I would start by compiling a an idea board. A bunch of colors, shapes, styles, textures, etc that you both like. Then you can start getting key furniture pieces, and painting the walls. Then build your collection and add character as you go. Get unique things from swap meets, flea markets, yard sales, and even craigslist. Look for the style and build of the piece (you can always refinish it). My husband and I just got a new rental as well:)

That's a great idea! Your advice is REALLY helpful..I was seriously going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth from where to start in terms of buying actual items/paint...but making an idea board before just going out and buying things really makes sense haha I can't believe that I didn't consider doing that in the first place.

And congratulations on you and your hubby's new rental! Maybe we can stay in touch and bounce ideas off one another every so often...my boyfriend doesn't really have too much to say when it comes to stuff like this-

I agree that an ideaboard is crucial to coordinate the style and palette of the room(s) as a whole. I also think it's good, once you begin purchasing, to start with the most expensive item (in our case, this means the rug, but in most people's rooms it is the sofa). There is nothing worse than falling in love with a single piece of furniture and impulsively buying it, only to realize that you have now unwittingly committed yourself to a particular style or color palette that curtails your choices for the rest of the room.

Strawdawg, your boyfriend might not say much, but I bet he has preferences even if he doesn't know how to declare his decorating style. May I suggest you ask him if there's any piece of furniture or artwork that is important to him in any of the rooms. If there are one or two things he can say are important to him, then you can be sure to work that into your plan. It is super fun to create idea books here on houzz; the exploring and planning are so much of the fun of the process. Keep us posted!

I wouldn't tie yourself to an expensive rug at this stage of things. Ikea has so many interesting rugs at great prices that I think that decision could come later. I think you need to determine what furniture pieces you need to buy. What I would recommend is 1 sofa and 2 chairs. I would NOT get a loveseat. The sofa, 2 chair combo will be much easier to work with now and in the future when you move to a different place. I'd select solid, neutral colors. If you'll post a sketch of your new living room, with doors, windows and dimensions marked, we could give you more info on what you'll need in the way of furniture.

@Carolyn I agree with you, the sunroom and front room both have an awkward layout. I'll have pictures posted come Friday!!


Thank you all so very much with your suggestions...and I can't wait to hear more once pictures are posted!

We'll eagerly await them!

My friend moved a lot for her husband's job so her starting point was a painting that she liked and she pulled all the colors from that room and all the spaces kept it in mind. Its the same idea as an idea board.... sort of. Have fun!!

My husband and I live in military base housing, so not only are our home decor options limited but so is our budget!! We can't paint the walls, change lighting fixtures, etc. my husband really doesn't care about the decor, although he does have subtle preferences. Once you find a few styles you like you can ask him for his opinion and it will help you narrow it down.

We decided to go with an old library type thing in our living room, with purples and blues to get away from the traditional red look. We have a realllly weird rectangle shape living room and the bedrooms are small. But I found online there are a few different programs you can put the dimensions of the room in, and arrange the furniture. It helped sooo much! It's been really exciting! I found some amazing wingback chairs on Craigslist for 15$ each, a steamer trunk for 30$, a free tv stand, etc. our bedroom is a little more feminine with lighter colors and textures.

But remember that there's no rush! It's been fun collecting things that I fall in love with but if you don't see anything you like, don't buy anything! Ikea can be helpful but it's very distracting for me. Their setup and design is amazing, but at the end of the day their sleek modern lines arnt the look I'm going for. They do have some great peices though, I just always look online first to see if it would really fit my styling before I make the trip. :)

Hi, stephhhh, it sounds like you've done wonders with finding things to make your home beautiful, despite the restrictions placed upon you. It becomes a challenge, doesn't it, to find just the right thing at the right price! And you have succeeded! Let's hope your success will be inspirational to strawdawg.

Here are some pictures.. The first 2 are of the front room, the second 2 are of the sunroom which is currently being used as a bedroom. I think we re gonna need the most help with these bc we can't decide which we will probably use the most

Amazing rental! That sunroom is gorgeous, and the fireplace. Rental of my dreams;)
I would start by deciding what the rooms will be used for. Sitting, dining, bedroom, tv watching, etc. in my awkward rectangle living room we have the tv watching part and we have a seperate reading/sitting area.
Personally I would paint either the mantle par of the fireplace or the wood panelled wall, so that they stand out from each other. White or a white toned fireplace with a large mirror and metallic accents on the mantle?

I know that grief will rain down upon me with this question, but will your landlord let you paint the paneling that surrounds the fireplace? It could be white or mossy green. Perhaps it's been stated earlier in this narrative, but what state are you in? If it gets cold there in the winter, I'd start in the room with the fireplace, and not in the sunroom.

We are in Roanoke, va.. Hopefully the landlord will let us change that wood wall and deduct our expenses from the rent.. But yes, it does get cold in the winter

I agree to check with the landlord first, but I suspect many landlords would be happy to have a renter make improvements to the space. I know in my first apartment, as a graduate student, I painted the wood floors in my bedroom a beautiful light gray (they had been painted an ugly brown in the past but were no longer in good condition), and also painted the built in bookshelves, and all the walls. My landlady was thrilled with the improvements.

Don't be surprised if your Landlord grants permission to make changes which are improvements to his/her property but doesn't agree to deduct $ from your rent. I hope it all works out!

Speaking as a landlord, I would be a bit leery of having a tenant do DIY projects in my property. If a tenant asked me for approval to paint a room, I would probably tell them only if I'm able to check in with them when they have the room ready for painting. If the room needed painting, I would work with them to select a color and then bring it over and help them get started. If the room didn't need painting, then I would probably ask them to buy the material or go in 50-50, but I get to specify the product used.

Until I've seen the quality of workmanship from an individual, I'm not going to give them a blanket OK to work on the property. If I come over with the paint and I see drop cloths, good brushes, furniture moved out of the way etc, I'll probably stay to make certain that the project gets started satisfactorily and leave. But, if I don't think the tenant has the motivation or experience to do the job, I'l going to be leery of OKing the project.

I admire your attention to what is going on at your rental properties. You seem like a very fair landlord.

If the landlord will not allow you to paint the wood paneling you could if you are handy, stretch panels of fabric over a wooden frame (like a canvas is stretched over a frame for an artist's canvas). It looks like you could make 3 large ones - 1 one each side of the fireplace and 1 above the mantel. You should be able to just attach them at the edges. It could be any type of fabric just not something really heavy in weight (as in pounds), a large print, fabric with a border, a neutral, or a "canvas" for you or an artist friend to actually paint on.