Choosing to rent instead of own your home? Decorating with some innovative yet readily available items can help you bring some personal style to your place, with asking your landlord to knock down walls and make big, expensive changes. Here are some apartment decorating ideas … made possible by plastics.
Plastic Shelving Adds Functionality and Style
Many rentals lack adequate storage and display space for linens, towels, clothing, pictures, books, DVDs … you know, your stuff. Plastic shelving systems come in all shapes and sizes to increase storage space and to help keep you organized. They can create the look of a custom closet or expensive shelving—and then head with you to your next home.
Use Plastic Room Dividers to Create Privacy
To create privacy or to separate living areas, try segmenting your space with plastic room dividers. These free standing or hanging walls are portable, lightweight and easy to move. They are an affordable way to designate space for different functions, and add a bit of design intrigue to a large room or study loft—and you get to take these walls with you if you move.
Decorate with Paint & Plastic Decorations
Need to brighten up things? OK, you can’t add windows, but bright paints can help. A bit of paint is one of the easiest ways to breathe new life into a space (check with your landlord first!). Many people don’t realize that plastics help make many paints such as latex and acrylic paints, durable, long lasting and resistant to stains. Adding creative, inexpensive plastic lamps and other plastic décor is another easy fix. You may even consider adding colorful vinyl plastic decals to brighten up your walls—they’re readily removed without damaging drywall, paint or wallpaper and could possibly be reused in your next place.
Try a (Recycled) Vertical Garden
To add some life to your home, head to your local garden store for some plants. Since many rentals are short on space, check out “vertical gardens,” a great way to grow plants without taking up scarce floor space (if you want to hang these on walls, check with your landlord). The innovative Woolly Pockets vertical gardens are even made with recycled plastic bottles. Watch a demonstration on how to create a vertical garden at home.
Decorate with Plastic Throw Rugs
An easy way to add color, comfort, and warmth to any room can be done with the use of throw rugs. Rugs made with plastic fibers can often be used indoors and outdoors, and cleaned with a sponge or water hose.
