September 2007 — VOLUME 5 ISSUE 9
When rental white isn't right
So, after the excitement of renting your first place what you’re finally staring at is a 4x4 blank slate—four walls met by four corners of eggshell white, just waiting for fingerprints. Not exactly the personal touch you’re seeking.
While interior decorators may rave about white, you know that if you don’t do something soon your wardrobe will require a straightjacket. The only thing that stops you from coating the walls in vivid color is the fear of losing your damage deposit.
And it’s important to establish your landlord’s parameters around that. Although some landlords allow you to paint your new digs and may even cover paint costs, most don’t. Kamloops city council member and landlord Tina Lange has invested in rental properties for over 12 years, and is explicit about what is and isn’t allowed.
“Along with the Residential Tenancy Agreement I give tenants an addendum which outlines every guideline—from tenants not wearing shoes on the hardwood, to tenants may not paint without written consent,” details Lange.
Don’t stress if painting isn’t permitted—keep in mind, you might be able to negotiate repainting it white when you leave. A quick alternative to painting a whole room is to tape off a large square on one wall and add some bright paint. Otherwise, a massive piece of plywood with painted plaster or an upholstered headboard will add colour and texture.
Chelsey Curry, a Queen’s University undergrad living in a university-owned apartment, is excited with her online discovery for temporarily transforming her bland room, but it does come with a caveat.
“Removable wallpaper from twenty2.net [is great], but it’s $59 American for 14 linear feet,” warns Curry.
On a tighter budget, purchase peel-away wall decals at Home Depot. Giant pop art polka-dots make any room fun.
Despite the fact this isn’t the massive walk-in closet you initially thought it was, there’s a bright side. In the design world, small is always paired with the adjective cozy. Splurge on a set of Egyptian cotton sheets, silk pillow cases and a fancy coverlet. Experiment with natural fibres or appliqué shams to achieve the look and feel you want.
Storage is essential if you’re lacking space. An interesting alternative to expensive, hard-to-assemble store-bought shelving units are pine plank shelves held up by cinderblocks. Bring into play wicker baskets and metal buckets to hide away belongings that don’t need to be on display. To avoid an excessive number of holes in the wall that some landlords perceive as damage, adorn a painted strip of pegboard with hooks and alligator clips or knobs and hang away—scarves, necklaces, pictures, whatever you wish.
Then move out of the eighties into the now, and improve your standard of living while you’re at it by removing old light bulbs and Venetian blinds. Resolve to use energy-efficient light bulbs and easy-to-wash plantation shutters, roll-down bamboo blinds or drapes to reduce allergens. Not only can you make your living space your own, you can make it healthy too.
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