Apartment living has its perks, but when it comes to decorating, it can take a lot to make it feel like home. Put simply, you need to infuse it with personality and elements that speak to your sense of style. An apartment is like a blank canvas and often has many places where you can make your mark. Luckily, there are lots of renter-friendly ways to turn your plain space into a warm and inviting home. TikTok creator @myapartmentmuse is using her account to showcase how easy it is to transform basic apartment elements to create a cozy and stylish living space.

Her videos are dedicated to modifying different areas of each room before unveiling the final result. Though she’s upgraded several rooms, her kitchen, and more specifically the sleek kitchen cabinets, have become the most buzzy. In a simple before-and-after video, the creator shows off how she completely transformed her standard white cabinets with contact paper for a completely new look and feel.

Renter-friendly decor projects are becoming more popular thanks to easy-to-use products. Peel-and-stick wallpaper, tiles, and panels are all top choices for apartments because they can quickly give you a fresh and personalized look. For this creator, a warm mocha-colored contact paper from Amazon proved to be the best option to take her kitchen from boring to chic.

@myapartmentmuse

Contact paper goes a long way! My kitchen feels so much cozier and personalized. Living in property that isn’t ours doesn’t mean we should have to live in a bland home! There are ways to make it yours while still respecting the property and not damaging anything. LINK 🔗 to the exact contact paper & cabinet handles I used is in my Instagram bio 🖤 #renterfriendly #kitchendecor #homesweethome #apartmentdecor #kitchenmakeover #kitchenremodel

♬ original sound – myapartmentmuse

How to Get the Look

If you’re new to DIY home renovation, covering your cabinets may seem like a difficult task. However, as the creator shows, it can be an easy and quick project. The first step of removing the cabinet doors is arguably the most taxing. Once you’ve gotten them off, lay them on the floor and measure out a piece of contact paper to cover each section of the cabinet. In her video, she explains that if you have raised edges or pieces varying in height, it’s best to follow the grooves of your cabinet to get the best fit.

After cutting the paper to fit your cabinet, remove the adhesive backing and smooth the contact paper onto the surface, ensuring that no air pockets are formed. Then, use a sharp cutting tool to discard any excess paper around the edges of the cabinet and repeat until the entire cabinet door is covered.

While the job itself isn’t too challenging, she mentions that it is time-consuming. If your kitchen has a lot of cabinets and drawers, it can take a while to cover them all, but it will feel like you have a completely new kitchen when you’re done. To finish the project, she recommends investing in fresh handles to complement the luxe look of your cabinets.