TIPS FOR DECORATING A RENTAL APARTMENT OR HOUSE

The addition of a large wall mirror spruces up any space, but you probably can’t have a mirror glued to the wall of an apartment or rental house. The leaning mirror is a nice alternative. To create a one-of-a-kind piece, purchase a large frame with lots of character. (A flea market, antique shop, or thrift store can be a good source.) Then, have a custom glass shop such as ABC Glass & Mirror, cut a piece of mirror glass to fit within the frame. Choose standard reflective glass for a more modern look or antique style mirror glass for a vintage effect. Then prop the mirror against a wall for a chic effect and zero holes in the wall. Turn it into a vignette with the addition of a potted plant and a tall table topped with a vase or candle.

Have previous renters left their mark on some of your kitchen’s surfaces? Perhaps you have an island, mini bar, or breakfast nook with a surface marred by scratches and stains? Thanks to custom glass table tops, you can beautifully – but temporarily – transform such areas. Glass can be cut to the exact dimensions needed to cover the desired surface. There are a wide variety of glass styles available, so you can choose to add shine, totally hide, or just camouflage the original surface.

• Clear – Adding a sheet of clear glass gives the surface freshness and sparkle.
• Patterned or frosted – A layer of privacy glass does not entirely hide the existing top, but it will hide most stains and damage.
• Tinted – Likewise, tinted glass leaves the original surface visible but camouflages flaws.
• Back painted – Back painted glass is opaque and can be ordered in any color you wish. This material will totally hide the surface below for a completely new look.

Floors can be a challenge in a rental, but don’t despair. The first step is to give the carpet or hard flooring a thorough cleaning. (If it’s a wood floor, be sure to use products meant for this purpose to avoid damage to the finish.) In the case of carpets, your local grocery store may rent out steam cleaners for a deep cleanse. Once the floor is clean, you might find that you already like it a lot better. If it still needs a makeover, consider these options:

• Any type of hard flooring can be adorned with an area rug. In many rooms, you can almost completely cover the floor with an oversized rug or carpet remnant.
• Ugly carpet can also be covered with a huge rug that practically extends from wall to wall. Just make sure that the colors in the area rug don’t clash with the visible carpet edges.
• This Zumper article offers even more creative solutions such as peel-and-stick flooring tiles and canvas floor cloths. Just keep in mind that some of these are semi-permanent and require landlord approval. If all else fails, decorate the rest of your home so charmingly that the floors go unnoticed.

With so many activities moving to our homes in recent years, many families are dividing open concept living spaces into smaller rooms with dedicated functions. You typically can’t add walls to a rental, but glass opens up more possibilities. For example, ABC Glass & Mirror can create custom movable screens made of glass or plexiglass. This is nice if you want to delineate a home office or study area within a larger space such as the living room. Also, even more permanent glass partition walls are more simple to add and then remove than sheetrock walls, so you could always seek your landlord’s approval for this type of partition wall.

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If ABC Glass & Mirror can help you decorate your rental with one of the products discussed here or another form of custom glass or mirror, please give us a call at (703)257-7150!