Rescue a Rental Kitchen

Rental apartment kitchens can often be the most difficult to personalize. Unlike other rooms, the kitchen is already furnished, like it or not. Don't despair - there are still temporary ways to cover an old appliance or disguise ugly flooring and walls.

Cover the Floor The best way to keep your attention off that ugly flooring is by putting a rug on top of it. Outdoor rugs, like this 5'x8' Chevron Rug from World Market, are ideal for the kitchen because they'll survive food messes. $127.49

Line Your Drawers and Shelves Lining your shelves and drawers can help hide ugly old laminae and dirty drawers. This Real Simple Easy-Cut Shelf & Drawer Liner from Bed Bath & Beyond is $7.00/roll but there are plenty of other options out there.

Install Roll-Out Drawers in Your Cabinets At about $50 each these Bamboo Roll-Out Cabinet Drawers from The Container Store may seem a little steep for dressing up a rental kitchen, but you can take them with you when you leave. And once you've installed these roll out drawers where there were once plain ole shelves, you'll never go back.

Disguise Old Appliances If your landlord is clinging to that old refrigerator, consider temporarily disguising it. This Black Side by Side Custom Refrigerator Cover from Appliance Art will disguise the old fridge and make it feel more modern. $84.95

Put Some Light on It Adding under cabinet lighting, like this RATIONELL LED Lighting from IKEA, will help brighten up the kitchen counters. $49.99

Cover Ugly Tile If you're dealing with ugly tile in the kitchen, consider covering it with wall tiles, like the FASTBO from IKEA. For a temporary application, use sticky-backed velco to apply the panels to the wall. $29.99

Switch Your Hardware Replacing the hardware on your cabinets can provide a quick and affordable facelift. Be sure to choose hardware that matches the holes already on the cabinet and drawer fronts. This Martha Stewart Living Medallion Cabinet Hardware from The Home Depot retails for $1.99/each.