An important parameter that changes the way you see and use kitchen space is the ambient light in the room. If you have a window, keep it open to allow sunlight and fresh air in. This helps illuminate the kitchen during the day, and eliminate residual food vapours and moisture after cooking.  

Nothing says ‘welcome to the kitchen’ like a neat and clean floor. But what do you do if your new rental came with boring old flooring? Use floor papers or rugs that suit your taste and match your décor. Choose something light in colour that will help reflect as much light as possible while you serve your love on a plate. 

Whether it is your favourite pop culture poster or your child’s crayon masterpiece, the walls can always use frames to add an artistic touch to the room. If your lease doesn’t allow you to drill a screw in the wall, 3D Vinyl wall stickers come in unlimited designs and are perfect to express your taste, no matter how quirky! These stickers do not damage walls and can be removed easily. 

While you may want rich teakwood cabinets in your dream kitchen, you may have to work around the cabinets that came with the flat. Try a contrasting colour palette to paint the surrounding walls and effectively neutralise the cabinet colour. Or go with a fun and colourful backsplash that will take the focus away from the cabinets. 

If the flat has a barebones kitchen, invest in modular kitchen cabinets that you can reuse in every new home you move to. Stand-alone modular units provide lots of portable storage space and double up as counter space/dining table if your kitchen is small. Sleek’s Smarteco kitchens with boiling water resistant ply cabinets, European soft-closing drawers and lift-up systems offer great quality and efficiency at an affordable price.

Make use of vertical space with cabinets to maximise storage and hide everything behind closed doors. This will keep the kitchen uncluttered.

Whether it’s a single herb or an elaborate kitchen garden, add living elements to the place where you consume fresh produce on a daily basis. As an added benefit, the beautiful plants might help you forget the unappealing countertop in your rental flat.  

As a rule, keep frequently used items close at hand. Containers that are rarely used can be placed farther away. Use your vertical storage units to the fullest by stowing these rarely-needed items out of sight. Sleek’s hanging Utility Shelf and Cutlery Holder make it easy to keep condiment jars and cutlery off the countertop but easily accessible.

Most people make to-do lists every day. Use a blackboard style wall sticker on any area of the kitchen for your list. Whether it is grocery items that you need to buy or a memo of your child’s annual day function date, chalk it down so you have a visual reminder. You could also take it up a notch and use your artistic skills to decorate the sticker.

Get rid of the plastic blinds that might have come with the flat. Instead, add fabric curtains or throws in your favourite colours to make the room vibrant and lively.

Whether you are a tenant or just running short on budget, these quick and inexpensive DIY changes can create a kitchen that is more appealing and easier to use.