Last year I completed a project for a client who needed to design a nursery in a rental. Then, a few weeks ago, she let me know that they were moving. We ended up moving the nursery from one house to another! This is not the first time I’ve received this request, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Designing a nursery in a rental or temporary space comes with its own set of challenges and can seem limiting, but it’s actually very easy to do if you know the steps. Here are my top tips for designing a nursery in a rental or in a space that you know you might be leaving soon.
Know the rules for painting. Some landlords will let you paint, and some will not. Make sure you know the guidelines for what you are and are not allowed to change in your rental. Even if you are allowed to paint, keep in mind that there may be a little extra work when you move out if you are required to repaint the walls back to their original color.
It doesn’t hurt to ask. You’d be surprised what your landlord may allow. I’ve had clients who just asked and were allowed to change quite a lot. If it adds value to the property, your landlord may allow you more flexibility. In the pink and gold nursery above, my client asked her landlord if she could install wallpaper. Surprisingly, he said yes, as long as it’s removed before she leaves.
Choose smaller furniture. While most cribs are a standard size, it’s a good idea to stay away from oversized furniture that might not fit into a new space if you move. Oversized gliders and extra-wide dressers are the top offenders. Stick with moderately-sized furniture that is likely to fit anywhere.
Get creative with fixtures. You might not be able to change or add electrical fixtures when you’re renting, but there are plenty of other ways to add interest to your space, like adding a dresser lamp, floor lamp, hanging a mobile, etc.
Keep everything organized. This is especially true for those who are expecting to move soon. The more organized you can keep the nursery, the easier it will be to pack it all up!
Don’t invest in things you can’t take with you. There’s a lot of money that can be invested into gorgeous custom window treatments or a beautiful painted wall mural. But if you move, you may have to leave them behind. In the black and white nursery above, the client knew they would likely move within a few years. We still opted to install custom drapery, but designed the drapery so it could be easily hemmed if needed. We ended up moving the entire nursery to a new home two years later! All the furniture fit and we just needed to hem the curtains.
Don’t exclude wallpaper. There are so many brands now that offer completely removable wallpaper. In this day and age, you can absolutely install wallpaper in a rental (but still ask your landlord). Removable wallpaper will peel right off when you’re done so there’s no mess. However, even removable wallpaper can be an investment, so I wouldn’t recommend it unless you’re planning to stay in your home for a while. In the soft neutral nursery below, all the wallpaper is peel-and-stick so it was easy to remove when they moved out.
You can still create a gorgeous nursery design in a rental or a space you may leave soon. Invest in the things you love that you know you can take with you, and get creative!
