Abode

The yellow paint around the window (above) and by the accent wall (below) is the mark of an unfortunate whim, when I thought that a mustardy yellow would look good on the walls. Shortly after starting to apply it, I realized I’d made a mistake.

I was very happy with my blue and white Tempaper accent wall, and you can find details on the installation here, and my (unbiased & uncompensated) review here.

Guest Room Tempaper Accent Wall | The Borrowed Abode

The nightstand is a mid-century modern record cabinet that I scored at Goodwill for $15. The throw pillow covers are actually fakes – I threw them together just for decoration purposes using this trick from years ago.

Guest Room | The Borrowed Abode As for the beds . . . oh I love how well the beds turned out, from rebuilding the too-tall footboards, to painting them, to upholstering the side-rails with chevron fabric.
Chevron Upholstered Bed Frame | The Borrowed Abode

In the end, I’m happy with how it turned out – especially considering I put very little work into it aside from the bed frames.

No Mantel? No Problem! {Faux Holiday Mantel Wall for Renters}

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Christmas decorating can pose a problem for apartment renters and even home renters like me, because we often don’t have a fireplace and mantel to decorate!

Ok, so maybe it’s not a huge problem, but because I love to hang stockings it bugs me. My solution? A rustic branch, hung on the wall and draped with a pine garland, creating the feel of a fireplace mantel and a safe place from which to hang our Christmas stockings.

Christmas Stocking Branch on Wall for No Mantel | The Borrowed Abode

Think of this as a not new, but improved project.

During our first Christmas in this borrowed abode, I solved the problem by hanging a branch on the wall with some Command Hook products. Thanks to Pinterest, I now see that Christmas Stocking Branch pinned all over the place – and it bugs me because every time I look at it the branch looks like a massive centipede crawling on our wall:

So here’s how I did it this year. Not only did I find a sweet, weathered piece of wood at a river, I also used a different hanging system.

I used two small Ook Hooks because they use small nails but create a strong hanging system. I installed them about 1 foot higher than I wanted the branch to hang. Then I created two long loops of fishing line to hang the branch from, since fishing line is clear. You can also find clear, strong line in the bead section of the craft store.

Hang Christmas Stocking Branch on Wall With Fishing Line | The Borrowed Abode In real life you really don’t notice the clear string that the branch hangs from. But what you would notice are the hooks – so I created a small “Let it Snow” sign to hang over them. I simply used a board, some craft paint, and glitter.

Holiday Stocking Branch No Greenery | The Borrowed Abode
Charlie and I thought the wall still looked a little sad with the stockings hanging on a naked branch, so I added a fresh pine garland. I wound it around and held it in place with by tying it with a few more pieces of the clear fishing line.

Perfect!

Holiday Stocking Branch for Mantel with Garland | The Borrowed Abode

Faux Mantel Stocking Branch Details | The Borrowed Abode

The fishing line is strong enough that we can put some small treats in the stockings. The key is to get twine that is rated at 10 pounds or more.

No Mantel Stocking Branch & Winter Sign | The Borrowed Abode

I was so excited to finally, finally get this project completed. We’re still working on setting up the rest of our decor, like the Christmas Yarn Trees and our actual Christmas Tree. Let’s hope it’s not an insane saga like it was two years ago. :)

Christmas Stocking Branch Wall Faux Mantel | The Borrowed Abode

If you rent, how do you deal with your lack of a mantel when it’s time for Christmas (or winter) decorating? Or are you one of those lucky people who actually has a fireplace to hang stockings from in your rental home?

Shared at Ten June: Holiday Mantel Party

You asked, I answered: White on off-white in a rented apartment?

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I recently received a reader question that really resonated with me. She’s renting, and is struggling with the no-paint situation. Boy, can I empathize. While I’ve been lucky that my last two landlords have let me paint, I experienced dab white walls so many times!

Reader Question:

Hi Jane,

I have a simple question and I am gathering various opinions to help make up my mind on the answer. I am renting an apartment, I can’t paint my walls and they are a cream color with a bit of a yellow undertone (they’re pretty light and we have a lot of natural light which makes them look even lighter) and I would like to paint some of my furniture white and use some very true white decorations. One of my friends who is an artist things that white against/with the cream colored walls won’t look right. What do you think? Is it okay to decorate a cream colored room with white decor and furniture? Thanks for any advice!

-A reader

My rambling before my answer:

This question couldn’t be better timed – I’m struggling with a white-on-kinda-white situation in our guest bedroom.

After I installed the bold teal Tempaper accent wall and set up the white bed frames against it, I realized that my plan to paint the other three walls white (to match the white flowers in the Tempaper) – then my white bed frames would totally blend in. And after all the time I spent to lovingly refinish them, I really want their curvy lines to stand out in the space.

In this photo of my Guest Room (in progress):

So I’ve spent the last few months pondering it and frustrating myself and doing some Very Serious Design Research on Pinterest.

My Answer:

I would paint a test piece – a large photo frame or heck, even a plain board – and set it against the wall for a few days to see how it looks. Look at it in morning, day, and night to see how it looks with all the different levels of light that come into the apartment.

1. If the off-white walls are different enough to contrast with true white:

She mentions that her walls are creamy with yellow tones. If there’s enough color in the undertones, the pure white decor may pop nicely, in a modern neutral way, against the walls. I would just want to add some color with fun accessories and art!

I’m guessing this is not the case, however, based on the comment that the natural light makes her walls look even lighter.

2. If the walls are light enough to blend and look modern with the white painted furniture:

If everything is going to blend together you can rock the monochrome / modern look, if that’s your thing. Just note that, with this all-white look, the lines of your furniture will not be the focal point. Use some knockout accessories, paintings, or photographs to add some style to the space. This is a great excuse to paint some curvy thrift store lamps a bright, fun color and pop a wildly patterned shade on them.

In the example below, notice how the white table and chairs and cabinetry don’t stand out – but the accessories do. This can be a very calming and Scandinavian look. I like it!

Click image for source.

3. If the walls appear to clash with “true white”:

If the test piece clashes, or makes the walls look dingy and dirty, it’s probably not a good idea to paint all the furniture white.

To avoid the clashy/dingy wall look, save the white paint for only the pieces of furniture that weren’t going to be placed against the walls. For example – if you’re going to have a chair and a coffee table grouped with your sofa, you could paint the chair and coffee table white since they won’t be placed right against the walls.

In the end, you have to do what works for you. These are just my thoughts on this apartment decorating dilemma – I hope they help!

As for our guest room – I’ve decided to bite the bullet and slap some warm yellow paint on the three remaining walls. The white bed frames will surely pop against the gold wall and teal Tempaper color combo, and the yellow paint should add some much-needed brightness to the basement guest room. Bonus: Ryan is loving the idea, so I can probably get him to roll up his sleeves and help paint!

PS: Want to see your space featured on the blog? If you’ve got a rental or small space decorating dilemma that you’d like to see answered on the blog, just shoot me an email (borrowedabode – gmail.com) with some photos and your questions!