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10 DIY updates for your rental kitchen

May 18, 2015 6 Comments

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By Kay Harrison

Rentalย kitchensย are not known for their idyllic makeup. From dimย lightingย to a lack ofย storageย options, they can be aย source of everyday dissatisfaction.ย However, with a little kitchen-whispering, you can coax more usability from your space. Here are 10ย quick and easy tips, ranging from storage to aesthetic, to set you on your way.

Ugly cabinetry?ย 

1. Line your shelves

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Photo credit: Jessica McIntyre Interiors

This is a sleek and simple solution to dingyย cabinets. It keeps them neat and chic without tempting the wrath of your landlord. Select from a range ofย wallpapersย and adhesive coverings.ย This injects pops of colour and personality into your space โ€“ understated or brazen according to your taste.

2. Change up your cabinet handles

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Photo credit: House to Home

Go shopping for new hardware for your cabinet doors. Itโ€™s amazing what a difference this can make to the overall look of your kitchen. And there are plenty of cheerful-on-the-wallet options available.

3. Remove your cabinet doors altogether

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Photo credit: Jenny Steffens

So you canโ€™t stand the sight of those bland pine panels or (worse) that wood veneer? Get handy with your screwdriver and remove them for a fresh open-cubby look. Donโ€™t throw them away! Youโ€™ll need to attachย them again before you leave but in the meantime clean-lined kitchen shelving is uber-chic.ย Make-good the edging/cover the holes with wallpaper or adhesive covers.

Starved ofย storage?

4. Wire shelf inserts

Inserts areย a great way for increasing the space available. Hook them under your shelves, over your doors or stand them over your plates to maximise the useable space.

5. Magnets

Consider a magnetic knife boardย to free up your counter space.

6. Hooks

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Photo credit: Fortikur

Add hooksย to the insides of or beneath your cabinets. Ideal forย teacups and mugs.

7. Think vertically

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Photo credit: A Gentlewoman

Install a series of hooks on your ceiling or walls to utilise this hanging space. This is a visually impacting way to display yourย pots and pansย for a rustic aesthetic.

Too dim?ย 

8. Increase the wattage

A wattage of 80-to-100w is recommended for the kitchen.

9. Addย swing-arm task lights

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Photo credit: Dan The Sparky Man

Add designated task lights above your counters. A couple of swing-arm lamps add vintage accents and increase your functionality ten-fold. You donโ€™t need to hardwire these in necessarily โ€“ just ensure some care is taken to secureย the cords out of the way.

10. Install LED ribbon lighting under your cabinetry

If youโ€™re a little handy with a drill, LED downlights are to-die-for. I love mine. But I didnโ€™t install them. Iโ€™m smart enough to realise that DIY with electricals is not for me.ย If youโ€™re the same, outsource the install or opt instead for stick-on battery-operated lights โ€“ you can buy them in mostย supermarkets.

La-voila! There you have it. Not too taxing on the grey matter Iย hope.ย Happy renting!

โ€”ย Kay Harrison is a feature, blog and copywriter. She has work published in ACP magazines, ABC fiction, Overland, Seizure, trade publications and online forums and her creative writing has won several awards. Kay wrote this piece forย Zanui.

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I haven't done one of these in YEARS so there's possibly thousands of you who don't know my back story. Here's a few things you may not know about me!

โœ”๏ธ I'm English ๐Ÿด๓ ง๓ ข๓ ฅ๓ ฎ๓ ง๓ ฟ and I moved here (just for one year) back in 2008๐Ÿ˜† 

โœ”๏ธ I can't end the day without a bath, even if I get home really late or on a really hot day. It's a mental health thing and my happy place. ๐Ÿ› 

โœ”๏ธ Before becoming a blogger and running my own small business, I was a journalist from the age of 18. My favourite news gathering times were as a newspaper crime reporter (bit different to interiors!) ๐Ÿ““ 

โœ”๏ธ I once worked at New Scotland Yard in London ๐Ÿš” 

โœ”๏ธI had an interview at Oxford (didn't get in!) but chose not to go to uni at all after being offered a job on the local paper #universityoflife ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My mum died when I was 3, I have an excellent dad and one sister (younger) in the UK โค๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง 

โœ”๏ธ At school, my favourite subject was French ๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท and I was head girl ๐Ÿค“๐Ÿค“

โœ”๏ธ I'm addicted to โ˜•๏ธ , long hot baths and๐Ÿ’„ (been wearing it since I was about 14!)

โœ”๏ธ I'm not a phonecall person and will never ever pick up an unknown number. Ever. They can leave a message ๐Ÿ˜

โœ”๏ธ My favourite cuisine is Japanese ๐Ÿฃ ๐Ÿœ and Damian and I honeymooned in Tokyo and Venice 

โœ”๏ธ I have zero design qualifications. I just started blogging about my passion, which is trying to persuade everyone to #heartyourhome That was 11 years ago...

โœ”๏ธ My favourite tipple is a good GnT or๐Ÿท 

โœ”๏ธ Cheesy as it sounds, ๐Ÿ’โ€โ™€๏ธbeing a mum is my absolute biggest joy in life ๐Ÿง’๐Ÿ‘ฆ

โœ”๏ธ I will never give up my old school paper diary! Has to be A5 and week to view ๐Ÿ“– 

โœ”๏ธ My official surname isn't Bishop. I kept my maiden name for work after I got married but changed it for everything else. Often confuse myself!

โœ”๏ธ I didn't get my Ps until I was 37 and I'm still a terrible parker ๐Ÿ˜ฏ ๐Ÿ…ฟ๏ธ

Hope you feel like you know me a bit better ๐Ÿ˜˜

๐Ÿ“ธ @vanlowvanlow
Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ @nood_co coloured con Blue, green or lilac? ๐ŸŽจ 

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โ€œWe are very honoured to have been a part ofย The Block, and all they have done for us. I am, however, a believer in letting the product take centre stage,โ€ he says.

Read our interview with Matt via link in bio now.

๐Ÿ™Share your favourite colour basin in the comments!

#colouredconcrete #noodco #colouredbasin #blockheads #the block #bathroomtrends2022

Pic 1 by @naibudesign_ and 2 by @twostyleinteriors
I'd love to see more colour in Aussie interiors! I'd love to see more colour in Aussie  interiors! ๐ŸŽจ 

At the end of the day though, it's a matter of personal taste. I love pops of colour but it's not for everyone. 

We couldn't resist featuring this Canadian house tour today. The amazing Kelly Green  hutch (swipe) was an upcycled $200 find ๐Ÿค—

Head over to the blog via link in bio to see the rest including one of the best playrooms we've seen in ages!

Project by @in.house.design
๐Ÿ“ธ @philcrozier
Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis o Create an unexpected city oasis with an emphasis on light and nature.

That was the brief for the conversion of a corner shop and a warehouse bakery into a luxury family home in Sydney's Newtown. And how about the library?!

Take the tour of this very special @annacarindesign project on the blog now, via link in bio.

Pic: @justinalexanderphoto
The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ N The things that excite me as a 40 year old ๐Ÿคญ

None of us enjoy laundry (OK, there are a few of you out there who do. Weird!) but we have to do it. And often. So if your laundry bin can be as good looking, functional and space saving as this, then why wouldn't you?!

I've lost track of how many baskets I've thrown out because they've gone soggy or mouldy. They look pretty, sure, but they're not fit for purpose and they're often messy and overflowing.

Here's what I love about his @brabantia_australia one:

โœ”๏ธ ventilation holes
โœ”๏ธ no need to remove the lid for small items plus it hides your dirty laundry from view
โœ”๏ธ easily removable and washable inner laundry bag that velcros back on 
โœ”๏ธ corrosion resistant so fine in bathroom or laundry 
โœ”๏ธ Brabantia make things as sustainably as possible
โœ”๏ธ compact, sleek, European design
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โœ”๏ธ tall and skinny so takes up less floor in my tiny laundry

The Rolls Royce of laundry bins? I think so ๐Ÿ‘Œ๐Ÿป

TOLD you this was going to be exciting!

Now I need to know, do you have your laundry basket in the bathroom, the laundry, every bedroom? We used to have one in each bedroom but moved to the laundry-only situation which I much prefer (one for colours and one for whites). My boys know to put their used clothes in the bin in the laundry each night and they're 7 and 3!  #raisingfuturehusbands

#gifted
"Living rooms are important spaces where our publi "Living rooms are important spaces where our public and private lives intersect."

So says stylist @nataliewalton in her gorgeous new book Style, the Art of Creating a Beautiful Home.

"They are where we gather to welcome guests and entertain. But they are also where we decompress and relax at the end of the day. Increasingly, they are open-plan spaces and need to work within a greater scheme. Bringing all the elements together cohesively requires care and consideration. And, if you want a space that lives up to its true potential, make it personal and create with conviction."

Read an extract, the chapter on elevating your living room, on the blog today via link in bio.

Published by @thamesandhudsonau Pix by @chriswarnes 

#livingroomdesigns #nataliewalton #coffeetablebooks #designbooks #interiorsbooks #livingroominteriors #elevateyourspace
Kids and husband messing with my vignettes again๐Ÿคจ

PS. The coaster was RIGHT THERE ๐Ÿคช
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Comments

  1. AvatarBelinda Smith says

    May 20, 2015 at 9:49 am

    Totally agree! Making a rental property more attractive and functional results in tenants staying longer and a stress less investment property. The kitchen is the first space that tenants will comment about if it’s not up to scratch

    Reply
  2. AvatarJanine says

    June 4, 2015 at 10:41 pm

    Swing Arm lamps, where have you been all my rental life.

    Reply
  3. AvatarJE says

    August 23, 2015 at 1:34 am

    I’m not sure that majority of these are realistic for a rental property if you would like you bond back? Drill holes are a big no no.

    Reply
  4. AvatarMiri says

    September 16, 2015 at 9:22 pm

    Interesting, but realistically, other than changing the light bulbs (adding wattage) and putting a wire shelf into the cabinet, none of those are actually doable in rentals (at least not in any of the ones I’ve occupied over the years). Hooks, drill holes, hardware changes = a no-no.

    Reply
  5. AvatarIrina Burgess says

    November 19, 2015 at 5:24 am

    Some great ideas for me as someone on a tight budget, and please can you include tips re “where to buy?” e.g cupboard handles and hooks, I have been looking for some funky door knobs for a while… without success. including online suggestions would allow for geo
    graphy differences? thanks, irina

    Reply

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  1. 10 DIY updates for your rental kitchen | Rent Blog says:
    May 16, 2016 at 4:15 pm

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