Renting is Interior Design's Red Headed Step Child

We have really settled in and are starting to make this house our home. I have started to watch entirely too much HGTV and have been scouring blogs looking for design inspiration. You want to know what I have learned? Not much! It seems the home design world has forgotten about us renters. How frustrating is it to fall in love with an idea only to be limited by the constraints of your rental agreement. Even though you would love those wood floors there is no way your property manager will allow you rip up the carpet. Oh and that beautiful shade of gray that would look great in your guest bedroom would require approval and for you to purchase an extra gallon of the owners color so that when you vacate said property you can paint it back to that dreary neutral shade that is stock in new builds. I have been looking for ways to spruce up and "design" our house but I'm not going to lie its not easy being the red headed step child of the design world. So without much motivation or inspiration I press on in hopes of uncovering some design ideas that I can incorporate into my "temporarily borrowed" abode. As I finish a room I will pass on the advice. I know many people have got to be in my situation right?