STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

Suasoria · Chanel

Landlords and tenants, I need your decor opinions

pollyjean23 · Marc Jacobs

Bathroom- I think a shower curtain-rod setup is fine. I like clear, colorless ones because they feel less encroachy. Let the tenant buy the pretty, decorative curtain; just provide the waterproof liner. Those sliders are gross. Curtains are cheaper, easier to change out, work with different styles, and look better. Depending on how much they are, you could even go with one of those arc-style rods.

White would probably feel fresher.

I disagree that vinyl flooring would need to be replaced after each person moves out. First choice would be the wood laminate for looks. If vinyl: I would go with a light neutral beigey vinyl floor that has a tile-ish appearance instead of black & white tiles (my personal preference - just not a fan).

It is so difficult striking that happy-medium between the cheapest and the nicest looking finishes and fixtures in a rental.

Maybe doing an analysis of five or so of the various upgrades you could make would be helpful. Make a pro & con list, keep asking around for some advice, check out existing units that are available for rent right now. Write out options. Upgrade the features that will give you the most bang for your buck and attract the most interest.

My experience with renting homes is that many of them look like poo, and I think that most people must not care when they're renting. My husband is a designer, and I am sensitive to aesthetics, so we had higher standards. In the end, we just went with clean!

cat · Marc Jacobs

I think a shower curtain instead of sliding doors would be fine and easier to keep in good shape. The only thing you may want to consider is that if the tenants only use a cloth curtain or none at all you could be looking at water damage.
I know that sounds crazy, but in the apartment I live in now my upstairs neighbor did not know that you had to use a plastic liner with a fabric curtain and did not put them all the way around (we have claw foot tubs) and after three months I had water pouring into my bathroom.

It sounds like are planning to supply a curtain,so that should be okay.

I would paint the cabinets white. I think when looking at place white cabinets are nice because they go with everything.

I think laminate floor is preferable as long as it will not cost you too much to do it.
As for the kitchen, vinyl floor is okay too but is harder to keep clean and can be stained easily. if you do go with vinyl I do like the idea black and white, especially if you paint the cabinets white.

XtinaStyles · Marc Jacobs

Suasoria wrote:
Tenants: If you were looking for a house to rent, would you want/expect sliding doors?
       Kind of don't like this look, I'd prefer a regular tub with shower curtain. Do you now have to install an entire tub if you don't go with glass doors?

Tenants: are clean white cabinets better than light oak?
      I'd say no. White cabinets can look cheesy and cheap while oak could look more "homey" and pricier. It depends on the style, I'm sure. I have white in my kitchen and it shows every imperfection and stain, bleh!

Tenants: I assume this would be preferable to cheap carpet/vinyl, right?
    Yes!

In the kitchen, we could install either the same laminate or vinyl. If vinyl, should it be plain and neutral? I'm thinking black and white squares. Someone might be distracted by the retro floor and not notice the lack of cabinets/counter space.
      I'd go with neutral, not black and white. I personally hate the look and it would be a make or break situation for me. Maybe thats just me though.

As a person who has always lived in apartments as a tenant.. I think you shouldn't neccessarily assume everything will need to be replaced after tenants move out (the apt I'm in has the original appliances, flooring, bathroom fixtures and carpeting from before the prior tenants who moved in 8+ years ago). Also, use neutral colors as often as possible. I can't tell you how many apts I rejected bc of their awful blue/white bathroom tiling scheme or yellow/brown cabinets. ICK!!! Also, a final note, IMO an apt can me made to look a lot more expensive by using some different (and inexpensive) lighting fixtures than average (the modern chandelier in my current apt spruces the place up immesurably). Good luck w renovations, you should post before and after pics!

-- Edited by XtinaStyles on Monday 25th of May 2009 12:51:29 AM

lynnie · Chanel

Shower curtains are fine! Also- not sure about painting the cabinets. Some people prefer natural woods. You could give them the option and let them take care of it if they wish, since you don't mind.

For floors... I love wood. Love. Many apartments in NYC have hardwood floors and I don't think I could go back to carpet or vinyl. It's a dealbreaker for me. So yes- hardwood look is better.

wetbandit42 · Marc Jacobs

Ditto about the shower curtain. Much better than those sliding doors, which get so grody after use!

For the kitchen cabinets, I think it depends on what type of paint you use. In one of my old apartments the cabinets had been painted white and they got so dirty, but it looked like they used a flat paint ( confuse

). They looked awful. If you use something with a bit of gloss, they might look nice and would be easier to wipe down/kept clean. I think in certain situations, white cabinets can look great (like Lauren Conrad's kitchen).

I also like the idea of wood laminate. I have it in my kitchen and entryway and it looks so much nicer than vinyl.

Suasoria · Chanel

I really appreciate everyone's opinions, especially the ones that save us money...

So it sounds like no on black/white squares. If we can afford to put laminate in the kitchen the whole room will be "woodgrain" so I'll definitely want to paint the cabinets.

These cabinets look like someone built them for a garage. They are absolutely plain boxes and doors, not even any knobs. They aren't hardwood. On the edges of the doors and drawers, you can see the layers, like this:

Miraculously, the formica countertops are still in good shape. Unfortunately they are beige. I predict changing them in the future for selling purposes, but not right now.

The existing tub stays. It will be reglazed, and they are supposed to install a new shower wrap, a three-sided wall system that goes from the top of the tub to a few feet from the ceiling. The tub/shower combo is quite disgusting. It probably wasn't cleaned for a year. The surround is a plasticky material that resembles tile.

I will tell them to remove the sliding doors and the track, and have the reglazers patch any screw holes. I'm not replacing the faucet/handles but other than that, it should pretty much look brand-new when it's done.

I know what y'all are saying about maybe not needing to redo everything over and over again. There have been good tenants and bad ones in the last 20-some years, but you really can't tell. At one point there were tenants who took good care of everything inside and out, then there were some who caused a fire cooking meth. The tenants who just left never reported that the roof was leaking. Now the roof needs to be patched, and interior water damage needs to be repaired. I can't understand why someone wouldn't report that the roof was leaking - it's not like they caused it. Because they didn't tell anyone right away, the repairs are much more extensive and costly.

I'm looking at the next tenants as probably/hopefully the last ones before we sell the house. This round of improvements - if they last, great. If not, there will likely be another round to make it more sellable.

nightshade · Nine West

Shower curtains by all means, you can throw them out when the tenants leave. And by all means, forget carpet. Personally I love black and white tiles, but I hear a negative response -- quite surprised. I think they look crisp and pretty..

Yana · Dooney & Bourke

HI!
How are you? G-d, I miss Domino...
Anyhow, we are the landlords, the latest purchased were condos in the gated community, so it also has Association with their laws & regulations....
1. In the last condo we ripped off the stained carpet in horrible condition & installed laminate floors ( the dark distressed kind, got a good price, however, terrible capenter's job, so far only I seem to notice, back to that later...). It's VERY durable, visibly VERY attractive. If you install carpet - you'll have to pay & re-install it with every new tenant ( you don't know will you sell it in a year or keep it for longer), so for the long run it'll even be more expensive.
2. Black & white linolium sounds nice - anything new is nice for rental.
3. DOn't invest labor & money in the kitchen if it's still nice, even though dated. Clean kitchen is the mojor attraction, doesn't matter which color.
4. Bathroom - DEFINITELY a curtain rod, you can even leave it to the renter to buy: clean freshly painted bathroom & bath tub are attractive enough, the bath will seem more spacious without the curtain that blocks a few feet visually, as you already know. Don't spend money on glass doors, only if tiy sell, not rent.
5. After showing your property to a variety of people - you won't believe what people call nice, don't try to design the space to your liking, make it clean, fresh paint, nice floors are very attractive. My only "designing" input in our property was the choice of wall colors, all neutral, of course, but attractive & not starch white.

P.S. WHen we installed laminate, the unforeseen expense was cork underneath according to the association's regulations to minimize sound. The trick is that our unit is on the 1st floor, no one lives under it....no logic argument would persuade the written in stone regulations & non-smiling association president...they requested the thick kind, the one that's more expensive, well....you can get a bargain on cork & floor when you buy it in the same place. Oh, & they came on the day of installation to check that we didn't cheat on the cork thickness:)...

Best!

-- Edited by Yana on Monday 25th of May 2009 10:33:55 PM