Small-Space Living: A Rental That Feels Like Home in Los Angeles

Photograph by Julie Pointer Adams and Jodi Balfour

If you’re renting, it can be hard to make someone else’s house feel like your own, but for actress Jodi Balfour (you might recognize her as Jackie Kennedy from Netflix’s The Crown) and her partner Alex Ashbaugh, the challenge was a rewarding design exercise. Read on for Jodi's tips on how to personalize a rental.

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1. Establish your priorities.

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2. Use plants as sculptural elements.

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3. Choose a neutral palette.

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4. Add a bench to create a multipurpose nook.

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5. Decorate with (beautiful) books.

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6. Lean--don't hang--artwork.

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7. Mix off-the-shelf with custom pieces.

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8. Use accessories to create personality.

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9. Designate a place for everything.

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10. Embrace hardware store basics.

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11. Keep passageways open.

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12. Use a folding screen to create privacy.

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