Own Your Space: Attainable Room-by-Room Decorating Tips for Renters and Homeowners

by Alexandra Gater

DIY YouTuber Alexandra Gater shows you how to creatively, inexpensively, and beautifully decorate your space in this inviting and accessible definitive guide to décor ideas for renters and new homeowners alike. "Alexandra Gater represents a new generation of apartment therapists who are teaching people how to make a great home at any size with any budget. Her new book is an absolute gift that is not only beautiful and approachable, it's so comprehensive you'll read it, refer to it and keep it under your pillow at night." —Maxwell Ryan, founder of Apartment Therapy Have you ever wondered what to do about the “Renter Beige” walls in your apartment? Have you ever thought you’d wait to upgrade that sofa from your grandparents’ basement until you had a place of your own—and then found yourself spiraling with questions like, “Will I ever own a house?” Have you bought a new home—but now have little money left over to spruce it up? And how can you make those outdated appliances and cabinets in your kitchen look better without breaking your budget? Alexandra Gater is here to help. Through her online home decorating series, the YouTube star and décor expert has taught millions how to transform their spaces into the homes of their dreams. Whether struggling with the limits of living in a rental—how do you hang things without putting holes in the wall?—or living in a new home—how can you make that outdated backsplash work for you?—Alexandra has the answer. In Own Your Space , she offers tips and tricks covering everything from making your home smell better to essential kitchen utensils. And best of all, you get to know her better along the way. Gorgeously designed, full of practical advice, DIY, and fun anecdotes, and packed with approximately 300 four-color photographs, Own Your Space will help you turn your apartment or starter house into the place you want it to be .

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Self Help, Reference, How To, Adult, Canada

272 pages, Hardcover

Published April 25, 2023

About the author

Before starting her YouTube Channel, Alexandra was the Home Editor for Canada’s iconic women’s lifestyle magazine Chatelaine, where she created the YouTube series The Home Primp, which launched her online career.

Since then, she's connected with millions through her online home makeover series who are just like her—people living in rentals who still want those rentals to feel like home.

Previously, she was a host for the HGTV digital series Buy or DIY and the host and producer for Shopify’s Make My Space Work. Her work is frequently featured in Apartment Therapy, Domino Magazine, Architectural Digest, and The Rachael Ray Show and she is also a regular guest expert on Cityline and The Global Morning Show.

In 2020, she was invited to give a Tedx Talk on how she turned losing her dream job into an opportunity to launch a multi six-figure business.

Reviews

[Emmkay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great, practical little DIY guide to cheap and cheerful space makeovers, with a particular eye to small spaces and changes that can be readily undone by renters at the end of their time in a home. We own, but our house is small and our clutter is not - I got some fun and simple ideas. It’s very of the moment, and recommends specific paint colours and vendors, so in a few years it will be less useful, but it’s excellent for right now. I also liked the exact instructions for all kinds of things - painting, rewriting lamps, hanging shelves.

[Colleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Alexandra's Youtube videos and this was a beautiful book to flip through with a lot of helpful tips. There were multiple glaring typing errors that kept throwing me for a loop- I'm not totally sure how those made it past editing

[Shivani · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the book is stuff covered on her channel. If you are a real beginner to this stuff, maybe someone moving out for the first time I think you may find this book helpful for some fundamentals. For all other audiences, the info is way too basic and some of the material feels slightly dated

[Anisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. As Alexandra has grown on YouTube, I've found that I like her designs more and more. As some one who lives in an apartment, it can be hard to feel like I am actually able to make the space my own but she gives a lot of really good tips on renter friendly ways to create a space you love. I really liked that she included websites she uses often because it is difficult to vet websites when you're shopping for things you don't normally buy. My only complaints is that the formatting for some pages was a bit difficult to follow and I wish the letter indicators for captions were organized in a way that flowed more easily. But other than that, this book was great and I would definitely recommend to anyone looking to update their space.

[Fräulein Stern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn't expect to be crying when finishing this book, but here we are 🩷
(the acknowledgments and the team picture got me)

I love Alexandra's YouTube channel, and her personality carried over into the book so well. I think anyone getting into home decor can find a lot of useful tips and how-to-dos in here. And even those who are not so new to it, like myself, will find inspiration and useful tips! Some of my favorite Team AG makeovers have found their way into the book, and I'm especially grateful for the how-to-dos. I always intend to take notes along makeover videos that show something I wanna try myself, but never do. Now my basics are covered thanks to this wonderful book! :)

[Sarah Fowler Wolfe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent, adorable, practical guide to making your space your own whatever your style or budget. Alexandra's YouTube channel is great and this book is a wonderful reflection and celebration of her learning and expertise. This will become my go-to gift for people moving into their first spaces of their own.

[Jonii · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm gonna be honest: sometimes Alexandra Gater gets on my nerves BUT this book is actually really well thought out. I think that for really newbie DIY design folks this is a good starting point. I especially appreciated the clear, concise, and snobbery-free design lessons. I'd recommend this to someone look for an entry-level design book.

[Catherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just not my style

This could be a good book for the right person. Unfortunately, her style is much different than mine, so I didn't really care for her color schemes or her general style of decorating. (There wasn't really a range of styles or personalities.) A few good tips. You may like it if your style is similar to hers.

[Francie McQuarrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

While beautifully written and photographed, it didn’t contain any new information for me that I hadn’t already consumed from various interior design blogs and other instagrams. This is a better book for a design beginner.

[Emma Macchia · Rating 5 out of 5]

July 8, 2023: I enjoy having all of Alexandra's tips, tricks, and recommendations at my finger tips instead of having to hunt through all the youtube videos, instagram posts, or blog posts. It includes color palettes, room-by-room guidelines, photo examples, and more.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

A great informational book for young professionals just starting out in their first home. I would have hoped for more pictures, because as a creative person I think all art and design books should be crammed full with photos.

[Jillian B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really practical tips for renter-friendly renos for each room in your home. Very cute!

[Bobbiann Markle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a lovely decorating book with clear explanations of how to make changes to create a cozier and more practical home. The author has a great YouTube channel too.

[Katherine]

Like many design books, the e-book layout is a mess (text and images are disconnected so it’s hard to see what the text is referencing, etc). But if you like the YouTube channel, this is a fun supplement.

[Sonia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hace un par de meses me he mudado y por cuestiones de suerte o destino al poco tiempo de encontrar el que sería mi futuro hogar me encontré con el canal de Alexandra 💖 de repente, vi condensado en un canal todas esas tonalidades y decoración que siempre había soñado para “mi lugar seguro”.

El enterarme que A había sacado un libro quise hacerme con el bajo el moto: “esta será mi motivación para hacer de mi nuevo hogar mi lugar seguro”.

El libro muestra ya muchas reformas que se han visto en su canal de YouTube, aun así esta lleno de consejos y recomendaciones para aquellos que quizás incluso nunca han tenido una brocha en la mano.

Lo recomiendo sobre todo para aquellas personas que estén buscando inspiración y que adoren toda la decoración super cute por encima de todas las cosas.

Yo he disfrutado mucho de esta lectura, he aprendido y sobre todo… he ganado muchísima inspiración 💖

[Aimee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am obsessed with Alexandra's youtube channel! I love how she revamps small spaces without major tear downs and is budget friendly. I was so excited when she came out with her very first book!

"Other lifestyle magazines were reporting on celebrity home renovations, but where was the decorating advice for those of us who rented or didn’t have a Hollywood-sized budget to drop on a remodel?"

Highly reccommend this book if you are:
•Needing ideas on how to refresh/update your space
•Love DIY
•On a budget
•Newbie to home decor

This book would be great at the coffee table, gift for someone you know who is renovating their space or moved into a new space 🙃

[Sofi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a fan of Alexandra’s channel and makeovers, I was so excited to pick up this book! As soon as I finished it, I wanted to check it out again (or buy my own copy) so I had more time to ruminate on Alexandra’s design tips and how I could incorporate them into my own space.

I love how she encourages picking pieces you love and building around that, rather than trying to box yourself into one aesthetic. And now I dream of painting and putting up wallpaper (although that isn’t attainable in my current space).

I can’t wait to figure out how to own my space with the advice in this book :)

[Leanne Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I just skimmed this book and did not read it cover to cover. I watched an interview with this author/designer and thought she was worth checking out a little more. Her own story of how she ended up designing and becoming a very young editor for Chatelaine is very interesting. I don’t have the same style preferences that she does, but she has many creative ideas and walks you through how to spackle nail holes, hang pictures, hang curtains, etc. She has lots of helpful tips and tricks when planning projects. Definitely worth checking out and she is a Toronto Girl!!!

[Sharon]

Leaving this unrated because I didn't read it closely and didn't try out any of the advice. I really liked flipping through a library copy though. I was already a fan of Alexandra's YouTube content, so I had fun recognizing photos from makeovers I've watched and learning more about her own design journey. The writing is really accessible, and I think the book does a good job of explaining things to beginners (though like I said, I didn't do the projects myself).

[Miad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved the book and appreciate all the great tips that were provided! I do wish that some YouTube videos were referenced for the DIY projects so I could reference them in a video format as opposed to the step by step guide. I also do like that there were references to where she would recommend we buy certain items as they’re not always easy to find!!

[Dale · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a cute book. It's so positive and encouraging. I love that it offers reversible and low-effort options for renters. I also love that it had lots of DIY tips and helpful ideas for choosing tools. I wish there were even more examples of her design suggestions. She had some good ones. I hope she releases more books, but in the meantime I'll survive on her YouTube channel!

[Deighna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been following her on YouTube for years, I'm so proud of her for writing this book! The pictures are gorgeous and it's really well laid out. This is a great book if you're completely new to living in your own space.

[Maddison Foss-Cormier · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous, fabulous tips and tricks. The content of this book feels like exactly what I've always been looking for in a home design book. Can't wait to pick this up again and again to do my own projects!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

After staying in an incredible Air BnB in France that was beautifully decorated, this book added to the inspiration of good house design. Filled with advice for do-it-yourself, this great book would be helpful to anyone looking to redecorate.

[Naomi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ik volg Alexandra al jaren en vind het super leuk dat ze nu een boek heeft! Maar, als je haar YouTube dus goed in de gaten houdt, zullen de tips in het boek helaas niks nieuws zijn. Desondanks een prachtig boek, leuk als koffietafelboek om af en toe eens doorheen te bladeren voor inspiratie

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great tips for preparing your design projects. She taught me to create a mood board. There are neat spreads where she shows the difference a rug and throw pillows can make to the same couch and space. It was really helpful for an untalented homeowner who wants to make her space lovely.

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love her channel and have been binging her videos in anticipation of an upcoming move and a desire to nest. Great book with helpful basics about DIY. It was fun to recognize some pics from projects in her videos. I got from the library but will likely purchase as it’s a good reference book.

[Maggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Three stars for the book, five stars for the YouTube channel, averaged it out to four. 🤷‍♀️ five stars for the cute ass cover!

[Alexis Kuper · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful spreads and lots of cute little decorating tips - so proud of Alexandra Gater!

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book to accompany Gater’s YouTube series.
This books gives you the style inspo,
Materials, and supplies for numerous projects.
She’s also known for some over the top Ikea hacks!