Decorating a small space can be tricky, let alone decorating a small space that you can’t really change with paint or creative flooring (#rentalproblems). Unless your apartment is newly renovated, chances are your appliances, floors and walls are lacking a little sumthin’ sumthin’ in the style department. Before you resign yourself to living with hideous carpet and cringe-worthy light fixtures, here are 17 easy DIY decor projects that will not only make your small space more colorful, but are totally landlord approved. If you’re in the market for some decor updates, scroll on for some rental-specific design ideas. 1. DIY Colorful Storage Bins: If you’re living in a studio apartment or one-bedroom, you’re probably storing a lot of stuff out in the open. Make sure your storage bins are something you don’t mind looking at with this easy, colorful DIY. (via Farm Fresh Therapy) 2. DIY Woven Leather Bench: Chances are painting or wallpaper aren’t options, so add color and interest to your space with textured furniture.

Leggy pieces like this open bench make a room feel more spacious too.  3. DIY Mini Foyer: Create a foyer out of nothing more than a wall-mounted shelf. The color possibilities are endless here, so try to think outside the box. 4. DIY Bedtime Routine Organizer: Renting is all about getting creative with your storage solutions. Whether you need extra space for your bathroom essentials or a way to keep your indoor plant collection under control, hack IKEA’s SATSUMA plant stand as an over-the-door storage rack. 5. DIY Murphy Bar: When you can’t even fit a rolling cart into your small space, this fold-up bar is the perfect solution. Add a touch of color for a piece with big impact and a vanishing footprint. 6. DIY Faux Flower Garland: Rentals don’t always have the best lighting, but with a couple strands of string lights and a little inspiration, you can easily boost the mood. String lights are simple to implement and you can use them everywhere, from accent lighting over your bed to a secondary lamp in the living room.

7. DIY Acrylic Wall Art: Cracks and water stains got you down? Whip up a massive piece of art to cover up those ugly walls ASAP. A giant canvas isn’t too expensive, and it’s the best way to bring color into your space without actually applying paint to walls. living room decorating pictures modern 8. DIY Lucite Hand Towel Holder: Swap out hideous bathroom fixtures for something more modern and stylish. christmas decorations in californiaThe best part is that you can take them with you when you move — just replace the originals, and the landlord will never know. diy christmas decorations ideas 9. DIY Faux Marble Countertops: Cover up less-than-attractive countertops with marble paper, or try your hand at this DIY marble painting technique. handmade christmas decorations using felt

Even the tiniest rental kitchen will look like a million bucks with countertops this pretty. Now you can finally Instagram your morning coffee in style. (via Earnest Home Co.) 10. DIY Hanging Shelf: For a smaller budget or cramped space, hanging shelves will give you a little extra room to show off your #shelfie style. what are the best colors to paint the exterior of a housePaint them a hot shade of pink or add a rustic rope for a fun finish. baby room decor themes 11. DIY Mid-Century Desk Wall Unit: Take the open shelving trend to new heights and DIY an entire home office on one wall. The holes for the wall mounts are small enough to fill in with putty when it’s time to move out. (via Old Brand New) 12. DIY Felt Cactus: If you can’t even keep an air plant alive, it might be time to consider bringing in some fake greenery.

This DIY plush cactus makes a huge visual impact and is totally kid friendly, pet-friendly and black-thumb proof. 13. DIY Fabric Rug Hack: Rental carpet can be downright cringeworthy, so cover it up with this inexpensive and colorful fabric rug DIY. This project is so easy, you’ll find yourself making a rug for every room in the house. 14. DIY Hallway Mudroom: Most apartments are barely blessed with a linen closet, let alone a mudroom. If you’re looking for a creative way to organize your coats and shoes, check out this brilliant hallway hack. All you need are a few feet to set the stage for your entire home, no matter how small it is.  15. DIY Wooden Bead Chandelier: One of the most sure-fire ways to make your rental look more elegant is to improve the lighting situation. Switch out the dated light fixtures with something fresh and modern, like this DIY chandelier. 16. DIY Hanging Leather Planters: When floor space is limited, it’s time to take to the walls.

For any apartment-dwelling gardeners who are itching to expand their greenery, these DIY hanging planters are a smart (and adorable) solution. 17. DIY Essential Oil Diffuser: Mask mustiness and your neighbor’s terrible cooking odors with fresh DIY scents. Whether you want to create a more relaxed atmosphere or you’re looking for a romantic blend to set the mood, personalized diffusers are a great way to make your rental really feel like your own space.  Looking for more creative ways to improve your rental? Follow us on Pinterest for more interior inspo and DIY projects!Minimalism is essentially the art of being able to comfortably, conveniently and aesthetically live with less. While on the surface of it all, this task may look easy enough, in reality it is a lot easier said than done. In fact, a beautiful, functional home with a minimal theme is one of the hardest to design. It takes skill, restraint and a whole lot of discipline. For some of us who tend to bring home pretty much anything and everything, it is the single most difficult thing to do.

Minimalist design is not about adding intricacies, it is about taking away layers!by Capoferro Design Build GroupA minimal living room is obviously where the journey starts. Despite opting for a style that oozes sophistication, elegance and crisp straight lines, there is still plenty you can do to add character and unique personality to your minimal living space. Here are 50 such gorgeous and captivating inspirations that combine form with function and class with comfort in an effortless manner. Dig in and enjoy the ride –Going for a minimal look does not mean you follow a cookie-cutter model of using black and white in an impersonal and almost sterile fashion. In fact, there is a very fine line between ravishing minimal interiors and boring monotony, and the hardest part about minimalism is the art of staying on the right side of that elusive line! This is precisely why we suggest you induce a little flavor into that contemporary minimal ambiance. There are several styles that go along with a minimal design scheme in an organic fashion.

The most popular styles include the chic industrial minimal, the captivating Soho Style that has its roots in Manhattan, and of course, the inspired Oriental theme that is inherently minimal.by Clifton Leung Design Workshopby Popp Littrell Architecture + InteriorsThe trick is to ensure that you keep the living room largely minimal with these respective themes, only making their presence felt as subtle undertones. The lines still need to be clean and well-defined, and the intricate patterns must be avoided wherever possible. Minimalism in its truest form detests anything but the bare minimum! Live by this rule every time you are tempted to add a new decor piece to your minimalist-themed living room.How often have you come across a brilliant minimal living room that seems to feature the gorgeous Arco Floor Lamp or the iconic coffee table from Isamu Noguchi at its heart? It is an undeniable fact that Mid-Century modern decor looks stunning in a contemporary, minimal space. The connection between the two is so natural and seamless, you wonder why the ’70s and the ’80s saw a change in design trends without continuing the popular style statement that began in the ’50s.

From the comfy Eames Lounger to the stylish Swan chair, Mid-Century modern finds a whole new home in the minimal living room.Remember that a minimal living room need not be all about the simple lines, squares and boxes. A sensuous curve here and there can add to the appeal of the room immensely. This is where Mid-Century modern furnishings come in incredibly handy. They offer both visual and geometric contrast while keeping the design clean and coherent. You never move away from the minimal path and yet add plenty of charisma to the living room.by Garret Cord Werner Architects & Interior DesignersOne of the great advantages of opting for a minimal living room is the simplicity with which you can elevate the focal point of the room. With the right lighting or even a pop of accent color or trim, the area or decor piece is instantly turned into the showstopper that turns heads and becomes a conversation-starter. With minimal rooms often sticking to just one or two neutral tones, the background becomes a perfect canvas on which you can highlight any object of your liking.

In fact, you can even change these accents seasonally to keep up with the hottest trends.Fireplaces and coffee tables also make wonderful focal points in a minimal room. The natural radiance of the fire makes it an instant hit, while an unusual and eclectic coffee table is hard to miss. Nature lovers can also turn their attention towards indoor plants, while art lovers obviously will find the pristine white, gallery-style setting a godsend!by Magdalena Keck Interior DesignWhen expert interior designers tell you to take away whatever you can and keep only the decor you love, it is not just about economy of furnishings. In fact, a minimal look is all about the creation of space. Try and leave plenty of open space around each decor item to bring in a sense of uncluttered ambience and airiness. This obviously must be done while keeping the proportionality and visual appeal of the room. But minimal living rooms are as much about visual space as they are about real space. Acrylic and glass tables, suspended accessories and floating shelves help immensely in this regard.