Renting Doesn't Mean You Can't
Decorate
Many people who rent apartments in
Chicago think that they will only be
there for a year or two. So why go
to all the trouble to decorate?
After all, it says in the lease that the
unit must be returned in the same
condition as it was first rented, and
why should you make the landlords
property worth more? Fear
not. Whether you have a designers
eye or think avocado green is all the
rage, here are some tips for decorating
an apartment that any homosexual (and
landlord) can appreciate:
 | The best thing you can do if you
can't paint your walls or don't like
your carpet is to put some color
into your furnishings. Buy a
colorful rug and throw pillows, or
accent lamps that have colored or
textured shades. (Be sure to carry
the color theme from one to the
other) |
| If you can't put holes in your
walls, lean a large framed mirror
against the wall. You can also
lean smaller pictures on a mantle,
bookcase or armoire. You can
also use a large easel in a corner
or behind an angled sofa to display
artwork. |
| Use floor screens to display
pictures in a tiled fashion or to
liven-up a corner of the apartment. |
| Use furniture that is decorative
and multi-functional. A chest
can be used for storage and as a
coffee table. An entry hall
table with collapsing sides can be
used as a dining room table when the
need arises. |
| Everything you do doesn't have to
stay with the apartment.
Purchase some funky knobs for the
kitchen cabinets and put the old
ones back on before you move.
The same can also be done with
lighting fixtures. |
| Accessorize - Accessorize -
Accessorize - sometimes all you need
is a small group of candles or a
colorful vase to make a room come
together. |
