Over at The Kitchn they’ve just wrapped up the annual Small, Cool Kitchens Contest. There were some great spaces entered this year, and I enjoyed browsing them all. I was also struck by how the competition was organized, with separate categories for International and American spaces, and also for owners and renters.

That second distinction struck a chord with me. As a renter, I know that those of us not yet on the property ladder can be somewhat limited in our decorating abilities. We don’t necessarily have the countertops, cabinets or layout of our dreams, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have attractive kitchens! Here are my top five tips for adding style to a rental space, using the latest batch of small, cool kitchens as visuals.

1. A Lick of Paint (or Paper)
So, maybe your floor is ugly linoleum and your countertops are faux granite (mine are). You still have walls, right? Paint is one of the fastest ways to add colour and interest to a space, as this bright blue New York kitchen proves:

If you think your landlord would allow it, you could even paint the cabinets, as in this sunny San Francisco kitchen:

Wallpaper is another good option. It works especially well (and is less time-consuming to tackle) on one statement wall, as in this sweet space:

2. Look to the Lighting
As any kitchen designer will tell you, lighting is imperative not just to the practicality of your kitchen, but to its ambiance. Unless you have pot lighting in your rental, a simple change of fixture could be all your space needs. I like how the lights in Kate’s kitchen contribute to her colour scheme:

And the modern-retro pendant in this eclectic Philidelphia space works great, too:

3. Let Art Impart Style
We already know I’m a fan of art in the kitchen, so this tip should come as no surprise. Use what wall space you have to add colour, humour, or communicate who you are. The poster in this Portland Bungalow kitchen works perfectly with the tiled backsplash:

While Addie’s Cape Cod home features an oldie-but-goodie:

I especially like the sweet vintage-feel art in Alysia’s lake house:

4. Fun and Funky Accessories
If you don’t have the wall space for paintings and posters, you can still add colour in other ways. Pick your kitchen accessories carefully, and arrange them in an artful way. I love the turquoise dishes (and door knobs- how cute!) in this Las Vegas kitchen:

Alison has made storage work for her, with retro steel, blue-and-green touches and wicker baskets in her Burlington home:

5. Stand-Alones that Stand Alone
If you can’t move everything that you don’t like out, how about moving something else in? Megumi’s Brussels kitchen features vintage filing cabinets under a wooden worktop, which she uses as regular cabinets:

Ronna is a professional cook, and she added a big wooden island (for work space and storage) as well as an awesome metal equipment shelf to her Brooklyn kitchen: