PS if you think this looks good, you may want to skip this article. (via uglyhousephotos.com)

Do you want to change the colors of your apartment? I encounter a lot of renters who do.  Standard issue "Landlord White" is a pretty boring and sterile color. Many renters these days are coming back from being homeowners, while others have grown up watching HGTV decorating shows and want to assert their own style in their living space.

Some landlords, especially the larger management firms, may allow you to pick from a palette of soft, neutral colors when you move in. Others just go with the "any color you like as long as it's white" route. Either way, if your tastes run towards bold colors you're probably not going to find much love in the apartment market. White paint is cheap and gives apartments a nice, clean look, so it's become the industry standard for new apartments. Unfortunately, landlords learn quickly that tenants love to use funky colors but vanish when it's time to put them back to normal. It may be difficult to find a landlord who's willing to cooperate with you in achieving your decorating ideas.

Even so, if you want to try and change the colors, here's the route to take: (more…)