Skip to content

Top Navigation

InStyle InStyle
  • News
    • All Fashion
    • Clothing
    • Accessories
    • Street Style
    • Look of the Day
    • Fashion Week
    • Future Of Fashion
    • All Celebrity
    • Awards and Events
    • Celebrity Transformations
    • All Beauty
    • Makeup
    • Best Beauty Buys
    • Health & Fitness
    • Skincare
    • All Hair
    • Celeb Hairstyles
    • Color Ideas
    • Long Hairstyles
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Short Hairstyles
    • All Natural
    • All Lifestyle
    • Astrology
    • Travel
    • Weddings
    • Books
    • Food and Drink
    • Home and Decorating
    • Well Well Well
    • All Politics & Social Issues
    • Joe Biden
    • Jill Biden
    • Kamala Harris
    • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
    • Career
  • Pop Culture and Entertainment
  • About InStyle

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Pin FB

Explore InStyle

InStyle InStyle
  • Explore

    Explore

    • If the Coastal Grandmother Trend Isn't for You, How About Its Alternative, Fancy Grandma?

      If the Coastal Grandmother Trend Isn't for You, How About Its Alternative, Fancy Grandma?

      It's just as comfy but a tad more exciting. Read More
    • It Seems Like Everyone Has False Lashes These Days — Here's Why

      It Seems Like Everyone Has False Lashes These Days — Here's Why

      There's a reason why they're trending. Read More
    • 8 Ways to Wear a Sheer Lace Dress, According to Stylists

      8 Ways to Wear a Sheer Lace Dress, According to Stylists

      The pros are weighing in on this trick, celeb-loved trend. Read More
  • News
  • Fashion

    Fashion

    See All Fashion
    This Easy Guide Is the Trick to Finding Your Signature Fashion Color

    This Easy Guide Is the Trick to Finding Your Signature Fashion Color

    It's all about your skin's undertones.
    • Clothing
    • Accessories
    • Street Style
    • Look of the Day
    • Fashion Week
    • Future Of Fashion
  • Celebrity

    Celebrity

    See All Celebrity
    The Best Beauty Looks From The 2022 Met Gala Scream Gilded Age

    The Best Beauty Looks From The 2022 Met Gala Scream Gilded Age

    Big hair, tiaras, and gold lids — oh my!
    • Awards and Events
    • Celebrity Transformations
  • Beauty

    Beauty

    See All Beauty
    The Dos and Don'ts of Mixing Skincare Ingredients

    The Dos and Don'ts of Mixing Skincare Ingredients

    Plus, when and how to use them.
    • Makeup
    • Best Beauty Buys
    • Health & Fitness
    • Skincare
  • Hair

    Hair

    See All Hair
    How to Get the Wet Look Without Making Your Hair Feel Crunchy

    How to Get the Wet Look Without Making Your Hair Feel Crunchy

    It's really quite simple.
    • Celeb Hairstyles
    • Color Ideas
    • Long Hairstyles
    • Medium Hairstyles
    • Short Hairstyles
    • All Natural
  • Lifestyle

    Lifestyle

    See All Lifestyle
    The One Nail Polish Color Your Zodiac Sign Should Wear for Taurus Season — and Why

    The One Nail Polish Color Your Zodiac Sign Should Wear for Taurus Season — and Why

    Leos should wear glitter, of course.
    • Astrology
    • Travel
    • Weddings
    • Books
    • Food and Drink
    • Home and Decorating
    • Well Well Well
  • Politics & Social Issues

    Politics & Social Issues

    See All Politics & Social Issues
    50 Badass Change Makers

    50 Badass Change Makers

    The world may feel heavy at the start of 2022, but this list of change makers has us optimistic for brighter days to come.
    • Joe Biden
    • Jill Biden
    • Kamala Harris
    • Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
    • Career
  • Pop Culture and Entertainment
  • About InStyle

Profile Menu

Join Now

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
My Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • My Profile
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Help
  • Logout
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Home
  2. Lifestyle
  3. Home & Decorating
  4. An Interior Designer's Guide to Making Your Rental Feel Like A Forever Home

An Interior Designer's Guide to Making Your Rental Feel Like A Forever Home

By Courtney Higgs Updated Sep 13, 2017 @ 5:15 pm
Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.
Skip gallery slides
Pin
Rental Home Tips
Credit: KatarzynaBialasiewicz/Getty

With real estate prices steadily rising, renting a home as opposed to buying one is more common than ever. The likelihood of being able to purchase property is just out of reach for many families, but just because you don't own the house you live in doesn't mean that space can't feel like your very own. Interiors expert and Principal Designer of her namesake Ohara Davies-Gaetano Interiors agrees.

In fact, Davies-Gaetano's got quite a bit of experience on the matter. While her family's ocean-front California dream home is being built, she and her family are currently renting a place in Emerald Bay in Laguna Beach. And if there's anyone who knows how to make even a temporary space feel like a forever home, it's a decorating veteran. Check out some of the key tips she's incorporated into making her own rental feel warm and fuzzy—and how you can, too!

Start Slideshow

1 of 6

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Fashion a Makeshift Dressing Room

Fashion a Makeshift Dressing Room
Credit: Courtesy Ohara Davies-Gaetano

Our current rental home does not have adequate closet space, especially for my shoes. I dream of my future closet, but in the meantime, I took over the adjoining guest room to our master and have transformed it into my closet/dressing room. To maximize my shoe storage, I bought white shelving at Ikea to house my shoes.

1 of 6

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 6

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Designate Fun Play Areas for the Kids

Designate Fun Play Areas for the Kids
Credit: Courtesy Ohara Davies-Gaetano

Being a mom and running my own company can be stressful and rewarding. I often work from home with my son by my side. I set up a corner of the study with a toddler table, chairs, books and toys. Since storage is limited in rentals, I use baskets for my son’s toys and books. 

2 of 6

3 of 6

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Get Creative With Small Guest Bedrooms

Get Creative With Small Guest Bedrooms
Credit: Courtesy Ohara Davies-Gaetano

Living in a rental has been a fun challenge to optimize space and scale. Our guest bed was a bit too large for the space, but to divert attention from its size I hung a large abstract painting over the bed and used oversized white linen decorative pillows on the bed to fool the eye.

3 of 6

Advertisement

4 of 6

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Re-Think Your Methods of Displaying Your Favorite Art 

Re-Think Your Methods of Displaying Your Favorite Art 
Credit: Courtesy Ohara Davies-Gaetano

Coming from a family of artists, I have more art than I know what to do with! Rental living can sometimes mean a lack of proper wall space—or perhaps you don’t want damage walls with multiple photos. One tip is to lean a painting on top of a chest or bookcase. I used this abstract painting on top of an antique chest to create a layered vignette within our home. The scale of the painting would have felt off balance had I hung it on the wall, so by leaning it on the chest, the balance of scale was more in keeping with the overall room.

4 of 6

5 of 6

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Create a Gallery Wall

Create a Gallery Wall
Credit: Courtesy Ohara Davies-Gaetano

Our rental home is older and some of the ceiling heights in the home are very low (like in our study, for example). To maximize the space and make it feel as large as possible, I played off the lower ceilings by making a gallery wall of our family’s artwork. Personalizing a home is so important, even if the home is just temporary. To create a gallery wall, buy ready-made frames and either use photographs or personal art to tell a story that represents your own personal lifestyle and history.

5 of 6

6 of 6

Pin
Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message

Use Color to Bring Your Space to Life

Use Color to Bring Your Space to Life
Credit: Courtesy Ohara Davies-Gaetano

Color in a rental is so important. If your landlord allows, I highly recommend paint to refresh the space and make it feel like your own. The fireplace in our family room was typical red brick and the walls were mustard yellow when we moved in. The first thing I did was paint the walls and the brick white to make the space feel fresh and bright. I am a big believer in the power of white paint!

6 of 6

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Courtney Higgs

    Share the Gallery

    Pinterest Facebook
    Trending Videos
    Advertisement
    Skip slide summaries

    Everything in This Slideshow

    Advertisement

    View All

    1 of 6 Fashion a Makeshift Dressing Room
    2 of 6 Designate Fun Play Areas for the Kids
    3 of 6 Get Creative With Small Guest Bedrooms
    4 of 6 Re-Think Your Methods of Displaying Your Favorite Art 
    5 of 6 Create a Gallery Wall
    6 of 6 Use Color to Bring Your Space to Life

    Share & More

    Facebook Tweet Email Send Text Message
    InStyle

    Magazines & More

    Learn More

    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Accolades Licensing
    • Content Licensing

    Connect

    Follow Us
    Subscribe to Our Newsletter
    Sign Up
    MeredithInStyle is part of the Meredith Beauty Group. © Copyright 2022 Meredith Corporation. All Rights Reserved. InStyle may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
    © Copyright InStyle. All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.instyle.com

    View image

    An Interior Designer's Guide to Making Your Rental Feel Like A Forever Home
    this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.