11 Paint Colors Designers Pick for Their Own Homes

Paint can set a mood, open a space or make it cozier, and ultimately add that unique stamp of distinction that makes your home yours. No one understands the power of paint better than interior design pros! So what do they choose for their own abodes – and why? Read on for their favorite shades (and discover why gray may just be the new white!) so you can wow with your next room makeover.

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How To: Clean a Wooden Cutting Board

Your hardworking cutting board constantly plays host to meats, veggies, and herbs. Over time, however, such unsavory ...

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How To: Get Rid of Spider Mites

Tiny, sap-sucking arachnids known as spider mites can be a problem any time of year, out in your garden and plaguing ...

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The 22 Weirdest Town Names Ever Put on the Map

No matter how underpopulated, unremarkable, or remote they may be, these oddly named American communities are places to see and be seen (at the very least in a selfie snapped by the highway exit sign). And if, as the Latin phrase goes, nomen est omen—name is destiny—then these towns are destined to be remembered.

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Bob Vila Radio: The Cost-Cutting Secret Only Contractors Know

There's no reason to wait until spring to tackle that home improvement project. In most areas of the country, winter ...

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Solved! What to Do About a Flooded Basement

Q. Help! I went to the basement to do some laundry but found water on the floor instead! How do I rescue my flooded b...

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Replace Your Water Heater Before It’s Too Late

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company. All opinions are 100% mine.

Nationwide provided me with information regarding its blog post.

We’ve been living in rental properties for twenty years and have had kitchens that were spacious and spectacular to tiny and disgusting. The main thing every kitchen had in common was that we brought in all of our dishes, flatware, glasses, and pots and pans. But beyond that the kitchens were a mixed bag. Despite the desire to remodel some of these kitchens we made the best of them.

Nationwide shared 7 Ways to Spruce up a Rental Kitchen in their blog. We wish we had this information years ago, but fortunately there are a few of these concepts that we already do, and more that we have learned from.

The first step in the article is to revive your cabinets. Kitchens are truly all about the cabinets and countertops. When cabinet doors don’t close properly and if they look dated or are dirty, you’ll never really feel at home. By painting your cabinets and making sure they open and close smoothly, you’ll provide your kitchen with a huge facelift. This is an investment of time but won’t cost much. Typically, a landlord might be willing to split the cost with you, or even pay for the paint if you are going to DIY the job yourself.

Adding new cabinet pulls and hardware is another way to spruce up your kitchen and inject some of your own personality into the kitchen. What’s great about this type of change is that it isn’t permanent. Just keep the old hardware and replace it when you move out. 

Kitchen floors see a lot of wear and tear, as well as spills and drips. By adding a durable area rug, you can cover up a worn floor without having to replace it. Just make sure the rug is machine washable so you won’t be heartbroken if juice or pasta sauce gets spilled on it, which will inevitably happen.

A creative way to hide ugly colored appliances is by printing large photos into magnets. These magnets can then be placed on the front and sides of your appliances, masking the dated design. When you move out, just remove the magnets, and voila! You’re back to pre-move state.

Rental kitchens are usually white as that is a neutral color that almost everyone can agree on. While your landlord might frown on you painting your kitchen a vivid color, you can inject color of your own in the form of colored napkins, towel racks, curtains, and storage containers.

Storage is always tight in a kitchen, so get creative with how things are stacked. Use matching sets of stackable storage so everything lines up, and invest in rolling carts and temporary storage shelves.

Lastly, personalize your rental kitchen. Display photos and your kid’s artwork on your refrigerator. Keep your magnet collection in plain sight, and don’t hide your mug collection. Even though you may only live in your rental home for a few years, make the most of your time and get as comfortable as you can in your new digs.

Check out Nationwide’s blog for more helpful articles like this.

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