Make your rental feel like home with these viral renovations

Article by Sinead Clarke Marketing Specialist 8 December 2023

Giving your rental a new lease on life can seem intimidating and borderline impossible as you typically don’t want to spend an extortionate amount of money on a place that isn’t your forever home. However, as we settle into a post-COVID landscape, there is more time spent in the home than ever before, with flexible work arrangements and completely remote jobs. This push and pull between wanting to make our place feel like home and being restricted by renting guidelines can create friction and leave us feeling overwhelmed. Although, it doesn’t have to be that way. Thankfully with the rise of social media, we have more access to clever DIY-ers ideas than ever before. So to make the process easy for you, we’ve culminated a list of our favourite viral renter-friendly renovations that are provided to make your house feel like a home. Have fun and get creative!

Stick on backsplash

@so_narly $200 renter friendly kitchen renovation 🔨 I’m IN LOVE with my white kitchen 🥹 I found this stick on backsplash on amazon (🔗 on my storefront) 👏🏽 #apartmentfriendlyhacks #stickonbacksplash #backsplashdiy #apartmentfriendlyreno #kitchenrenoonabudget ♬ original sound – Sonali

Our first viral DIY is perfect for those old 70s kitchens that are prevalent in Australia! While the bright backsplashes can be a design choice for the retro-inclined they don’t make a very neutral kitchen background. Thankfully, stick-on backsplashes are an easy and affordable option that you can apply in the time it takes to boil an egg. You may be sceptically rolling your eyes after seeing dodgy laminate jobs that leave the walls looking more like a badly contacted schoolbook than a fresh space. However, the materials and technology have come a long way, with any of your favourite hardware stores carrying sturdy and waterproof laminate options that could easily be mistaken for a fresh set of tiles.

Change the hardware

@joshandmattdesign We found some very cool knobs 👀 #interiordesign #kitchen #diy #design #interior #home #renovation #rentalfriendly ♬ original sound – Jestindothat

This is debatably the easiest DIY project on our list and one of the best ways to add a touch of personality to your place. Swapping out the hardware on your kitchen and bathroom draws can allow you to modernise the place, or restore some of the home’s former character. Whatever your stylistic vision is there’s an option for you, from matte black knobs that are easy to clean, to flower-shaped knobs set to make you smile every time you see them. Just make sure to keep the original hardware in a safe place so that you can easily swap them back before moving out!

DIY portable herb garden

@kathleen.post So fun! 🌿 #ItsGreatOutdoors #diy #patiodecor #homedecor ♬ original sound – kathleen.post

While you may associate gardening with a pastime most enjoyed by the retirees in your life, it’s a lot more fulfilling and exciting than you’re probably thinking. Pair this with the fact that it’s a great way to bring life to your outdoor spaces, makes it the best DIY to take up over the holiday period. Did we mention the obvious, that you can seriously level up your cooking game with an ever-plentiful array of herbs? All you have to do is head to your local hardware store, pick out a pot or veggie planter that suits your space, pair it with some veggie-friendly soil and your favourite herb seedlings. If you wanted to take your DIY game to new heights you could even gift a mini herb garden to a loved one who’s just moved into a place of their own. 

Add extra storage

@macerlyofficial #ad let's make over my new bathroom with @Cricut UK & Ireland ! Welcome to day 1 of me making over my bathroom with renter-friendly changes ✨You can find my Cricut label designs in the link in my bio #cricutUK #cricutpartneruk ♬ original sound – Maddie

Storage is one of those things that you can never have enough of! Whether it’s that snowboard we swear we’re going to use next winter, or the skincare products spilling out of our cabinets, we’re always in search of new ways to house our evergrowing collection of ‘stuff’. Thankfully renter-friendly adhesive strips have come a long way over the past few years, providing a sturdy and safe option to store additional shelves and caddies in rooms such as your bathroom or kitchen. If you’re apprehensive about sticking shelving to your walls, we recommend purchasing a hanging storage system that can be attached to existing features in your home such as towel racks and shower heads.

Add screw-in free luxe curtains

@louiburke #diyproject#diycurtains#renterhacks#renterdiy#homedecor#nosewcurtains#bedroomtour#bedroommakeover #beigeaesthetic#aesthetic#pinterestaesthetic#curtain ♬ Lazy Sunday – Official Sound Studio

Add some character with stained glass

@thriftstorejor Replying to @myvanvinny sorry this took so long D: it's been a wild week #diy #eclecticdecor #renterfriendly ♬ Aces – dkj

This viral DIY is a fun one, reserved for those who are seeking to restore the former charm of their home. While searching for your perfect heritage-listed property, fit out with stained glass panels, will set you back a pretty penny, thankfully you can emulate the character for a fraction of the cost. Adhesive translucent panels can be purchased from any major craft or home improvement store and are a simple and renter-friendly way to add flare to your new place. If you want to get carried away, you could even purchase red and green panels for the holiday season to elevate your Christmas decorating.

Create your own dining nook

@kylenct Definitely the most serendipitous goodwill find I’ve ever experienced! I was fully planning on building out a custom nook, but this hack was just SO good and I’m so excited about how it’s turning out. Even though I have a small apartment, I love hosting, and this will make it so much easier to bring more people into the space :’) #diningnook #thriftedhome #renterfriendlydiy ♬ Aesthetic – Gaspar

If you’re feeling ambitious as the Christmas holidays approach, we encourage you to try your hand at this viral DIY. Source out an underutilised corner in your home, pop to your nearest IKEA and purchase furniture that fits your space, before transforming it into a chic and resourceful dining nook. From here you can customize the entire look and feel to elevate your space. Just make sure to measure the space first to ensure your new nook fits! 

To learn about the PropertyMe mobile app for tenants and what it can do to help you, head on over to the PropertyMe website for more information.