Roommates and Common Area?

I think that you shouldn’t expect them to automatically know this, but maybe you should discuss it with them in order to make sure that they don’t feel shafted. It’s a living space for you both and you have to both agree on it as you are both living there.

I agree with @mcbolden but leave yourself open to the possibility they might have something really special for the common area that you would enjoy.

I don’t think that’s too much to expect at all. I mean, it sounds like you worked really hard on it and that it looks really nice. I mean, I know I wouldn’t care. I’d be happy that someone already fixed it up and everything. If you let people come in a look at the place before they move in, I would just be upfront about it and say something like, “And this is the common area. I really spent a lot of time fixing it up and making it look this nice, so I’m really not looking to add or change anything at the moment.” And then maybe ask if there is anything that they would be wanting to put in there. You can decide from there if it’s doable or not.

Within reason, you should be able to make whatever agreement you want about common areas. Particularly if you’re the leaseholder, and the new roommate a sub-lessee. If the new roommate’s name is on the lease, however, they have all the same rights you do.

Seeing as it’s a common area, it would be unfair to give them no say in decoration, but if you make it apparent that you put a lot of effort into your current decoration, than at the very least you should be able to come to a compromise on the arrangement.