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Medina Grillo: Decorating And DIYing A Rental Home

By  Laurie Gunning Grossman
Medina Grillo Medina Grillo

"Don't feel like because you're renting you don't deserve a nice home," says Medina Grillo. "And don't feel like because it's not your house, you can't invest anything in it. It needs to feel comfortable for you and you need to really weigh out the pros and cons of the things you're doing."

On the Being Home With Hunker podcast, we have Medina Grillo, an interiors and DIY blogger behind Grillo Designs, and author of "Home Sweet Rented Home." As Medina describes herself, she is an "IKEA-loving-upcycling-junkie-DIY-passionate-home-decor-crazy momma and wife."

Medina, who lives in England, is an advocate for renters who want to beautify their rental spaces. (She also started a video series on Instagram called "How I Rent.") She believes that renters are "the underdogs in interior design," and that people should be able to put a stamp on their rented home.

As a long-time renter herself, she says that by creating a home that reflects who you, it really does help your mental health in a positive way. Plus, who doesn't want to live in a lovely space?

In this conversation, Medina talks about her favorite upgrades and DIY projects that she's done to her own rented home; how she deals with negative comments from people who think she's wasting money when she does these design upgrades; and how people can work within their budget and with their landlord to make changes to their rented space.

In this episode we also talk about:

  • How she got into interior design blogging
    because renters weren't represented.
  • Why she believes renters should invest in their
    space.
  • How big renting is in places like Germany, however
    in the U.K or the U.S. there's the perception that successful people own their
    home.
  • Her childhood homes (always rented) and how her
    mom introduced her to the idea of making your home feel special and look
    pretty.
  • Her book, "Home Sweet Rented Home" that shows
    renters that even if you have the strictest landlord, there are still things
    you can do to your home using some simple tricks.
  • Her favorite rental upgrades and DIY projects that
    she's done to her space.
  • Her sources of inspiration, which includes restaurants
    and television shows.
  • How many interior designers now are trying to
    promote a more intentional way of decorating, staying away from "fast
    interiors."
  • She shares about her large family growing up — she's one of seven — and what sharing a room with her sister taught her.
  • The items in her home that she takes with her
    from home to home. (Think: IKEA!)
  • How her home reflects her personality without
    her even realizing it.

Learn More About Medina Grillo

If you want to learn more, read more, discover more about Medina Grillo, visit any of these places:

​Being Home With Hunker​ ​is a new podcast where we explore the idea of "home"​ — ​not just as a place where you live, but as an expression of your identity. Each week we talk with designers, creatives, and artists about who they are, how they create meaningful spaces, and what "being home" means to them.​

​If you like what you hear, please rate and review the podcast, hit subscribe/follow, and share with a friend. When it comes to podcasts word of mouth is how most people will find the show. It really does help. Visit​ ​Hunker.com/podcast​ ​where you can find, follow, and listen to our show.​

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