When you decide to upgrade your rental property, there’s a wide range of modern design trends at your disposal. Here’s a list of the most popular trends you can use to make your rental space unique and inviting.

Healthy home environments

Ensure that your rental property is free of contaminants and other health hazards. A property inspection can tell you if there are traces of lead paint, mould spores, radon, and asbestos. For some municipalities, this might be already required by the zoning laws. Contribute to a healthy environment by equipping your rental unit with air filters, water filters, using zero-VOC paint, creating rooftop gardens, and installing a bicycle rack to support cycling instead of commuting by car.

Natural materials

According to this online course in creative process in interior design, every successful interior designer should follow a series of steps to come up with ideas, shape them and turn them into quality product that will stand the test of time. Stairways, cabinets, countertops, and shelving made of natural wood present a timeless trend that can raise the bar in any interior setting. Granite, quartz, and tile upgrades are an ideal choice for kitchens and bathrooms. Natural wood floors with wide planks have been a persistent flooring trend for decades. While dark wood floors guarantee a perfect accent in any setting, grey wood floors are more appealing to tenants who prefer neutral looks. Neutral colours work perfectly with natural materials, while also allowing your tenants more flexibility in choosing their furniture, décor, and accessories.

More storage space

Additional storage options come to prominence, especially in the kitchen and bathrooms. Apart from storage for kitchenware, cleaning products, and bath accessories, you should also provide plenty of storage for books, photos, and your tenant’s personal items. Adding shelving to a blank wall could be the best ways to do it, especially in tiny apartments where the furniture doesn’t leave a lot of floor space free.

Sustainable features

Your prospective tenants are always more interested in living spaces that are sustainable and eco-friendly. To reduce the carbon footprint of their households, just as homeowners, tenants are looking for large windows that maximise natural light, but also sunscreen roller blinds that block up to 90% of UV radiation but still let in the view. Solar power is a huge bonus, whether for generating electricity or simply water heating. Smart thermostats and efficient insulation allow them to optimise their heating and cooling costs, while caulking around windows and doors minimize energy losses and gains through draughty and loose fittings. As IED Barcelona’s new master’s degree in design for urban environment is teaching us, contemporary design project should be to conceive spaces that evoke emotions and create unique atmospheres, and sustainability lends itself as a perfect tool for accomplishing this goal.

Colour is in

The rental property trend of white or neutral walls that seemed never to be ending is finally going through a welcoming change. Renters seem to be preferring colours instead of the off-white walls. However, we can’t say that just one colour is in fashion. It’s rather lots of colours, bolder the better and in a great variety. Sombre, destructed colours across the spectrum, as well as violet and deep purple seem to be the loudest, and that is only the tip of a rainbow-coloured iceberg.

Weaved and caned furniture

Originating in Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines, weaved furniture has made a big return in modern interior trends. However, it’s interesting to notice that owners of apartments and high-end home properties aren’t just purchasing new caned furniture, but also remodelling their old pieces. Renters have come to prefer furniture that is textured, clean, and lightweight all in one. While it used to be strictly reserved for coastal retreats and vacation homes, caned furniture is jumping on the popularity bandwagon across the world.

Real house plants

Houseplants seem to have nothing new to offer – they have appealed to renters for decades. However, now they are more popular than ever. But not all house plants are made the same. Young renters today prefer herbs, succulents, and ivy plants. Plants add both aesthetic and health value to your property. Unlike fake plants, which many landlords prefer due to zero maintenance, real plants boost oxygen levels and reduce the carbon footprint of fake plants. Apart from decorating the interior, make sure you add as many plants on the outside, as well.

The best way to make your rental unit attractive to potential tenants is to stay up to date with current trends. As this year turns its second half, we see that some classic styles will remain, but some new looks are gaining popularity nonetheless. It’s hard not to notice the recurring theme of sustainable and green features that not only make the living environment healthier but also reduce the environmental impact of residential living.