Have you dreamed of making a rental feel like your own, but felt too worried about losing a security deposit to make any changes?
Lots of Phoenix renters have found themselves in this position.
Part of the reason I chose my current apartment was its natural design features—large windows, brick walls, and wooden beams—that made it feel visually interesting without me having to do a lot of work.
But my previous apartments’ white walls and gray floors felt cold and impersonal, and I didn’t feel motivated to improve them while on a one-year lease, especially knowing that it could cause me to lose my deposit.
In recent years, though, I’ve been seeing an influx of videos on social media where renters have decided to personalize their space with quick, cheap upgrades that don’t destroy what’s already there.
I wanted to learn more about these trends, so I spoke with a local content creator and an interior designer to see how they view renter-friendly design.
Destiny Liley, content creator
Destiny Liley, 32, moved to Arizona from Los Angeles six years ago. While she’s lived in Surprise and Scottsdale, she’s now renting a high-rise apartment in downtown Phoenix.
When she was looking for a new apartment, she posted a series sharing her tours. After finding one, she started a new series: “Turning My Apartment Into My Pinterest Board.”
“I’m loving the high-rise life, but I wanted to get more creative with my personal style, in ways that were renter-friendly,” Liley told Rent Check PHX, “because we all know what it’s like to get slapped with ‘You owe this, you owe that.’”
Liley has documented her process of upgrading different rooms in her apartment based on examples she liked online. For example, in her living room, she bought a new couch, laid out a new rug, painted wooden furniture, and hung some art to give it the aesthetic she wanted.
In her bathroom, she applied stickers to the wall to create a bold pattern, which she said was “the best way to change the vibe for under 100 bucks.” She also added black tape to the edges of a mirror to give it a new look.
“I love starting [with] places like Pinterest, or any type of mood board or place you can look for inspiration photos,” Liley told Rent Check PHX. “Type in ‘bathroom remodel’ on TikTok, I did a lot of that. That will help you understand your style and what you like.”
Liley said she’s happy with the changes she’s made so far, especially since she hasn’t had to spend a lot to make her space feel more like her, even when she doesn’t own it.
“I’m a big person of convenience, so I’m happy to pay rent,” she said. “If I know something breaks down, I can just call maintenance, versus I know having a home can be tough—it’s a lot more out-of-pocket expenses.”
Rudy Arevalo, interior designer
Rudy Arevalo, 43, is an interior designer with Phoenix-based Mackenzie Collier Interiors. While he owns a home now, he remembers what it was like to feel limited in personalizing a space—and he lost at least one security deposit over it.
Now he recommends that renters do their best “to work with the features that you inherit.”
“Sometimes a tweak with just a rug or accessories can go the distance rather than changing those things that sometimes it’s not reversible,” he told Rent Check PHX. “It really depends on what people want to prioritize and see and value in their spaces.”
Arevalo recommended that renters do some research before trying out “renter-friendly” wallpaper or tiling that may not come off cleanly when it’s time to move out, especially by looking for reviews from people who have removed it.
He noted that tweaks that require little commitment, like leaning something against a wall or using drapery to change a look, can add life to a rental without the anxiety.
Another quick fix that can really enhance an apartment, Arevalo said, is changing out the light bulbs.
“You know how sometimes they come with the really bright, almost blue in apartments, or they’re all mismatched?” he said. “Changing those out so it looks cohesive, and it actually warms up the space, too.”
Overall, he said, the important thing is to stick to what’s doable and not feel pressure to make it look a certain way.
“People see these ideas online, and your place doesn’t have to look like somebody’s Pinterest board or somebody else’s influencer home.” he said. “You need to make it your own, and that’s probably the biggest thing—stay true to your own self and utilize and do the things that you like.”
