Rental apartment kitchens can often be the most difficult to personalize. Unlike other rooms, the kitchen is already furnished, like it or not. Don't despair - there are still temporary ways to cover an old appliance or disguise ugly flooring and walls.
Cover the Floor The best way to keep your attention off that ugly flooring is by putting a rug on top of it. Outdoor rugs, like this 5'x8' Chevron Rug from World Market, are ideal for the kitchen because they'll survive food messes. $127.49Line Your Drawers and Shelves Lining your shelves and drawers can help hide ugly old laminae and dirty drawers. This Real Simple Easy-Cut Shelf & Drawer Liner from Bed Bath & Beyond is $7.00/roll but there are plenty of other optoins out there.
Install Roll-Out Drawers in Your Cabinets At about $50 each these Bamboo Roll-Out Cabinet Drawers from The Container Store may seem a little steep for dressing up a rental kitchen, but you can take them with you when you leave. And once you've installed these roll out drawers where there were once plain ole shelves, you'll never go back.
Disguise Old Appliances If your landlord is clinging to that old refrigerator, consider temporarily disguising it. This Black Side by Side Custom Refrigerator Cover from Appliance Art will disguise the old fridge and make it feel more modern. $84.95
Put Some Light on It Adding under cabinet lighting, like this RATIONELL LED Lighting from IKEA, will help brighten up the kitchen counters. $49.99
Cover Ugly Tile If you're dealing with ugly tile in the kitchen, consider covering it with wall tiles, like the FASTBO from IKEA. For a temporary application, use sticky-backed velco to apply the panels to the wall. $29.99
Switch Your Hardware Replacing the hardware on your cabinets can provide a quick and affordable facelift. Be sure to choose hardware that matches the holes already on the cabinet and drawer fronts. This Martha Stewart Living Medallion Cabinet Hardware from The Home Depot retails for $1.99/each.
This list is just a starting off point. How have you rescued your rental kitchens? Share your tips in the comments to help other renters overcome their ugly kitchens.
(Images: As linked above.)
13 comments03.16.13 9:00AMJason LoperCategories:Shopping,Main,Kitchen,Renters Solutions,Shopping Resources Comments (13) Changing a bad flush mounted light for an eye catching overscaled pendant light is one of the best tricks ever for making a room better. posted by Parnassus on 03.16.13 at 10:01AM I agree with covering the flooring. Our first apartment had cheap tiles with no grout in between where the glue came up and every crumb and dust bunny the first week we were there stuck permanently. Wish we had thought of a temporary solution instead of looking like slobs. posted by Acrimonious Jess on 03.16.13 at 11:13AM I use dollar store plastic bins on my shelves and even in the fridge. Not quite as good as the rollout drawers but close enough for the money saved. If you group baking supplies or whatever you can just grab the whole bin when you need it and put it all back easily when you're done. I've got larger tubs in some cupboards that fill the whole shelf and slide in and out partway. You're already partly packed if you need to move too. posted by maynelander on 03.16.13 at 11:39AM I agree, I do that too. They act like drawers, but if they don't work in your next kitchen, you can just use them for something else! posted by Lauren {L'amour chez nous} on 03.16.13 at 01:02PM I lived in an apartment for six months last year and the counters were really gross as previous tenants had never heard of cutting boards. I went to the dollar store and got some large thin cutting boards in a pretty pattern and velcroed those to the counters after cutting them to size. I also made sure to line the inside of all the cabinets and drawers as they were that really cheap pressboard that looks icky once it's been wet.
(I also use bins to group items in my pantry. I grab the baking one and everything's there but the flour.) posted by TravelingRae on 03.16.13 at 01:09PM Best remedies I have used:
1) keep it super clean and clutter free
2) replace chrome rings, grease catchers and sometime elements/knobs on stove
3) swap out the lights, faucet, and add a dimmer
4) under counter lighting
5) paint if you can, if not distract with large, colour rug, art, or small appliances. posted by Lynne M S on 03.16.13 at 02:59PM Try suggesting changes to the landlord in a letter with pictures of why it would benefit tenants and them in the long run. Tell them what is wrong with the current item, that you think it is ugly doesn't count. Is it hard to clean, is it chipping, peeling, water stained? Will it make the apartment easier to clean and maintain? Will the changes you propose be classic and appeal to future tenants making it easier to rent? Sometimes if you are willing to live with a little bit of construction, so that the landlord does not lose rent, you get a better kitchen and or bathroom. It never hurts to ask in a polite respectful letter documenting both in writing and with pictures the problems and the possible solution you would like and how the solutions would benefit the landlord. Send the letter certified mail return receipt requested. We did so in our apartment and our landlord willingly installed white subway tile and repainted the kitchen. It was three weeks of mess but we got an easy to clean and very attractive kitchen. I am still working to see if we can get a stainless steel double drainboard sink from Elkay in our kitchen used is fine with an integral backsplash as our current Formica countertop with drop in sink is suffering with a lot of water damage. posted by tenantproof on 03.16.13 at 04:04PM Peel and stick tiles are also a great fix for rental floors. They really do come up easily with a hair dryer - I found out when my toilet got replaced by one with a smaller base and I had to install two new tiles.
I posted some pics of my rental kitchen yesterday, with some other temporary fixes I used. Saying that, I did have the okay from my landlords to do the painting.
http://dodiegoldney.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/art-therapy-for-grown-ups/ posted by DodieGoldney on 03.16.13 at 06:53PM You can also use temporary wallpaper to cover cabinets. posted by Bbookbistro on 03.16.13 at 08:58PM I used contact paper to cover my plain ugly white kitchen cabinets. posted by leigh516 on 03.16.13 at 11:13PM I personally dont like the idea of rugs in the kitchen. We placed a vynil flooring. It is semi easy to cut to size and they can be of a lesser cost. We spend about €40,-. Also plants help made it personal, fruits, accesoires and magnets. posted by Femma J. on 03.17.13 at 04:32AM Yes for the contact paper on cabinets, even counter tops, if your landlord lets you, some don't! Install new quality design knobs, window treatments, kettle, trash can, etc. I also covered my counter with slabs of stone on felt pads and wood cutting boards. The sink area had to be kept dry to avoid mold, but it worked well for 3 years. I covered the small (5x15) kitchen floor in disrepair by cutting Euro rubber flooring to size and discreetly anchoring it over the curling tile squares the landlord would not let me remove as they hid a real nightmare under neath, like no sub-floor with holes to a view of the ancient brownstone basement and its monster furnace! NYC rentals, gotta love 'em! posted by virtuelsie on 03.17.13 at 04:36AM I don't get what the issue is with "being allowed" to paint or not If u can change the wall colour to something u can live with, you can certainly take it back to white before u leave!! Just do it! posted by homeMADEhome on 03.17.13 at 02:18PM Apartment TherapyMy Bedroom RetreatToursApartmentKidsHouseWorkspaceRoomsBathroomBedroomDining RoomEntrywayKitchenLiving RoomOutdoor SpacePlayroomNursery & KidsHome OfficeGarageStorage & ClosetsProjectsHow ToBefore & AfterCraftingDecoratingRenovating ProjectsPaintingGardeningCustomizingOrganizingCleaningSpace PlanningTips & TechniquesWoodworkingReusingUpholsteryKids CraftsLife at HomeBudget LivingLuxury LivingPets at HomeHealthy LivingSmall SpacesSetting Up HomeEntertaining at HomeParentingMindful LivingGreen LivingRenters SolutionsGetting MarriedDecor StylesHappy ModernEclectic CollectorNew TraditionalSimple ChicWarm IndustrialOrganic ModernClassic GlamDramatic ModernBefore & AfterSmall SpacesGood QuestionsBudget LivingGreen LivingVideoProductsAppliancesFurniture & AccessoriesGarden SupplyHardware & MaterialsHomekeeping & CleaningHome TechToys & GearLocalUSAustinBostonChicagoLos AngelesNew YorkPhiladelphiaPortlandSan FranciscoSeattleWashington DCInternationalCanadaEnglandFranceHollandItalyClassifiedsAll Categories
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Classic Hoof Pick BeltGreecian White 12x1...Vika Amon / Vika Ad...Daily Find Archive Saving the world, one room at a time About Us Our Team Contact Us Email Updates Apartment Therapy Top Posts (I also use bins to group items in my pantry. I grab the baking one and everything's there but the flour.)","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-16T17:09:51Z","updated_at":"2013-03-16T17:09:51Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"TravelingRae","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717487","user_id":"455440","body":"Best remedies I have used:
1) keep it super clean and clutter free
2) replace chrome rings, grease catchers and sometime elements/knobs on stove
3) swap out the lights, faucet, and add a dimmer
4) under counter lighting
5) paint if you can, if not distract with large, colour rug, art, or small appliances.","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-16T18:59:34Z","updated_at":"2013-03-16T18:59:34Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"Lynne M S","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717496","user_id":"236574","body":"Try suggesting changes to the landlord in a letter with pictures of why it would benefit tenants and them in the long run. Tell them what is wrong with the current item, that you think it is ugly doesn't count. Is it hard to clean, is it chipping, peeling, water stained? Will it make the apartment easier to clean and maintain? Will the changes you propose be classic and appeal to future tenants making it easier to rent? Sometimes if you are willing to live with a little bit of construction, so that the landlord does not lose rent, you get a better kitchen and or bathroom. It never hurts to ask in a polite respectful letter documenting both in writing and with pictures the problems and the possible solution you would like and how the solutions would benefit the landlord. Send the letter certified mail return receipt requested. We did so in our apartment and our landlord willingly installed white subway tile and repainted the kitchen. It was three weeks of mess but we got an easy to clean and very attractive kitchen. I am still working to see if we can get a stainless steel double drainboard sink from Elkay in our kitchen used is fine with an integral backsplash as our current Formica countertop with drop in sink is suffering with a lot of water damage.","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-16T20:04:57Z","updated_at":"2013-03-16T20:04:57Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"tenantproof","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717527","user_id":"134180","body":"Peel and stick tiles are also a great fix for rental floors. They really do come up easily with a hair dryer - I found out when my toilet got replaced by one with a smaller base and I had to install two new tiles.
I posted some pics of my rental kitchen yesterday, with some other temporary fixes I used. Saying that, I did have the okay from my landlords to do the painting.
http://dodiegoldney.wordpress.com/2013/03/15/art-therapy-for-grown-ups/","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-16T22:53:45Z","updated_at":"2013-03-16T22:53:45Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"DodieGoldney","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717558","user_id":"478276","body":"You can also use temporary wallpaper to cover cabinets.","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-17T00:58:01Z","updated_at":"2013-03-17T00:58:01Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"Bbookbistro","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717584","user_id":"524580","body":"I used contact paper to cover my plain ugly white kitchen cabinets.","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-17T03:13:04Z","updated_at":"2013-03-17T03:13:04Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"leigh516","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717609","user_id":"519876","body":"I personally dont like the idea of rugs in the kitchen. We placed a vynil flooring. It is semi easy to cut to size and they can be of a lesser cost. We spend about \u20ac40,-. Also plants help made it personal, fruits, accesoires and magnets.","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-17T08:32:48Z","updated_at":"2013-03-17T08:32:48Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"Femma J.","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717610","user_id":"65546","body":"Yes for the contact paper on cabinets, even counter tops, if your landlord lets you, some don't! Install new quality design knobs, window treatments, kettle, trash can, etc. I also covered my counter with slabs of stone on felt pads and wood cutting boards. The sink area had to be kept dry to avoid mold, but it worked well for 3 years. I covered the small (5x15) kitchen floor in disrepair by cutting Euro rubber flooring to size and discreetly anchoring it over the curling tile squares the landlord would not let me remove as they hid a real nightmare under neath, like no sub-floor with holes to a view of the ancient brownstone basement and its monster furnace! NYC rentals, gotta love 'em!","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-17T08:36:31Z","updated_at":"2013-03-17T08:36:31Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"virtuelsie","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"},{"id":"1717698","user_id":"352811","body":"I don't get what the issue is with \"being allowed\" to paint or not If u can change the wall colour to something u can live with, you can certainly take it back to white before u leave!! Just do it!","commentable_id":"186398","commentable_title":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions","commentable_site":"apartmenttherapy","commentable_url":"http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-ways-to-rescue-a-rental-kitchen-renters-solutions-186398?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DAILY+31713+-+Spruce+Up+Your+Dining+Room+Furniture+with+Paint+2+Ways&utm_content=DAILY+31713+-+Spruce+Up+Your+Dining+Room+Furniture+with+Paint+2+Ways+CID_7ad4e5456ba945864c883fbd5453cee7&utm_source=email_newsletter&utm_term=Go%20to%20full%20post","deleted":"f","anonymous_display_name":null,"created_at":"2013-03-17T18:18:56Z","updated_at":"2013-03-17T18:18:56Z","commentable_type":"MovableTypePost","spam_status":"not spam","ancestry":null,"user_display_name":"homeMADEhome","commentable_title_text":"7 Ways to Rescue a Rental Kitchen Renters Solutions"}] }); comments.render(); comments.refresh(); }); var _comscore = _comscore || []; _comscore.push({ c1: "2", c2: "14868646" }); (function() { var s = document.createElement("script"), el = document.getElementsByTagName("script")[0]; s.async = true; s.src = (document.location.protocol == "https:" ? 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The Astor Suite at NYC's Plaza Hotel, renting for $125K per month.
Times are tough out there for a rental seeker, so we thought it best to wade through Craigslist this week so you don't have to. Each day this week, we'll be handpicking select apartments that are up for grabs within a certain price range. 
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