Have you ever dealt with finding a place to rent?
Agree, finding decent housing is no easy task. Most of the options are downright scary. Even when it's clear that the renovation wasn't cheap, the interior design can be horrible.
This situation reflects the state of design in our country, and the general taste overall. Of course, many offerings have outdated renovations from somewhere in the late '90s, early 2000s. But quite often, even new housing looks rather unattractive.
What is the problem? And how to create an interior design that modern people who want to rent housing are looking for?
Main problem: lack of taste in those who do the renovations. Quality designer is considered too expensive, and we trust our own abilities. Why spend more?
Saving on certain costs is a good idea, as in any business. However, this should not come at the expense of the quality of your final product.
If you've decided not to hire a designer and to do the renovation yourself, don't try to impose your own taste and preferences. There's no guarantee that they'll match the taste of a potential renter. It's important to stick to the plan. No unnecessary 'self-initiative.'
Here's some good news for you: it's actually quite simple. And even cheap, if you approach the process creatively.
Colors in interior design
The simplest option is just white. Please forget about various shades and color palettes. Using and combining complex colors requires skill. This is a designer's job. I will write a separate post about this.
However, even white must be chosen carefully. It can have a plethora of cool and warm shades.
My advice: choose the so-called Stockholm White (NCS 1502-Y). It's a popular color in Scandinavian interior design. Warm in winter and pleasant in summer.
Simple white wall color will be a win-win option for any consumer.
Wall texture
We're all obsessed with smooth walls and perfect plaster. Everything has to be as even as glass. But is it really that important? To me, it's not the main thing at all. For someone renting a place, this is an absolutely secondary factor. Some unevenness of the walls is actually almost unimportant to anyone.
Here's what's important: the walls should not have gaudy multicolored plaster or wallpapers with "modern" textures or tulips. Wallpaper can only be used for painting, but it's better to avoid it altogether.
If you have a brick or concrete wall in the room, painting it white would be great. The fact that it's not perfectly even doesn't matter at all.
If you can leave this wall as bare concrete or brick without painting, that's great too. Combined with white, such walls look very striking and accentuated. But it's important not to overdo it. Such bold elements should serve as vibrant spots in the interior design. It doesn't mean that all walls should be left as bare brick.
Cabinets and wall panels
Chipboard is often used in modern home interiors and furniture. I don't actually have anything against it.
If laminate is used, let it be solid-colored: white, gray, or black. Try to avoid wood, brick, or concrete imitation in laminated chipboard surfaces. It looks very cheap and unattractive.
What you should consider is using real wood somewhere. Windowsills, an accent wall, or even flooring can easily be made of pine. There's no need for expensive woods. Pine can be a very beautiful and aesthetic material for interior design. It's now actively used in Scandinavian design.
Ceiling
If you need to renovate cheaply and durably, just paint the ceiling white. No need for stretch ceilings or drywall. White concrete with all its imperfections will be a great solution for the ceiling.
You can install white track lighting on it— and it's done. You can also leave the concrete unpainted and add black track lighting. This is also an option if the concrete is relatively clean and neat.
The simplest thing you can do is use inexpensive, solid-colored tiles in white or light gray. Non-glossy, without any garish patterns or designs. And that's it.
Don't try to make the bathroom "special" without a designer. Designing such a space properly requires skill. Your task is not to make it ugly by using harsh tile colors and "decorative elements" that supposedly "enhance the design." In reality, they ruin it.
Better to allocate more funds for quality plumbing fixtures. You and your guests will face fewer issues in the long run with leaking faucets.
Some bathroom walls can be left partially untiled, just painted, as long as they are away from water. Overloading a space with one material is unnecessary.
If you can add some wooden elements, like shelves or a vanity under the sink, it will be absolutely top-notch!
Decor
Please! Don't use awful reproductions on walls like cats, dogs, or other cheap stuff. A sure sign of cheap decor is garish colors. No, I'm not against accents in interiors. That's what decor is for. But these accents must be balanced.
The worst thing you can do is buy posters from the Epicenter's "Deco" section. Look for ideas on Pinterest, go to Vsi Svoi or other markets. Find something authentic—something real.
Details on decor and its nuances will be covered in separate posts.
Furniture in interior design
A big mistake most rental property owners make is buying the cheapest chipboard furniture.
Furniture is the cherry on top of any interior design. It’s what makes a space unique and contemporary. The right pieces can elevate a poor design or ruin a great one.
Please, avoid buying cheap chipboard furniture with wood imitation laminate. If you buy chipboard, let it be white or black. And if you want to add wood texture, use real wood.
Nowadays, there are many affordable wooden furniture options. Moreover, they are more reliable than chipboard and won't wear out as quickly. You will have fewer problems in the long run.
And most importantly, wood breathes life into an interior. It makes the space warm and inviting.
Choose furniture design that is restrained and simple. The classic Scandinavian design is perfect for this. Just make sure it's not a parody of it.
Summary
Absolutely, it's quite challenging to cover all the nuances of creating a simple and affordable interior design for a modern home sought by potential renters in one article. And ensuring it is as reliable as possible.
Here, I've tried to cover general principles as I see them. If you're interested in reading more about specific nuances, subscribe and follow the upcoming posts.
We'll work together step by step to understand what makes a cool, modern design and how to create it cheaply and reliably.
