Double Framed Wall Art With Knobs

Fluffing the rental pad

By Susan Semenak

The rental apartment had good bones — high ceilings, original woodwork, abundant light — and its city location was unbeatable.

But when Alice Danino moved into her two-bedroom home, it felt empty and dull. The kitchen cabinets, walls and countertops were all white. There wasn’t a hint of embellishment anywhere.

So she put her creativity to work, making the place feel homey.

She bought silver decals in the shape of cutlery for the kitchen cabinets and quotations in calligraphic font for the hallway walls. There are plants in every room now, and colourful small appliances, dishes and cushions that Ms. Danino and her roommate, Vanessa Tobin, have brought home.

“I would love to have painted the walls purple, but then they would have had to be returned to the original white when we left,” Ms. Danino says. “Instead, we found temporary ways of bringing in personality.”

Rentals can be boring or dreary, with monotone cabinetry and floors and countertops that have seen better days. Usually, rentals are outfitted in neutral colours and surfaces are chosen more for durability and mass appeal than beauty. Many landlords forbid anything but cosmetic changes. Besides, who wants to invest a lot of money in a place they don’t own?

But there are ways to make inexpensive, temporary improvements. We asked two Montreal interior designers, Nicola Marc and Anita Conidaris, how to inject warmth and character into a rented apartment. They find their inspiration in all kinds of places, from home magazines, museum gift shops, flea markets, decor boutiques and hardware stores to Winners and Ikea.

Anita Conidaris is a Montreal artist, decorator and garden designer. Her interiors are a classic mix of textures and styles. Here are a few of her ideas: