Rational housing or how to do up rentals

Few want to invest in properties which they don’t own. This is because you can’t take that luxurious built-in wardrobe, bleached oak parquet floors or Italian marble bathroom to your new place. This does not however mean that you should not adapt your new apartment to your taste. You can achieve your aims without incurring monumental expenses.  Rented properties have their own advantages in that the initial investment and documentation are much less than outright purchase. It allows you to prioritize competing short-term demands such as a luxurious holiday abroad or even reduce maintenance costs (as may be included in the tenancy agreement).  You might also be intimidated by the thought of years of continuous mortgage payments.  The only permanent aspect of life is change. In case the unexpected happens it is easier to opt out of a tenancy agreement and get a cheaper accommodation or temporarily crash on a friend’s sofa.​​

 

Source: www.technistone.cz

 

Changing the layout might prove very technical and financially demanding and replacement of doors and windows expensive. However issues such as replacing kitchen and sanitary fittings are more direct. These become necessary in order to breath some ‘’freshness’’ into property. Where the mode of renovation tends to be on the higher side financially it can be necessary to reach an agreement with the owner of the property on the modalities of compensation or reimbursement.

“We had a personal experience a few years ago, when our kitchen was “crowned” with a more than thirty-year-old kitchen counter in an unfortunate state. We offered the owner a replacement that could be discounted from our rent for some time.  It’s all about people. The landlord realized the advantage of the possibility of increased rent in the future based on enhanced property value without stress thanks to us and agreed. ” Bara describes her solution of problems sometimes associated with renting.

If you are opting for a long-term tenancy here are 5 tips to help you transform your rented house to your dream home which you will always love to come back to.

 

1. When the floor takes on a second  life

Wooden parquets in older buildings have the advantage that they can be sanded and revarnished. You can share the cost of such improvements with your landlord, prices range from about 250 to 400 crowns per m2. When the situation is worse than expected and the floor is ’’ topped ‘’with linoleum or a floating floor, area rugs can come to the rescue.  Choose earthy colors that easily match  everything. They give the interior a more natural look.

 

2. Flawless walls

Creating a wider doorway or walling up an unwanted passage to the next room is an expensive affair that probably won’t get past your landlord. However, a large mirror, a picture or a tapestry could serve you well as a cover-up to a redundant door.  They can also be layered on top of each other so that they overlap, place a larger houseplant in a basket in the immediate front and you will instantly create a “chic” artistic vignette. You will breathe new life into the walls with a colorful coat of paint. You can find different modern shades and a lot of inspiration for working with colors at Farrow & Ball.

 

Source: https://www.housebeautiful.com/uk/

 

Source: www.tamarki.cz

DIY or “do it yourself” is the motto of interior blogger Markéta Filgasová. It’s cheaper and you enjoy it more. The imperfection of self-creativity is the beauty.

 

 

3. Don’t skimp on the heart of your home

Even if you won’t be able to afford a new one, you can still do wonders with an older fitted kitchen. You can recoat, repaint cabinet doors or have a new ones made of beech plywood and give it a Scandi feel. As suggested and done by Markéta Filgasová, known from tamarki.cz

 

Source: www.tamarki.cz

Painting cabinet doors can also be fun for the whole family.

 

Such a door will let you have fun with details such as original hardware, whiteboard or magnetic foil for writing messages and shopping lists.

The stone countertop is then an extremely grateful element that can raise any kitchen to a much higher level. It pays to invest in its replacement, for example, when the possibility of further change in the kitchen layout is restricted. The consequence is that the sink will never be elsewhere and can therefore it can be used for any future fitted kitchen. Engineered stone in the interior is the perfect material for such an improvement, because it is practical and flexible in all respects. Furthermore, it is durable, timelessly beautiful, luxurious and at the same time much more affordable than might seem at first glance.

 

4. Your apartment is your mirror

Dressup the windows with nice curtains, illuminate the dark corners with lamps. Houseplants will bring life to dull shelves and dusty window sills. Large-format photographs and paintings add another dimension to the interior. Show guests your inner world through small accessories and tell everyone the stories behind them. Small trifles, decorations or commemorative photographs of family and friends simply add to personality and a feeling of nostalgia. Create a place for them across the whole space. Surround yourself with beautiful things that you love and to which you often return. This is exactly why they will travel with you anywhere in the world and you can easily move them or give them to friends.

 

Source: www.technistone.cz

 

5. Aim at the ultimate

Surround yourself with things that have value and with which you have a personal feeling.  There always a chance that you will move and there is nothing worse than buying flat pack furniture from a big box store at a good price, which you will only assemble once. It might not withstand Further assembly and disassembly even with a few extra screws. Subsequently, with time, the shelves will deform, the surface layer will detach, or a part that can no longer be repaired will fall off. In the long run, it pays to invest in quality things than in furniture, which is just trendy. Don’t postpone the decision to buy an authentic piece to “until then“. Think about it right from the beginning when choosing pieces for your rented “pad”. Quality products hold their value, and if you are caught up in the appetite for life upstream somewhere beyond the comfort of a moving van, you can sell such pieces within the twinkle of an eye more easily than what is sold by 150 other people in different shades.

A rented property is simply a wonderful opportunity and not an obstacle to fulfilling dreams of a truly pleasant home. All you need are a few simple tricks, a good relationship with the owner and careful selection. Everywhere you will conjure a place where you can live truly well.

 

The article was created in collaboration with Bára Perglová