How To Decorate Generic Apartment Kitchens

I moved into this four-plex in April 2014. In just over a year, I had redone the kitchen twice. Two totally different looks.
This is how it looked before I started below. I had a problem. There were no hook-ups for a washer/dryer, and I really wanted to have that. So I had them come get my stove, that you see below, and I ordered a European-style washer/dryer in one unit. Not stacked. In one unit. I ordered it from Austin. You hook a hose up to your sink to get water.
I moved the refrigerator to where the stove once was, and slid the new washer/dryer into the refrigerator's old space, so that it would be closer to the sink.
I took the cabinet doors off, because I wanted an open look. And I started painting everything.
Here you see the washer/dryer in one. I had not yet painted the kitchen island white.
Since I no longer had an oven, I had to find ways to cook food. I purchased a Breville Smart oven, which had fantastic reviews. It has a convection option, so you can cook a casserole, a cake, pretty much anything.


I already had the red microwave.


I purchased an electric skillet and crock pot. I already had a panini maker. That was truly all I needed.


I have now lived here nearly two years, and I have not missed having an oven.
This was my first kitchen redo. I used black contact paper to cover the counters. And black and white checked contact paper on the dishwasher (that I do not use) and for the back splash.


I ordered the ICE decal off Etsy for under $15. And I painted the refrigerator as well.
Now to Decorating Kitchen Update
I grew weary of that look. The cabinet doors went back on because there was just too much going on. And the black contact paper was getting scratched up. The black and white checked contact paper was coming down.


So I just painted the counter tops. I didn't use KILZ the first time, so I will be doing it over again. Live and learn.


I ordered the back splash decal tiles from India on Etsy. They have stood up well. I did put several coats of decoupage over them. I think all the decals were just under $100 with shipping. And for a review, they gifted me a second set of decals so I'd have enough to finish the job.


How well they'll come off with the decoupage I don't know, if I ever decide to move. But I'd rather lose my $300 deposit than live with an ugly kitchen! And who knows, I may never move!
Here's another angle. The chickens are also decals I received in exchange for a review from another place.


I added the wooden applique just above the doors under the sink before I painted everything again.


It's hard to see the bottles in the window or the vintage linens hanging up in lieu of a curtain due to the sunlight. (I did a post on here about what I did with the window.)


I also bought new knobs. Knobs you can get pretty inexpensively. Paint is a cheap option. And I also changed the plain beige switch plates with silver ones. These three things really make things look 100% better. And I'd say they're your cheapest options when trying to make your generic apartment look a bit more classy. (So paint, knobs and switch plates.)
I painted the $40 butcher block island I found at an antique mall white.


My motto is that if you're going to live in a rented space, love it while you rent it. Make it yours. There are rules landlords have, and I'm sure I broke a few of them. As I mentioned, I'd rather lose my $300 deposit than be unhappy with the way things look. And have to look at it day in and day out.


But then I'm rather adventurous. At one point I painted my inside front door bright orange. I have since repainted the whole living room, dining area and kitchen bright white, so I also repainted the door and now it's back to white.


Think outside of the box. Your home should reflect your personality. There's no reason to have to live in generic surroundings when you can use your imagination to spice things up!
Brenda @ Cozy Little House
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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  • Elaine DeLong-fuehrer Elaine DeLong-fuehrer on Feb 09, 2016
    what do u cook on?
  • Fss4512397 Fss4512397 on Feb 26, 2016
    I love the tile decals so much!!! I just found out about those recently. We can't afford to change our tiles, so I was looking for some way to change the look since we moved in to our home. But I had heard painting tiles was not ideal, it didn't last long, no one I knew could recommend a paint, or another idea. So recently fell upon the tile tattoos!!! I love them! Of course, still can't afford to change every tile still with the decals, it gets pricey, so looking for something to go in between, maybe a solid color then break them up with the cute decals. If anyone has any suggestions? Love your changes too. I agree, it's not fun coming home to a place you live in, but doesn't feel like you. You want to come home to "your" home, whatever makes home to each one of us is what matters! I rented a studio apt, very small, but good location. A studio's one room of course, so that's not necessarily cozy until you make it your own! So I was fortunate that it had a deck, and the apt above me did too, so basically it had a roof. So I bought a screen tent, popped it up on the deck (jusssst made it with the roof above, so lucky!!!) and went to a Christmas Tree Shop, bought curtains, little fairy lights, throw pillows, and a few odds & ends. I basically made a third room (well, depending on seasons!!!) I even hung curtains for privacy on each side (the kind with the frame, so it had the frame rods around the hole inside) that looked like lace, and we're actually shower curtains, so it became even more seasonal being almost entirely waterproof! My landlord actually told the maintenance man to tell me that they loved what I had done with the deck, and never had a renter make the deck into a second room! He actually gave the man pumpkin fairy lights for Halloween for me to put up during October. I did wonder if they might change the rent eventually for a two room apartment!!! It was great, and my kind of cozy, and made it my home for awhile without any damage to the place, so yes, I know it makes a difference,and agree we need to feel at home, and of course people like or dislike someone else's tastes in decorating sometimes, but they can make their home their home, and to each her own, so you're awesomely creative, and yes, adventurous because it takes a brave soul to share their home on this world wide web! It can open you up to unpleasant comments, but also many more lovely comments, and asking for your creative assistance! Maybe you're an interior designer at heart? Thanks for sharing!!! :)
  • BonDiva BonDiva on Apr 23, 2023

    Seriously, what kind of an apartment do you live in? The apartment places where I have lived would NEVER ALLOW the kind of changes that you have made. NONE of them, you could get evicted. No washers and dryers allowed, not compact, nothing. Your suggestions are completely unachievable for most rental apartment properties.

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