It's easy to walk into a rental and see only the bad parts — poor lighting, bad flooring, old paint, etc. Forced to move, Victoria of SF Girl by Bay has made the best out of what initially seemed like a less than ideal new home.

The big takeaway from Victoria's madeover home is not just that she has great style and taste — her blog is proof enough — but that it is incredibly helpful and important to have a landlord you get along with and who truly values his or her property.

As Victoria tells it, the landlord "wanted someone to move in that would care for the cottage as if it were their own." Because he saw her dedication, her landlord was very flexible as far as painting walls, replacing lighting, and removing carpeting. While all renters might not be so lucky, we can all enjoy seeing the outcome of the landlord's flexibility and Victoria's hard work.

For more photos and details, visit SF Girl by Bay.

(Images: Victoria Smith)