3 Things That Make a Rental Feel Expensive(Without Spending a Fortune) - Furnishing Edition
Written by: Rene
Last week, I shared a few of my favorite renovation upgrades that made a big impact without breaking the bank. This week, we're talking about furnishing and design choices that make a rental feel a little more high-end (minus the high-end price tag.) Here are three things I added to my latest midterm rental that made a surprisingly big difference. Sometimes the small detail make a big difference!
1. No-Drill Blackout Shades
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In the past, I've purchased custom window shades from an Etsy seller. And while I loved them, custom shades weren't exactly in the budget for this property. So, somewhat hesitantly, I ordered some shades from Amazon. And MAN. I am impressed. The fabric quality is fantastic, and they come in so many sizes that even though they're not technically custom, they fit my windows perfectly and the installation was SO easy!
They have a tension mechanism on either side that you simply lock into place. No drilling, no complicated installation, and the mechanism is hidden behind the shade for a clean, finished look. The best part of the whole thing is that they're blackout shades.
A good night's sleep is essential for any guest and if you're hosting travel nurses who work the night shift, a good day's sleep is just as important.
Beautiful, functional, and affordable? Yes, please.
2. Wallpaper
Listen. Just because it's a midterm rental doesn't mean it has to be boring. No, you don't need to go full themed-maximalist-Airbnb-with-a-karaoke-corner, but you also don't need to swing to the opposite extreme of boring, boring, boring.
Or worse... dingy old furniture and absolutely no design intention. There's a happy medium here, people! Adding a little personality through color, texture, or wallpaper can make a HUGE difference in how intentional and high-end a space feels.
For this property, I found wallpaper from Wayfair that I absolutely love. It has a beautiful texture and subtle variations in color that, up close, give it the look and feel of a much more expensive handwoven wallcovering at a surprisingly affordable. It's one of those details that makes the entire room feel more elevated without requiring a huge investment.
You don't need to spend a fortune or make a dramatic design statement!!!
3. Custom Closet Organization
Okay, this one started out as a necessity. Because of the bedroom layout, there really wasn't a good place to put a dresser and people need drawers, y'all.
Especially in a midterm rental, where guests are actually unpacking and living in the space for months at a time. I could have tossed in some plastic drawer organizers and called it a day, but that wasn't exactly going to fit the elevated look I was going for. Thankfully, this bedroom has two good-sized closets. So I decided to turn one into a custom closet organization system using IKEA's PAX system.
Let me tell you, designing it was actually pretty fun. IKEA has an online 3D design tool where you can customize the layout, sizes, drawers, shelves, and other features to fit your space and storage needs. All of my designing and planning resulted in a beautiful, built-in-looking closet system that feels incredibly high-end. Let me just tell you, it ended up costing about the same as buying a dresser.
So instead of squeezing another piece of furniture into an already tight bedroom, I was able to maximize the existing closet space, add functional storage, and make the room feel more luxurious. So far, it's actually been one of the features guests have complimented!
Creating a high-end rental is about being intentional with your choices, not buying the most expensive version of everything.
Sometimes that means finding an affordable alternative to a custom product. Sometimes it's adding a little personality through design. Sometimes, you guessed it, it's getting creative with the space you already have.
Luxury isn't always about the price tag. It's about how thoughtfully a space is put together, and how comfortable it is for the people living there. That's exactly what we're going for with a great midterm rental.