How to Personalize Your Apartment as a First-Time Renter
BWS Marketing • April 15, 2022

Your home deserves to be personalized. The design should reflect your style, your favorite colors, and your personality to help you feel happy and comfortable in your own space. Of course, this is a little more challenging with rental homes. Some homes come with rules about how you can and cannot affect the walls, while some landlords don't care how you decorate, as long as the wall is whole and undamaged when you move out. Some leases include a no-holes decoration clause and many cautious renters avoid punching holes in rental walls for any reason.

So how do you truly make a rental home your own within the no-holes restrictions? We've got a few great strategies for modern renters to personalize, hanging curtains and artwork, within the comfortable bounds of your lease.

 

Clever Places to Put Decorations When Renting

  • Windowsills and Half-Walls
  • Tables and Shelves
  • Along the Top of Appliances
  • Free Standing Decor

Before you start worrying about the walls, decorate your surfaces. Find creative and decorative places to put your artwork throughout the house. Windowsills with plants and sculptures brighten your day as much as a framed painting, while free-standing art can be a 3-dimensional display without touching a single wall.

Your rental home might have a hearth and mantelpiece to decorate, or built-in shelves ready to show off your favorite art pieces. There are many ways to decorate a rental home that don't require wall suspension.

 

No-Damage Decorating Tips for Rental Homes

If you have a no-holes clause in your lease or your landlord specifically mentions not damaging the walls, you can still decorate! Mounting tape distributes the weight of a mounting point to hold heavier loads without punching a single hole. The only question is whether it comes away clean or with a layer of wall paint.

Command Strips & Mounting Tape

Command Strips are the 3M name brand no-damage mounting tape strips. It's basically foam two-sided tape that works on walls. With a pull-tab, they will detach from almost any surface without any damage, even to brittle paint. Command strips can also mount points like hooks and picture frame wire for diverse no-hole decorating options. You can also work with rolls of mounting tape, cutting strips as needed.

Adhesive Hooks and Clamps

If you want to hang things like curtains and window treatments, affix hooks and clamps to build attachments in your rental home. You can hang potted plants, workout equipment, and extra storage throughout the house, provided each hook and clamp connects securely. Don't forget to pad the back of the plastic or metal fixture so it doesn't scratch the paint. This is a great way to add curtain rods and other features to a plain looking house.

Shelves and Backdrop Furniture

You don't have to mount your decor directly to the wall with something between the wall and your decorations. Experiment with shelves and end-tables of various heights. Try displaying your art on shelves, or on the back of a bookshelf with the shelves removed. This way, your art is mounted to an item that belongs to you instead of the rental home wall.

 

To Drill or Not to Drill: Mounting Art and Tech

If you live in a rental home that allows standard decoration (the occasional nail hole), when and where is appropriate? And how much mounting is reasonable? Many of us take one look at drywall anchors and wonder if that's a good idea in a rental. The answer, first, depends on your lease. Then it depends on the security deposit risk. From there, you can make any plans that can be undone with a new coat of paint.

Ask yourself these questions:

  • "Does the wall already have holes? Can you re-use them?"
  • "Is the wall receptive to nails or screws?"
  • "Will you need drywall anchors, and will they blend?"
  • "How obvious will the hole left-behind be?"
  • "How easily can I repair the hole?"

Interestingly, drywall anchors of the right color can be less obtrusive than an unadorned hole in the drywall. Be strategic when and where you choose to add a new hole - and how easily you can repair and touch-up any small changes you have made.

 

 

Cleaning Up After Decorating a Long-Term Rental

Longer-term tenants are more likely to hang semi-permanent decorations and install mounting points into the wall. In fact, years of built up wear-and-tear and steady rent provide for this choice. But when it comes time to move out, you want to leave those mounting points as nearly invisible as possible by filling and repainting each spot.

This method can help you repair and cover almost any size of mounting hole damage left in a rental home wall.

Fill Holes & Damage with Drywall Putty

Get a pot of drywall putty and a plastic putty knife, the kind with a flat square end. Apply a small scrape of putty over every nail and screw hole in the wall, whether or not you remember making it. If you repair a few extra spots, it only costs you a few seconds and secures your damage deposit either way. For each spot, use the flat edge of the putty knife to press putty into the hole and scrape it flat and flush against the wall. Remove excess putty as needed. Give the putty a few hours to dry and it'll be ready to repaint.

Repaint with Matching Interior Paint

Get a pot of paint that matches the home interior. This can be a very small supply, as long as the color and finish match. For each putty spot - and for every scuff and stain - add a fresh swipe of paint. Follow the grain of the existing paint to make your touch-ups blend in. Give this paint a protected day or two to fully dry and check your work.

 

Your rental home can be beautifully and personally decorated while still fully within the terms of your lease. Whether you cleverly use Your attention to detail ensures a return of your security deposit and win the good favor of your property manager - however you choose to decorate. Contact us today to explore more great decoration tips and custom window treatments for personalizing your home interior.

 

Expert Advice by Just Blinds

Best Options for Sheer Privacy: Your Guide to Private Sunshine

By Autumn Hooper • January 10, 2025
Sunshine can fill any room with a warm glow. It provides natural light and can even lift your mood. But there may be some rooms where you want both privacy and sunshine at the same time. You shouldn't have to block out the light to enjoy private rooms in your home. For these moments, having the right blinds or drapes can make all the difference. The answer is in sheer privacy, sheer and semi-sheer materials that let in the light without allowing others to see through your windows. This is your guide to private sunshine: how to enjoy your privacy and warm natural light in any room. Why Sheer Privacy Matters There are many situations where sheer privacy is ideal. Bedrooms are warm and welcoming when filled with natural light, but privacy is paramount. Sheer window treatments can also bring sunshine into your living room without broadcasting family activities to the neighborhood. And if natural light helps you stay focused in your office, you can maintain professional security without worries by hanging sheer blinds and drapes so your computer screen is never visible through the window. How can you achieve this perfect balance of sunshine and privacy? There are several types of blinds and drapes that can meet your needs. Woven and Fabric Blinds The right fabric or woven blinds can provide the perfect balance between light and privacy. Woven and fabric blinds are rarely completely opaque. Depending on your choice of material and weave, you can determine both how much light shines through and the level of visibility in your sheer material. Fabric blinds use woven fabric to block visual access through your window while also acting as a diffuser for the sunlight. Woven blinds are made of grass or reeds and provide a similar effect. This can be used to cast gentle glowing light into your room at slightly dimmer-than-normal levels while showing silhouettes or less. Slatted Blinds and Plantation Shutters The most traditional answer is slatted blinds and plantation shutters. These methods use opaque angled slats that open to allow in some light without creating an easy line-of-sight from anywhere that a person outside might reasonably be standing. Slats pointed up or down welcome sunshine from various angles during the day but cannot be seen through until the slats are nearly horizontal. Slatted blinds hang from the top, and the angle of the slats is controlled with a cord system. Today, pull cords and hanging loops are no longer used. Instead, a control wand or motorization is used to enhance home safety and convenience. Plantation shutters are wood structures that are permanently installed or fold out over your windows. The slats are structured and controlled by pushing a ridge bar on the back of the shutter slats themselves. Honeycomb Blinds Honeycomb blinds are a type of fabric blinds that use honeycomb cells to provide greater insulation. Honeycomb blinds are not just energy-efficient, they also provide greater privacy by implementing layered fabric to create the honeycomb air pockets. At the same time, the fabric used can bring in sunshine and act as a diffuser to spread gentle sunshine through your room. The honeycombs themselves also diffuse any silhouettes or shadows that might be seen through the fabric of the blind for greater privacy inside your rooms. Semi-Sheer Drapery If you prefer drapes, you can also select a sheer fabric as the innermost layer for your draperies. The fabric and the folds of the drapes combine to provide both a diffuser for sunshine and privacy. Drapery is the most likely to reveal shadows and silhouettes, but a style with more folds when the sheer layer is closed can obscure shapes and activities within to provide the privacy you need. Private Sundrenched Rooms with Just Blinds If you are looking to enjoy diffused sunshine and keep your rooms private at the same time, Just Blinds can help. Contact us today to explore your options for sheer privacy design with custom window treatments.

2025 Colors of the Year: How to Use Them in Your Home Design

By Autumn Hooper • December 10, 2024
Every year, the leading paint and decorator brands release their Color of the Year. Each organization theorizes which colors will be at the peak of interior design trends for the next 12 months, and the 2025 Colors of the Year have been released. If you want your interior decor to match the mood of the year with the latest magazine-spread designs and eye-catching arrangements, now is your chance. 2025: A Year of Bold and Somber Tones 2025 rings in a year of regally subdued tones. They are at once both bold and somber, creating relaxed yet elevated living spaces through strong colors and muted hues. This is a marked contrast from the light and airy palette created by the colors of the year from 2024 featuring soft pinks, warm honeys, and renewing blues. This year, the leading tones are dark red, deep purple, and dusty neutrals that make a space feel at once both cozy and formal. Stately Reds If you love dark reds from brick to mohogany, then this is your year. Both Behr and C2 have named dark yet natural-tone reds as their colors of the year. They are perfect to make a room feel luxe and stately without the overwhelming quality, making these reds the perfect base color for walls and a great accent in an elegant room. Rumors by Behr - A dusty red that is both light and dark at the same time. This muted town is a smooth, creamy rendition of faded brick that looks perfect with warm colors and red-hued wood furniture. Raku by C2 - A bold, dark mahogany red that looks great for interiors and exteriors inspired by the ancient Japanese tea ceremony. Regal Purples Purple is back in bold refrain for 2025 interior design. Between Violet by Minwax and Purple Basil by Glidden, you have an incredible palette to create the most regal of interiors, from primary colors to accents that pop. We love these rich tones that make any room stand out from the typical warm tones and neutrals that have ruled the roost for a decade. Violet by Minwax - Violet by Minwax is not your typical violet. It is a deep, rich aubergine, the color of royal robes and the most luxurious paint. This majestic color will stand out no matter how you use it. Purple Basil by Glidden - Purple Basil is a dusty reddish lavender that shares tones with charcoal and plum. It is somehow both somber and cheerful, warm yet subdued. Purple basil is a wonderful color for both primary walls and bold trim without overwhelming the space. Relaxed Blues Last year, blues were bright and full of energy with an aqua-green undercurrent. This year's blues are more relaxed, blending well with neutrals whether you're looking for a chill space or a summer tone. Quietude by HGTV / Sherwin Williams - Quietude is the eggshell of blues. It is soft and faintly blue in hue while still giving the light neutral feel of a nearly-white painted room. It has the faint hues of a lightly cloudy sky. Encore 8002 by Valspar - Encore 8002 is a bold, rich blue on the cheerful side of royal blue. It's deep but not dark, embracing what makes blue such a great color for decor. Mapped Blue by Dutch Paint Boys - Mapped Blue reflects green-blue theme of last year but with this year's dusty trend. It's soft and comforting but with a touch of surprise that's not your everyday medium blue. Subdued Neutrals While red, purple, and blue may be our boldest tones, it's neutrals that rule the 2025 Color of the Year list. From deep yet soft Truffle to warm almost-pink cinnamon, you will find a surprisingly gorgeous palette of neutrals to work with as primary, accent, and rich detail tones in any room design. These colors can fall into the background or make your room pop. Truffle by Stainmaster - Truffle is the darkest of the 2025 neutrals, blending honey with charcoal for a warm bold tone that looks amazing in boho or minimalist styles. Mochi by Little Greene - Mochi is a warm medium neutral that naturally supports wooden furniture of all hues. It has undertones of milkey coffee but reflects light in a way that still brightens a room. Caramelized by Dunn-Edwards - Caramelized is a tone that approaches boldly from the cheerful side, reminding us of dessert landscapes and faintly orange sunset skies. Cinnamon Slate by Benjamin - Cinnamon Slate is a soft neutral that is just this side of dusty pink. It's described as a dreamy, velvety purple and brown that can add subtle richness to any space. Mocha Mousse by Pantone - Mocha Mousee is a sophisticated neutral that reminds us of soft earth and smooth wood. Using the Colors of the Year to Inspire Your 2025 Interior Design These colors aren't just for paint, they can be used to enhance every element of your space. One of the best ways to introduce diversity and annual color trends into your home is through blinds and drapes. Choosing the perfect blinds can update your style to magazine-worthy arrangements for every year and season. Find the latest colors and styles at Just Blinds today.