Painting walls in an apartment

[fourcatmom]

We moved into an apartment last November and I am just really feeling the need to make it homey and get it organized. Since we moved in so close to the Holidays there really wasn't time to personalize anything and that happens over time anyhow.

 

So, do you think it's reasonable to paint the walls if you are renting? My dh says its a waste of time and doesn't want me to but then again he never has and that hasn't stopped me before. :laugh: The last apartment I had three walls through out the house painted but the apartment did it so I didn't have to repaint when we moved out. I don't see us moving for awhile but then again you never know.

 

The kitchen is small but I really love kitchens that are yellow. Are apartments too small to paint, does it make it look cluttered? I love how the paint lets me personalize the apartment and it doesn't cost that much and the manager doesn't care. I have always loved the results and this unit is bigger is sq ft but laid out differently so it might not seem bigger.

 

I am not talking whole walls just more of an accent wall in the living room but maybe the whole kitchen which dh probably won't agree with.

 

What are your thoughts?

[Anne in CA]

The years we spent living in apartments would have been much better if I would have painted a little bit. My dh also objected and so I didn't, but I was always unhappy in plain white surroundings.

[Mabeline]

I would love to paint to paint my walls. I have never had management allow us to paint the walls. I would do it.

[fourcatmom]

So its not just me then that this simple task can make living in an apartment more enjoyable.

[Mergath]

I always paint when we rent. We're in a duplex right now, and we've painted the heck out of it. When we moved in, all the walls were that horrible Swiss coffee color *shudder* so we painted all the trim white, the kitchen a grayish-blue, dd's room yellow, and we're going to paint the living room a light gray as soon as the weather warms up enough to have the windows open all day. Of course, we tend to stay in one place for awhile. We've been in our duplex here for about five years now. And our landlord doesn't really care what we do to the interior as long as we don't burn down the building or something. :p

 

If you're looking for apartment design advice, check out http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/. Lots of great stuff there.

[nukeswife]

I have painted in a rental, but never an apartment rental. You should first check your rental agreement or lease, some of them will have stipulations about whether or not you can paint and if you do if you need to paint it back to neutral before you move out. If it doesn't say I'd check with the landlord before you went ahead and did anything.

[Jilly]

I always paint when I move into an apartment. It always makes the space feel more homey.

[fourcatmom]

Thanks everyone! Anyone want to share any pictures, specifically of apartments with painted walls?

[lavender's green]

DH and I lived in three apartments before we bought a house, and the one we painted was by far the homiest.

 

I've heard of buying stick-on tiles for the kitchen walls instead of painting it. I have no experience with how well they work and come off, but it might be something to look into.

[somo_chickenlady]

We can paint here, but if we move out we have to repaint to the original color or we lose our deposit. Check your lease for clauses like that, or to see if you even can paint, b/c some places you can't. I would love to paint here, but DH doesn't want to go through the hassle of painting again when we move.

[Alessandra]

I have always repainted -- houses, apartments, college dorm room. I did have to give up my rental deposit in an apartment -- I had glazed the living room a beautiful dark red.