Watch the full video episode here.

Photos by Canary Gray for HGTV.

On the final episode of Rentfluencer on HGTV’s Instagram Video, I helped a beautiful little family with their dining room. Marisol and Nick just moved from Miami to Minneapolis with their two-year-old son into a cute craftsman home. If you have a room in your home that feels heavy with a lot of woodwork, this post is a good resource on how to embrace it!

Their place has a ton of charm and I loved all the woodwork. A classic Midwest-styled home with so many built-ins! But they were unsure of how to style them. The couple was accustomed to the coastal vibe from Florida and just didn’t know what to do with all that woodwork. Through some simple design choices, I wanted to curate a look that would suit them while retaining the old home’s charm.

BEFORE:

MY PLAN TO LIGHTEN AND BRIGHTEN THE SPACE

1. Brighten up the walls

2. Switch out their coastal vibe furniture

3. Update light fixture

4. Style the built-ins and walls

1. Brighten up walls

I knew the walls needed to be lighter, it was just a matter of picking out the right shade of white that will complement the wood tones.

I decided on Benjamin Moore’s Simply White to cover the dark beige. It’s a warm fresh white that looks great with their mid-tone wood and won’t be much of a contrast from the pinkish white already on their ceiling that we couldn’t paint.

*Tip: choose a white that complements your trim. Determine if you need a cool or warm white. Gather lots of swatches and review them in different times of the day

2. Switch Out Their Coastal Vibe Furniture

I found a super affordable table at an antique shop from FB market and couldn’t believe it was the perfect size! The mid-century style didn’t fight with the built-ins and I wanted to keep the round shape to soften all the angles in the room.

After searching several retailer’s website, I came across these dining chairs. I had others in mind as well but this style paired best with the table and looked comfortable.

Tip: put felt on the bottom of the chairs so you don’t damage the floors (and protect your deposit!). Especially, if they’re old original floors like this.

The old bench cushion looked tropically outdated, so I got them reupholstered with a simple ticking stripe fabric. Nick and Marisol are holding on to the old cover to put back before they move out.

3. Update Light Fixture

When changing out a light fixture make sure you get permission from your landlord. Also, make sure you keep the old light fixture so you can replace it when you move out. Look for lighting that is proportioned to your room.

I found this modern casual chandelier which was a display model in a store so I got an additional discount taken off! I love the brass and simple candelabra design.

Tip: During installation, make sure you don’t just turn off the light, also turn off the breaker that goes to the fixture you’re replacing.

4. Style the Built-ins and Walls

The trick is to only bring in what you love. We cleared off their room and shopped their home to bring in items that are meaningful or beautiful to Marisol and Nick’s eyes.

Built-ins

Books are great style items. Tip: take the dust jackets off your books if the color works better- it adds more texture and looks less busy! I like to mix stacking and leaning some of the books to give a good visual flow.

Here’s a tip for parents. Kids toys are always really colorful so hiding them away in neutral baskets is the perfect solution.

Sometimes, things that have meaning may not be the most aesthetically pleasing object – ahem like Nick’s collection of football helmets. However, displaying one in an artful way is a good solution.

For some color, I usually opt for easy maintenance plant or faux if the space won’t get sunlight.

Last, don’t overfill the shelves! Just because they’re there, doesn’t mean you need to fill them up. I think even leaving some empty can provide visual relief if you have a lot of built-ins.

Walls

Bring in artwork that are personal. I wanted to give them a little piece of Miami and the beach so I got some photos from Etsy framed for them!

I love having family photos displayed. It doesn’t get more meaningful and personal than this. The best way to make these photos look great on the walls is to print them in black and white with matching frames.

Nick Marisol love their dining room and it now fits their style. I’m so happy that I was able to help them embrace the woodwork and their old home’s charm.

Product Sources:

• Wall Paint: Benjamin Moore Simply White

• Dinning room chairs

• Dining table was a FB marketplace find

• Chandelier – similar one here

• Black rectangular frames

• Black square frames

• Natural baskets

• Round natural baskets

• Bench fabric is from Joann’s

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DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL THE RENTFLUENCER EPISODES:

EPISODE 6: Marisol and Nick’s Dining Room Makeover; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 5: Caitlin’s Living Room Makeover; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 4: Brit and Haley’s Patio; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 3: Kasey’s Combo Closet and Home Office; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 2: The Sams’ College Kitchen Update; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 1: Maya’s Minimalist Modern Bedroom Makeover; Watch full video Here

Watch the full video episode here.

Photos by Canary Gray for HGTV.

On episode 5 of Rentfluencer, I got to do a special living room makeover for Cait. She’s a newly single mom and this room is working overtime as her office, son’s playroom, and her place of relaxation.

This space wears a lot of hats and is very sentimental for her. It is a place of recovery, solace, and new beginnings.

MY PLAN TO TURN CAIT’S LIVING ROOM INTO A PLACE WHERE SHE CAN WORK, PLAY, AND RELAX.

1. Rearrange furniture to make zones

2. Provide a play area for Henry

3. Give Caitlin a workspace

4. Update window treatments

5. DIY personalized art and gallery wall

1. Rearrange Furniture to Make Zones

Caits property management company has some pretty strict rules. They won’t allow her to paint the walls but that doesn’t mean we still can’t transform the space.

Reconfiguring layouts is one of my favorite, zero cost ways to switch up a room. I wanted to create a conversation space for Cait with her couch. I loved that her couch was customizable so I switched the chaise section over to help divide the room.

Cait had a hard time articulating her style but was able to describe her fondness of boho-chic and a soft modern vibe. We repurposed and used a lot of her existing furniture. Which meant I was able to splurge on a beautiful accent chair to give her a statement piece and that soft modern look!

2. Provide Play Area for Henry

Before, there was no separation for Henry’s play area and the living room space. The room was a melting pot of all different uses.

To give Henry the perfect play area I set up a console behind the couch and added baskets to help store his toys. This way, he can still be in the same room playing but the mess is a little more contained. I updated Henry’s play table with a fresh coat of black paint. *pro tip: use a small foam roller to give a smooth, professional-looking finish.

3. Give Caitlin a Workspace

I wanted to give Cait a dedicated workspace so that she can store her work away when she was done for the day. I carved out a little corner with an affordable small desk and workspace.

4. Update Window Treatments

Cait had linen look curtains that were different lengths. I picked one that was the appropriate length and matched them throughout.

I got her some black curtain rods to balance out the room. Before all of her curtains were hung at different levels so I made sure to raise them all. It helped to give the illusion of taller ceiling height. *tip: floor length curtains should drape slightly on the floor

5. DIY Personalized Art and Gallery Wall

Here’s a simple project to create a custom line drawing using DIY carbon paper made of tissue paper and a number two pencil. Supplies you’ll need: tissue paper, a number two pencil, a black marker, heavy duty paper and your favorite photo (in this case, it was an adorable picture of Cait and Henry holding hands).

1. First, set the tissue paper over the photo and outline with a number two pencil. Then scribble the outline.

2. Turn tissue paper over, trace the line drawing to transfer on heavy-duty paper

3. Then trace over with a black marker.

4. Lastly frame the art

You don’t have to be an artist to create personalized art for your space. I love this super easy project and it is such a nice touch to the space. Really makes it feel like home.

Before Caitlin’s pictures were hung way too high. With the gallery wall, I hung it at eye level and used black and white picture frames.

6. Final touches

I added a large mirror, some faux and real plants, a boho chic coffee table and some fun pillows to pull together the style Cait had envisioned.

I love how everything pulled together in this room. Her reaction to the reveal was priceless and made me tear up. Cait’s an amazing mom and hard worker who truly deserved this makeover to give her a fresh start!

Product Sources:

• Console Table

• Accent Chair

• Picture Frames

• Large Gold Mirror

• Bookcase

• Coffee Table

• Floor Lamp

• Small Desk

• Desk Lamp

• Linen Blackout Curtains (color Sour Cream)

• Curtain Rod

• Throw Blanket

• Faux Hanging Plant

• White Planter w/ Gold Legs

• White Table Lamp

• Linen Pinboard

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DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL THE RENTFLUENCER EPISODES:

EPISODE 6: Marisol and Nick’s Dining Room Makeover; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 5: Caitlin’s Living Room Makeover; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 4: Brit and Haley’s Patio; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 3: Kasey’s Combo Closet and Home Office; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 2: The Sams’ College Kitchen Update; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 1: Maya’s Minimalist Modern Bedroom Makeover; Watch full video Here

Watch the full video episode here.

Photos by Canary Gray for HGTV.

On episode 4 of Rentfluencer, I had so much fun working with two adorable friends Brit and Haley. They live in a duplex in a trendy neighborhood of Minneapolis. They have really great outdoor space but needed my help to spruce it up!

Their style is opposite, Haley likes pink and girly, but Brit likes dark neutrals. What they both love though are bonfires and wine nights!

MY PLAN FOR THEIR BACKYARD AND HOW YOU CAN GET THE SAME LOOK:

1. Easy DIY planter makeover

2. Take up dead grass and put gravel and stone to create a patio space

3. Create an appealing planter with posts to hang string lights over the patio

4. Refresh secondhand furniture

1. DIY Planter Makeover

Brit and Haley had a lot of old planters sitting in their basement. We gave them new life with this easy and fun DIY to add inexpensive style to their patio. All you need is some baking powder and paint.

Step 1: Add 1 teaspoon of baking powder to your paint. This provides a nice texture to the paint so it looks like it’s handmade.

Step 2: Paint the planters with the mixture. We used flat BEHR paint. *tip: use an inexpensive coarse paintbrush for added texture.

2. Take up Dead Grass and Put Gravel and Stone to Create a Patio Space

We were happy to get permission from their landlord to do this. He was actually really excited because this is going to add value to his property.

Step 1: Measure carefully and mark off the line with spray paint so you know the boundary. We’re doing approximately a 12 x 12 patio space.

Step 2: Take up the dead grass. A “sod kicker” is an easy way to remove grass. They rent for under $20 a day! Take out all the sod and then rake it so it is nice and flat.

Step 3: Put down the weed barrier to prevent grass from growing back and into the rocks.

Step 4: Lay down concrete pavers from Hedberg, a local center. They look like natural stone but cost a lot less (concrete pavers $4.25/sqft. vs. natural stone $11.00/sq.ft).

Step 5: Install no-dig edging to keep the gravel in place.

Step 6: Fill with pea gravel and rake it to even out and look nice and flat. You want the gravel to fill all the space between the stepping stones. Finally, brush the gravel off of the stepping stones.

3. Create an Appealing Planter with Posts to Hang String Lights Over the Patio

When you live in a rental you can’t necessarily dig a hole in the ground for a pole. A great solution is attaching a post to a planter. Stumbled upon this idea via Pinterest from Laine and Layne and Jenna Sue Design.

Step 1: Take a whisky barrel and attach the post at the bottom.

Step 2: Mix up quicksand concrete and then pour it into the barrel. Make sure it’s enough to weigh down the barrel and hold up the string lights.

Step 3: Pour in potting soil and start adding plants for an appealing design

*tip: figure out how much sun your planter will get, and choose appropriate plants. Petunias and geraniums love the sun!

Step 4: Drill a hole on top of the post and add a hook for the string lights. Note: LED string lights will be heavier so make sure the poles can handle the weight.

4. Upgrade Existing Furniture

You don’t need all new patio furniture to spruce up the space. Evaluate what existing items can be enhanced through a simple DIY approach. For instance, I transformed Brit and Haley’s window boxes by adding 2×3 wood legs – all for a total cost of $32!

We also painted their benches white to make the patio feel more fresh and bright!

For some final touches, I got some throw pillows to represent each of the gals’ style, white planter with a palm tree, and a cute lantern. Let’s look at the before and after photos! Can you even believe we accomplished this budget-friendly makeover in one day???

The burst of excitement from Brit and Haley during the reveal was a testament to how much they both loved it!

Product Sources:

• Pea Gravel

• Lantern

• No-Dig Landscape Edging Kit

• Weed Barrier Fabric Pegs

• Landscape Fabric

• Whiskey Barrel

• String Lights

• White Ceramic Planter

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DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT ALL THE RENTFLUENCER EPISODES:

EPISODE 6: Marisol and Nick’s Dining Room Makeover; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 5: Caitlin’s Living Room Makeover; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 4: Brit and Haley’s Patio; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 3: Kasey’s Combo Closet and Home Office; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 2: The Sams’ College Kitchen Update; Watch full video Here

EPISODE 1: Maya’s Minimalist Modern Bedroom Makeover; Watch full video Here