Woman’s Rent-Friendly Apartment Makeover Goes Viral for a Surprising Reason
The internet loves a good before-and-after story. It seems like everything from dazzling glow-ups to muscle-building transformations has found a place with people online, and they can’t get enough of the success stories people share.
But one woman’s before-and-after post is going viral for a different reason. That’s because her rent-friendly apartment photos are striking a chord with people. And it’s not just because they can’t believe that she was able to make so many stunning changes to an apartment, but because they can’t believe the photos are real.
Threads user @theintrovertedition shared a series of pictures from her place. “We’ve officially been living in our apartment for one entire year, so here are some before and afters,” she captioned the photos. While so many people jumped in to share how much they loved her style, others couldn’t help but call her out as an imposter.
For others, it didn’t matter so much whether the pictures were real or faked. That’s because many people admitted drawing inspiration from the images, with one person even screenshotting them and sending them to her partner.
A Coat of Paint and New Cabinets Had People Crying Foul
The dreamy home makeover featured a ton of upgrades that you wouldn’t typically expect to see in an apartment. They included things like painted walls, updated kitchen cabinets, and lots of items hung directly on the walls.
“Is this a rental? Did you use peel-and-stick for the cabinets,” one curious follower asked (the original poster said yes to both).
“One of my fears with decorating is that everything is ‘temporary’ [because] of apt living and high chance of moving,” another person wrote. “How did you not fall into that?! Loving the style.” According to the response, the Threads user said that she needs her space to be cozy, no matter how long she’s there.
A Lot of People Thought the Update Was Generative AI
While so many commenters asked for details about the personal touches all over the home, others were quick to claim the renovation was thanks to AI.
“Crazy how everyone thinks it’s AI,” one person wrote in defense of the post. “God forbid anyone have whimsy and warm lighting anymore! Also, has everyone forgotten what presets are?”
Others jumped in to call out some specific features about the pictures that would prove they were the real deal. “AI doesn’t put realistic imperfections into photos,” they explained. “The trash can wouldn’t show the trash bag peeking out. The couch wouldn’t have wrinkles from use. The shadows would be off, if there at all. The books would look weird, if legible at all. Y’all need to figure it out before more important photos are discredited due to suspicion of AI.”
Another person who follows the Threads user on Instagram chimed in to share how they have been watching this makeover happen in real time. “People are in an AI fog. They call AI real and real things AI,” they wrote. “I follow you on Instagram, so I’ve seen you putting the work into your home. I know certain warm filters can give the ‘AI look’ but it’s wild so many people don’t recognize that.”
You Can Make Rent-Friendly Upgrades
It is easy to understand why so many people jumped to the idea of AI, especially once it was revealed that the apartment was a rental. But the Threads user explained how she got permission to make alterations to the property in one of her comments, saying that she spoke with the landlord about everything up front.
It sounds like they were okay with some light cosmetic changes as long as the Threads user agreed to undo her changes once it came time to move. She also explained how she used contact paper to make some of the bigger upgrades (like the kitchen cabinets), which she can take off whenever she wants.
That being said, she did admit to being offended by all of the accusations about her home when someone cracked a joke. “So does it mean you’re officially winning when your home is so gorgeous that a bunch of people think it’s AI,” they asked, prompting her to share her feelings.
Hopefully people start to realize the difference between generative AI and real life. Otherwise, they may miss out on stunning ideas like the ones shared by this decor-minded renter.
