5 Thoughts to Modernize Student Housing Rental Apartments
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5 Thoughts to Modernize Student Housing Rental Apartments
By ExactEstate7 min read
Last reviewed: July 2026
Increasing numbers of property managers and owners cater to students, and it’s easy to see why. According to a 2017-2018 report by Savills, the demand for student rental apartments was so great in 2016 that student housing development projects attracted over $16 billion in investments.
Many property owners know the potential returns of catering to a student market. With more property managers accumulating rental units for this demographic, you need to improve rental units to attract more tenants.
Are you unsure about where to start? Don’t worry. We will share our top five tried and tested methods for improving the appearance of your student rental homes or student apartments. Make these five rental unit improvements, and students will chomp to occupy your rental units.
1. Leverage Natural and Artificial Lighting
Lighting is one of the most salient features of any attractive student rental unit. Lighting illuminates a space and creates an ambiance that welcomes students after a rough day of class or work.
The first type of lighting you must pay attention to is natural lighting. Natural lighting won’t be a problem if your student rental units face the East or have floor-to-ceiling windows. However, without these, you can still maximize natural light by using lightweight and light-colored curtains on your windows. We’ll cover the use of curtains in detail later on.
Besides your unit’s natural lighting, dial in its artificial lighting. A few easy ways would be to have corner lights and high light fixtures. Corner lights can add ambient light at night when your student tenants want to entertain or wind down. You can use string lights or a lava lamp for a '70s twist.
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Also, with higher light fixtures, you can improve the illumination of a large common area, even with just one or two fixtures. With your unit’s lighting optimized for students, tenants will be drawn to your unit like moths to a flame.
2. Choose Furniture With Your Tenants in Mind
Indeed, choosing furniture that ticks all the aesthetic boxes is crucial to improving your student rental apartment’s curb appeal. However, because of the demographic you’re catering to, you must think out of the aesthetic box and also consider function.
With the rigors of student life in mind, you must select furniture that addresses the living and study needs of your potential tenants. At the very least, student rental homes must have the basics, like chairs, beds, and broad tables. Broad tables are excellent for students since these can double as dining tables and study tables.
When selecting furniture like chairs, go for low-maintenance pieces made up of wood or plastic. Not only will these be durable, but they will also be easier to maintain and clean. Of course, you can break this rule with the couch.
Also, don’t forget to add furniture that can act as storage space. Students will have many items to store, like books. For this reason, extra shelves, cupboards, cabinets, and coffee tables with bookends will garner much appreciation from your tenants.
Does your student rental unit have an outdoor area like a balcony? If it does, add a few lawn chairs and a table. After all, some of your tenants may want to enjoy a drink while taking in the view. As with some of the pieces inside the unit, think low-maintenance when selecting furniture that goes outside.
3. Add Visual Warmth With Rugs
If you’re renting out units to students, you might not have selected carpeted flooring. While this may not necessarily be a deal breaker, some student tenants may prefer more carpeted surfaces in units. Of course, with carpeted flooring comes maintenance — something you may not want to deal with frequently.
Rugs will allow you to strike the ideal balance between low-maintenance flooring and visual warmth. By placing rugs in common areas, you’ll create welcoming spaces that match the ambiance of a carpeted unit.
Here are some tips for stepping up your unit’s rug game:
Choose Low-Maintenance Rugs
Low-maintenance rugs will consist of synthetic fibers like nylon. Nylon is one of the easiest textiles to clean. It’s also among the sturdiest, meaning you may not need to replace it for years.
Another low-maintenance option is polypropylene. Polypropylene rugs have a similar appearance and feel to wool rugs. However, what sets these rugs apart from wool rugs is their compactness. This quality is essential if you’re adding rugs to a student rental unit that isn’t too spacious.
Choose Neutral Colors
Rugs come in various shades. Pick a neutral color when choosing the right one to add to your student rental unit.
Neutral colors take the guesswork out of mixing and matching rug colors with your walls and floors. Neutral shades like beige, ivory, and brown will add an organic look to your unit regardless of the flooring or walls.
Of course, neutral doesn’t always mean light. Feel free to experiment with darker hues like charcoal gray or dark oak. Besides adding a natural vibe to your unit, these darker hues will require the most minor cleaning.
4. Go With Light-Colored Lightweight Curtains
Lighting is crucial for every rental unit, as we mentioned earlier. One of the ways you can improve the lighting of your student homes and apartments is with light-colored lightweight curtains. Lightweight curtains aren’t just easy to install and remove. They can also allow natural light to enter, providing better illumination during the day.
Lightweight curtains can help your student tenants save on electricity bills by illuminating your unit with natural lighting. Those of your environmentally conscious tenants will notice this and appreciate your thoughtful rental unit improvement. Light-colored and lightweight curtains also look beautiful, and tend to match most decor.
The bedroom is the only room in your student rental apartment where you can violate this rule. You can choose a lightweight curtain for the bedroom, but ensure that it’s darker to promote restful sleep.
5. Add a Full-Length Mirror
Full-length mirrors may not be the first item on your list of unit make-readies. However, never underestimate the value of having one in your student housing rental units.
Full-length mirrors serve two purposes. First, they’re essential items for any tenant. No student looks forward to spending money on a mirror. Second, a full-length mirror also creates the illusion of space. For maximum broadening effect, situate your unit’s full-length mirror in a common area, like the living area.
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The principle to making the right rental unit improvements can be summed up in these words:
“Always keep your tenants in mind.”
Go about your unit make-readies guided by this principle, and your rental unit improvements won’t just create an aesthetically pleasing apartment. Your improvements will also make a space that allows your student tenants to be productive and comfortable.
Of course, beautifying student rental apartments is only half the battle. The other half consists of managing your tenants and the property.
