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When you rent an apartment, it's unlikely that you can do a lot of major redecorating. If you are renting a home, there may still be restrictions but you will probably have a bit more leniency in what you want to do, depending on the personality and preferences of the homeowner. There may still be restrictions on what you can do with the home's interior if the landlord does not want to see major modifications of the home. However, there are some homeowners who would absolutely love it if you improved the house's interior. The latter type of owner may allow the renter a great deal of freedom in their decorating options.

As a Renter, How Much is Too Much?

Your budget should be the first consideration before you spend anything on improving the rental home. Since the rental home is not your property, how much money are you willing to spend for someone else's benefit?

Some homeowners may allow the renter to make minor decorating changes such as hanging pictures, painting the walls or installing shelving. Extensive decorating work such as replacing the flooring, tearing down walls or adding skylights might not be considered acceptable by some property owners. The homeowner might approve of this type of extensive work so long as the work is to be done by a a licensed professional. When it comes down to it, though, why on earth should you pay a lot of money in making major improvements to someone else's property when you receive no tax or other benefit? You are better off compromising your tastes with minor interior decorations and improvements and saving your money for a down payment on your own property.

Before Spending Money on Redecorating Your Rental Home, Check with the Homeowner

Read and understand your rental agreement before investing anything in interior decorating. There may be specific prohibitions about painting or other activities in the contract. It is unlikely that the lease will spell out each and every possible type of redecorating activity or improvement, so check with the owner before making modifications to the rental house. It is a good idea to obtain a written approval by the homeowner of your interior design plans.

If It Is Unclear What You Can Do, Don't Do It

As a renter, if you're not sure whether you can perform a specific decorating activity and you are unable to reach the property owner, it's best to not make any changes. Spending money on interior improvements to a rental home may backfire on you, especially if the homeowner demands that you to undo the changes.

Some Inexpensive Decorating Tips

Regardless of whether you are renting a home from a person who permits a lot of changes or is very restrictive, there are some easy things that you can do to upgrade the interior of your rental house. Best yet, you can keep these improvements and take them to your next home (preferably, the one you buy) instead of investing in someone else's home that will not benefit you in the long haul.

RUGS - If the tile or carpet in the rental home is stained or just plain ugly, cover it up with area rugs or throw rugs.

ART AND PLANTS - If the wallpaper is hideous and you're not allowed to repaint or change the wallpaper, hide it with some nice artwork. Large, leafy houseplants like Ficus trees add a touch of class to a home and can cover otherwise ugly spaces.

DECORATIVE FURNISHINGS - Nice furniture will change the look of a rental home. An affordable option is a futon. Cheap futon covers are available in a variety of colors and patterns that can change the look of a room. Add a few throw pillows for color and the room will look much different. For cramped spaces, futons are great. Use them as a couch or chair by day and a bed at night.

LIGHTING - Play with light to create a sense of ambiance and draw the eye toward art or other features in the room instead of the defects. Traditional lamps, canister lamps or tree lamps can be used to direct light. Just plug them in and don't worry about having to change the light fixtures or having to install dimmer switches.