Sarah Warner’s hopes were high as she approached the two-bedroom bungalow up for rent in Echo Park. The price was reasonable, the location was great, and the place had plenty of curb appeal. When she opened the door, her heart sank. Bright white walls. Harsh, sterile lighting. And the coup de grâce: gray laminate floors. “As soon as I saw them, I knew it wouldn’t work,” she said. “Gray floors are my one dealbreaker.
” The theory is purely anecdotal, of course, and not indicative of everywhere in L.A. But several renters claim that oftentimes, male landlords aren’t concerned with design and not in touch with what renters want aesthetically. “I like my landlord and think he’s a great person to rent from. But he doesn’t care about interior design, and it shows,” Lackey said. Warner agrees.