Chelsey Brown - Rental Style: The Ultimate Guide to Decorating Your Apartment or Small Home

Text copyright 2020 by Chelsey Brown

Foreword copyright 2020 by Kimberly Duran

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available on file.

Cover design by Daniel Brount

Cover photo credits: Chelsey Brown, Natalia Rowe, and Nicole Blackmon

Print ISBN: 978-1-5107-5813-1

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-5107-5814-8

Printed in China

FOR RHONDA, BRUCE, GRANDMAY, AND PAPA

F rom my early twenties through to my early thirties, I lived in about fifteen different rental properties. From a tiny bed shoehorned into what could only be described as a closet in a shared house in Denver to a fifty-square-foot flat four stories up at the top of a Victorian house in Allentown, Pennsylvania, to an open-plan but incredibly bland apartment in a tiny town in Wisconsin, Ive experienced my fair share of shifty landlords, swirly patterned carpet, and bathrooms so small you had to sit sideways.

No matter what the situation, however, I always felt strongly about making whatever roof I had over my head a home. I remember having a print of Flaming June by Frederic Lord Leighton in an ornate gold frame that I carted around with me to each and every one of those rental homes through the entirety of the nineties, believing, if nothing else, it would make the space feel more like my own.

Every apartment became a learning curve with new challenges to overcome. Little by little, I learned a few tricks to make a space more comfortable, to create a sanctuary that I was happy to come home to. Soon, friends asked me to help them decorate their own rentals, and I even had the odd landlord ask me for advice to make their rentals more appealing to the market after seeing what I had done to transform the ones Id lived in.

Two decades on, and Ive left the United States for England, where I own my homebut the lessons I learned while apartment-dwelling have never left me. Houses here are, on average, much smaller than in the United States, and so Ive had to get creative all over again with whatever space I have available to me.

I am not a trained interior designer, and Im guessing if you are reading this book, then you may not be either. The truth is, armed with a bit of knowledge, I believe anyone can be their own designer and transform just about any property into a comfortable, personality-filled space (without losing your deposit!).

Ive been blessed to have my home featured in four interior design books, twenty different magazines across the world. Ive also been asked to give talks and interviews on interiors to thousands of people at events, on national radio, and podcasts. My blog, Swoon Worthy, which shares my own journey to creating a home with millions of people worldwide, has graciously won multiple industry awards.

I say these things not to boast but to show you, dear reader, that even someone without formal schooling can find success in creating a beautiful home. In short, if I can do it, anyone can.

While weve yet to meet in real life, Ive known Chelsey for quite a few years (the beauty of social media!) and have watched her grow in confidence as a designer. Ive watched her blog become an important and authoritative voice in a world where there are few acknowledging the challenges of interior design in a rental space. Ive seen her launch product lines and use every trick of the trade to resounding success in the apartments shes transformed.

During my time living in countless different flats, I wish I had a resource like Rental Style in hand.

Today, a wealth of products is available to renters that allows you to temporarily transform what you might think you are stuck with. Chelsey willingly shares that product knowledge with you, creating what reads like a little black book of her top resources and secrets, from budget buys to luxury looks for less than you might think.

Chelseys book is a bit like having a friend hold your hand as she walks you through the sometimes turbulent and stressful world of apartment living. Step by step and room by room, her guidance and reassurance can truly transform any rental property into a thing of beauty. She takes the fear and uncertainty of what you can and cant do out of the equation, arming you with the knowledge required to make success of any space.

We know from so many studies that where you live has an incredible impact on your well-being. Making the investment in either time or money to make your rental property into your personal sanctuary allows you to feel content and happy as soon as you walk through the door. Even better, it becomes a place that reflects and celebrates you and your story.

I no longer own that Flaming June print, sadly, having left it behind when I moved across the Atlantic so many years ago. Looking back, I wish I had brought it with me, because it represented my own story and my wish to make my own mark. It also represented the most important lesson of all: that no matter where you live, adding your own personality to a rental space is always a good idea.

Kimberly Duran
www.swoonworthy.co.uk

F or the past few years, I have been dedicated to helping others create their dream home out of a rented space. Why, you ask? When researching interior design tips or reading interior design books, I was concerned that most of the information focused on larger spaces or designing a space you owned. Furthermore, many of the helpful tips and products in those resources were not very accessible (budget-wise) to the average person. This didnt seem right when you consider there are more renters now than at any time within the past five decades.

It pains me to hear people say, Why bother when Im just moving out in a year or two? You should bother because even though you dont own the space, its still your home. Its the place you come back to after a hard days work. Its where you entertain your friends, relax, and feel most comfortable. The space around you can easily define your mood. A messy, uninteresting home will put you in a funk every time you walk in and out the door.