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Finding the perfect rental apartment in a bustling city can feel like a Herculean task. You’re faced with a barrage of application fees, dealing with less-than-honest brokers, competing against countless other prospective tenants, and trudging through endless messy living spaces. But, the real challenge begins once you’ve finally secured a place that fits your budget and doesn’t have gaping holes in the walls – living with the unappealing, outdated features that you desperately tried to overlook while signing the lease.
However, if you’re a dedicated DIY enthusiast, you have the power to transform your rental kitchen into a space you truly love, without jeopardizing your security deposit.
The only thing we DIYers have to live with is our penchant for hoarding supplies, politely known as “being prepared.”
So, prepare to roll up your sleeves and get creative! Today, we’re focusing on a commonly neglected eyesore in rental kitchens: the backsplash. Read on to discover a variety of temporary and removable backsplash ideas that will allow you to adore your apartment kitchen without losing your precious security deposit.
Table of Contents
- Peel-and-Stick Tile Backsplash
- Peel-and-Stick Tile Sources from Amazon
- Fake a Backsplash with Temporary Wallpaper
- Removable Wallpaper Sources from Etsy
- Change the Look of Your Backsplash with Paint
- Make a Removable Backsplash by Installing a Panel
- More DIY Kitchen Ideas
Peel-and-Stick Tile Backsplash
One of the easiest ways to revamp your kitchen backsplash is with peel-and-stick tiles. If you’ve ever wrapped a gift with relatively straight lines, you’re more than capable of installing these tiles. They’re available in a vast array of styles, ensuring you’ll find the perfect match for your aesthetic. Crucially for renters, these removable tile stickers can be easily peeled off when your lease ends, making them an inexpensive and renter-friendly solution for your next rental apartment.
Explore more peel-and-stick tile DIY backsplash ideas:
Melodrama’s DIY backsplash makeover with peel-and-stick tile is another great example of the timeless appeal of classic white subway tile.
For a touch of Parisian charm, consider the white hexagon peel-and-stick tile used by Atelier de Curiosite to transform their kitchen backsplash. This simple addition can instantly elevate the look of any rental kitchen.
Important Tip: Be aware that not all products marketed as “peel-and-stick tile” are created equal. Prioritize selecting options specifically designed to be removable for your particular situation. Always double-check the product details to ensure it’s truly renter-friendly.
Peel-and-Stick Tile Sources from Amazon
Here are a few great options you can find on Amazon to get started:
Mosaic Green Tiles
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Dark Green Subway Tiles
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Removable Subway Tile
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Black Hex Tiles
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Fake a Backsplash with Temporary Wallpaper
We’re living in an age of incredible possibilities, where materials can be both sticky and non-sticky at our convenience!
That’s why removable wallpaper, another fantastic peel-and-stick solution, is an excellent DIY renter-friendly backsplash idea. Simply apply it over your unsightly backsplash for a year or two and effortlessly remove it when it’s time to move out. This ideal solution requires no specialized tools or extensive effort.
Chasing Paper offers a seemingly endless array of removable wallpaper prints and inspiring images to ignite your creativity and help you transform your backsplash into a captivating focal point.
Botanical removable wallpaper makes a bold and beautiful statement in Apartment Therapy writer Anna Spaller’s rental kitchen.
This mid-mod removable backsplash only cost $30 thanks to peel-and-stick wallpaper.
Update your kitchen backsplash with removable vinyl wallpaper!
Learn how to make your own custom temporary wallpaper using contact paper.
Contact paper is just cheaper removable wallpaper.
Recreate the look of marble with contact paper!
Removable Wallpaper Sources from Etsy
Here are a few stylish and affordable removable wallpaper options from Etsy:
Terrazzo Removable Wallpaper
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Backsplash Decals
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Marble Backsplash Wallpaper
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Bee and Lemon Wallpaper
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Gaia Removable Vinyl Wallpaper
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Pink Square Wallpaper
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Change the Look of your Backsplash with Paint
While including paint in this collection might seem like a slight cheat, as not all landlords permit their tenants to paint, those fortunate renters who are allowed will discover a myriad of ways to revitalize their kitchen backsplash using paint.
Offer to paint back over the backsplash when you move out. Or, you can always try the “ask for forgiveness, not permission” tactic, just don’t hold me liable if you don’t get your security deposit back.
For those of you who can’t paint in your apartment, don’t worry, I’ve got a workaround for you later on!
I will never ever tire of a well-executed chalkboard kitchen backsplash.
Here’s a DIY renter-friendly backsplash idea which doesn’t even require you to break out all the brushes and rollers.
Try using cement tile stencils in a muted palette to paint your DIY backsplash.
Did you know you can paint over existing tile?
Make a Removable Backsplash by Installing a Panel
Rejoice, renters who are unable to paint! You can still make a custom DIY painted backsplash using this workaround: paint — or even tile — a removable panel instead.
Create a backsplash on a temporary board or panel.
Anna Dorfman puts this technique to creative use with her graphic painted backsplash in her rental kitchen on Door Sixteen.
You can stick the painted tiles onto a panel cut to size, instead. And, use removable Velcro strips to keep the panels in place!
Can you imagine a brilliant, shiny, patina-rich copper backsplash in your rental kitchen?
Combine it with Door Sixteen’s panel backsplash.
Go totally wild and create a custom mosaic backsplash!
Alright, DIYers, I want to hear about your own rental kitchens. Do you have an eyesore apartment backsplash that’s in need of some love? Would you try one of these temporary DIY backsplash ideas? We’d love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments!
Looking for more DIY Kitchen Tutorials and Inspiration?
- How to Install a Fake Backsplash in Your Kitchen
- How To: Faux Subway Tile Backsplash
- A Seriously Extensive Shopping Guide of Gold, Copper, & Bronze Kitchen & Bathroom Fixtures