These Maximalist Renter-Friendly Room Transformations Are Taking Over TikTok

Pops of color define Amanda Poe’s eclectic San Francisco apartment. Hot pink and teal dominate her living room, which is decorated with quirky decor like dangling twinkle lights and a houseplant growing from a corn-on-the-cob vase. Bedroom walls feature vibrant multi-colored gradient checker print, and even the inside of her closet opens to a splash of sunshine-y yellow.

Poe’s boho-inspired aesthetic has attracted more than 80 thousand followers on TikTok (where she’s @bohofrisco), who are eager to learn from this renter-friendly renovator. Her mantra is not to take things so seriously and to focus on adding joy and brightness, sharing room decor advice alongside motivational and lifestyle content. She’s the proof that renting doesn’t have to be so restrictive when it comes to making your apartment feel like home. 

For those who aren’t quite ready or able to own a home, renting is common—about 34% of U.S. housing units are rented out. And to deck out their small spaces, savvy renters turn to TikTokers like Poe for advice on how to transform their places without losing their deposits. 

An important belief of Poe’s is to banish boring walls and floors. Even with carpeting, she suggests incorporating large rugs to add your own style to the flooring, covering what’s already there without making permanent changes. And if painting is off limits, Poe says contact paper is a great option—just take a look at how her bold wallpaper, where tigers hide among leaves, enlivens her living room with a burst of creativity.

To elevate your kitchen space, Poe recommends tiling the backsplash with removable tiles for an elegant look—just peel and stick. In the bathroom, use these peel-and-stick tiles in a pattern of your choosing. (Poe opted for a rosy, geometric floral design). Adding a tension rod allowed her to cover glass shower doors with eye-catching shower curtains. One of her favorite additions, Poe says, is a faux fireplace she built herself for a homey look that hugs the wall with an artsy flair without taking up too much space. 

Poe’s overall advice? Embrace maximalism. 

But when Poe planned her move out, she knew she had to undo all her renter-style renovations. With a six-part “Renter Friendly Reality Checks” series, she documents her journey reversing the transformation to share with viewers what actually works. Now, she can share the tried and true methods that won’t leave a mark or anger a landlord.

She struggled to remove Command Hooks and a brand of temporary backsplash in her kitchen, but her peel-and-stick bathroom tiles did quickly peel with ease even after four years, damage-free. Privacy films also earned her approval as a project she’d recommend: It’s easy to remove, inexpensive, and reusable. The cling film separates her from her neighbors, and casts glimmering rainbow reflections, too.

Having just moved into a new apartment, we can’t wait to see how Poe transforms her new space—and what tips she can teach us this time.