How to Make Any Rental Feel Like Home
Because even temporary spaces deserve personality—and a little mood lighting.
Published On
Photo by Schoolhouse Electric
Welcome to Creative Digest, a weekly peek inside the world of Estro Studio—an interior design and creative agency founded by two women with incredible taste and a love for all things design. Each week, they’re sharing what’s inspiring them right now—from color palettes to flea market finds.
There’s something wildly romantic about your first rental. Sure, the walls are probably beige, the appliances may hum a little too loudly, and the bathroom tile has lived more lives than you. But this is your first real space—a chapter all on your own.
It’s rarely your dream apartment—and yet, it’s always memorable. Your first set of keys, your first housewarming, your first night sleeping in a space that’s entirely yours. A rite of passage, whether it’s a fifth-floor walk-up, a garden-level studio, or a quirky loft that smells vaguely of takeout from the neighbors downstairs.
We asked our community to send us photos of how they turned their rentals into homes, and the answers came pouring in. Proof that it’s less about square footage or crown molding, and more about the love, layering, and little details you bring to the space.
Here’s how to layer in intention, even when your lease limits your choices:
1. Invest in comfort where it counts
Splurge on your sofa, your mattress, and your bedding. Everything else can flex, but these are your daily essentials.
2. Hang curtains
Landlord blinds? No thanks. Floor-to-ceiling drapes instantly soften a space and make it feel taller and more layered.
3. Treat your walls like a gallery
Hang collected art, tapestries, or even framed postcards. Who cares about making a few holes in the walls? You only live once—and a dab of spackle can erase the evidence. Blank walls are just wasted potential, so treat them like a gallery of your own story.
4. Bring in handmade touches
Organic pottery, thrifted lamps, a stack of vintage books—these are the soul moments that make a rental yours.
5. Set the mood with lighting
Swap the overhead lighting for plug-in pendants and sconces. Layer in lamps and even a candelabra or two mood lighting that feels intentional makes a space feel so cozy.
Top Pick:
6. Layer pillows and blankets
Nothing makes a sofa feel less like it just arrived off the delivery truck and more like a lived-in nest than textiles. Toss on a mix of pillows in different sizes, play with textures, and drape a throw (the more effortless, the better—think “I just casually flung this here”). It’s the fastest way to add warmth, depth, and that someone-really-lives-here vibe.
Top picks:
7. Mood-Setting Rituals
Candles, incense, or a diffuser instantly elevate a space—adding more than just scent, but an intentional ritual to set the mood. Think of it as giving your home its own love language
8. Buy Yourself Flowers
Bringing fresh blooms into your home instantly gives it life. Flowers add color, texture, and a little romance—making even the most temporary space feel intentional and alive.
At the end of the day, your first rental isn’t about perfection—it’s about making it personal, layering in pieces that reflect you, and creating a space that feels like home. Even if it’s temporary, it holds permanent memories: dinner parties, late-night talks, cozy mornings, and spontaneous moments that only a first apartment can bring.
Until next time on Creative Digest
Xoxo,
Estro Studio