whatever has been said..your landlord sounds like a real nice guy..:) unless of course you have agreement that your improvements hugely lower your rent? what I'd do though..if I was as handy and as eager as you.. -the mosaic in the kitchen where the backsplash is-hard to see whether a real backsplash or wallpaper? if wallpaper-get rid of it and repaint. if real mosaics-just repaint. ETA-ok reread your post..real mosaics. I love peel and stick options that do exist, but I'm not sure I'd go for them here..it's not so much mosaic as its placement..countertop backsplash plus mosaics plus wrap around..too much. And it won't be easy to find something that will work. But. Check your options. Etsy has pages upon pages of tile decals, for example. https://www.etsy.com/search?q=tile%20decals&ref=auto1&as_prefix=tile%20decals -you seem to have no space next to the stove..I know IKEA carries these narrow tables you know? or something of the kind..that you can put in between the stove and the fridge, have some landing surface, spot to place a pot you know -is the floor in the kitchen real tile or linoleum/vinyl? you can try and cover it with something if it irritates you of course(to me it's actually the worst offender. along with the blinds that I'd take out and put on curtains. but you're going to do that anyway). it can be tile decals, it can be floor cloth, it can be big inexpensive rug.. the rest of the kitchen, just deep clean and let be. new paint will make a huge difference -your door is fine..hard to see the living to make helpful furniture placement suggestion, but generally I find that sofa plus two chairs is the most versatile in most cases -the bathroom is cute and blue in cabinets picks up the flooring. Wallpaper is best to go though since it clashes with flooring. Clean the grout..and ask your landlord to change faucets etc if they're problematic. If they're not but you hate them-well maybe you can split the price. New paint, shower curtain that you love-and you're good. What's your style preference? I'm crazy about shower curtains so can look them up and suggest for you, and would be my pleasure:) you do need some "landing strip" as they call it..and I can't see whether youn can fit small dining table in the corner of the kitchen? .. if you want more suggestions about colors, furnishings, furniture layout and such, I recommend cross posting in Home Decorating forum. They(ok, us. lol) will ask you a bit more about dimensions, layout, preferences in style, budget, needs, etc. Congratulations on your first renting place, it's exciting..and good luck!

Any reason in particular why you are keeping the tv over the fireplace? That must be over 8' high. That's some serious neck strain. I would probably recommend a similar layout to the previous owner. It has lots of seating, divides the entry from the living area. The window looks fine with current shutters. If you do not have furniture, start with the rug first. Find one large enough for the room. Use the colors in the rug to guide you for picking out furniture. Artwork and other wall decor can come later once you have the basics. You could always put the tv on a stand to the left of the fireplace. Have fun.

You have a flair for decoration and your room is lovely. However, for a room to work comfort comes first and the animal skin looks like a tripping hazard and doesn't seem to leave room for a coffee table. Instead, find a large rug on which to place your furniture which will cover a good part of your space. Make it something beautiful and colorful. Everything here is beige and this room needs color badly. A geometric Oriental rug with mainly blues but also some warm tones would work well. However, if you prefer neutrals then go in that direction. Once the rug is in place I suggest a glass coffee table to break up the solid furniture pieces, or at least an ottoman that has long legs. I'd place another chair to the left of the couch to complete your furniture grouping. Please don't put an oversize monster there but rather a smaller but comfortable upholstered chair to complete your seating.

New modern art, rug, lighting, window shades and great looking sectional sofa that all work with the warm floors would get you off to a good start. It's not the mantel that's the problem, it's the enormous TV that needs to go on the side wall and the man cave sofa and chair. Work with your trim, floors, and cabinets but go a little out of the box with great well-designed fairly modern pieces. Go on Craigslist and see if you can find a wide console for the TV. Search for "midcentury or MCM console, sideboard, dresser" Art for over fireplace in this palette of golds, touch of blues, gold/orange, green you can echo in rug and pillow. Go online to Etsy and just put in "abstract paintings" and see what comes up. From your art, choose a rug--something like this with golds but with green from your art. Sectional sofa in camel/gold leather. Not a bunch of things in this photo--low lines of sofa; window treatment; great piece of art in corner; graphic rug You'll want a round coffee table to tuck into the "L" if you get a sectional. Go with wood with maybe a pullout to use from both ends of sofa. Get modern nesting sides tables as well so you and guests have a place to put down a drink while you're either looking at the fireplace or the TV --Get a modern round white tulip table for your kitchen dining area. It's too dark in there to be inviting. Bigger tulip table than this, but keep your current chairs so you don't have to change everything. Save your money to put same window treatments--roll-up shades in your bay window. Ikea has a decent sized tulip table. This shows how great any kind of dark chairs look in contrast with the table. While you're at Ikea, get a modern white pendant to drop over the new table: