Loving Your Rental : Calgary Edition

Today, Loving your Rental {need to come up with a graphic for this!} comes from Calgary, a hip and bustling metropolitan city nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Canada.

Kelly from Refreshed Designs has an amazing blog, where she focuses on re-design and eco-friendly design. I was floored to find out she was renting her current place. She has not let renting cramp her style!

Take it away Kelly....

I'm so happy Barbara asked me to participate in this series, because when I moved into my own rental condo, I had to really stretch my imagination to believe that I could love the builder-beige walls and bad carpet/lino flooring. Moving from homes where I had done extensive renovations to a rental condo when I came to Calgary (home prices are steep!) was tough, but with a little creativity I've turned it into a warm and cozy space that reflects who I am and what I love.


One of the best things I did was find wallpaper that is strippable (mine is from Home Depot) and use it throughout my open plan entry/living room/dining room/kitchen. First, I used it on my blank white entry closet door. This, along with a refreshed IKEA chest to keep everything organized and stylish in this small space makes the area blend so seamlessly with the living area that I (almost) don't mind the flooring!







Second, I repeated the pattern in the living room by adding the wallpaper backing to an open shelving unit.






Next, I took the same wallpaper to the back wall of this open space, which is the dining room. This way it brings the eye all the way to the back and highlights the awesome vintage teak credenza I found on eBay. The small knock-off Saarinen table and vintage Danish chairs are small in size to fit in the small dining space, and will be useful in my next home in a breakfast nook.



Finally, I used the wallpaper once again to create a backsplash of sorts in the small kitchen. This again repeats the pattern adds a punch of pretty that helps distract the eye from the stuff that's not so pretty.




Hope this gives you some ideas for your rental. If you want to see how these and more projects were done, hop over to my blog.


WOW - thanks Kelly. I have heard about strippable wallpaper but had no idea Home Depot carried it! Will be checking that out for sure.  

I so love that you did not let renting limit your creativity! Thanks sweets!

Make sure to hop over to Kelly's blog and check it out!

XO Barbara

10 comments

  1. Awesome style in a rental! And the fact that the wallpaper repeats ties the whole space together. Great job. :)

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  2. WOW, this place is beautiful - rental or no!! And that wallpaper is lovely, I am going to have to check it out. I would love it in our bedroom but hate the commitment of actual wallpaper. Thank Barbara and Kelly!

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  3. Thanks Barbara for having me! Yup, I was also surprised to find strippable paper at Home Depot, for the same pricing as the regular stuff. It doesn't say "removable" but instead "strippable." So I tried it out in the back of a closet first and left it up for a few months then took it off. Came off without a scratch to the wall.

    Tempaper has many more very cool patterns for removable wallpaper, but it is also quite expensive, so I decided just to stick with this cheaper version.

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  4. Your home is incredible, Kelly! I love what you've done. I know the wallpaper... it's looks almost the same as what I purchased from Home Depot and papered the back of my bookcase with. Unlike you, I stopped there, but you have given me some great ideas to keep going with it as I have LOTS left!!! Yup, I'm in a rental, too!

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  5. Looks great! Wish I could find strippable wallpaper in Dubai! :)

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  6. Ooooh super cozy home. I really do applaud you renter people that make your house a home.

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  7. Looks fabulous, so many great pieces. Congratulations and thanks for sharing!

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  8. I LOVE what Kelly did!! and I think it's so important to decorate your space no matter if you rent or buy. It is YOUR HOME and you need to feel at home in it :) Kelly came up with super ideas that seem affordable and look gorge. Love this feature!

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  9. What a wonderful home! I will have to check out the strippable wallpaper. Looks great!

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