The living room is very often the central room in a home, traditionally where guests are entertained, holidays are celebrated, and a great deal of “living” takes place. You want your living room to look fresh, warm, comfortable and inviting for your family and your friends. If your living room needs some sprucing up or a few decorative touches, there are many things you can do to enhance your living room, give it a new look, and also stay within your budget.
Ten inexpensive ideas for decorating your living room:
1) Rearrange your furniture
Do this first before you start any major decorating. Furniture rearranging is an easy and totally cost-free decorating maneuver, giving the room an instant new look. Once this is done, then look around and see what else you want to do.
2) Add a fresh coat of paint
Nothing creates a pleasant change more than a fresh coat of paint, especially if you change the color somewhat. Also, if you do the painting yourself, painting is one of the less expensive ways to enhance your décor.
3) Add some wallpaper
Wallpaper adds charm and beauty to any room. Wallpapering can be more expensive than painting but if you do the work yourself and buy your supplies at discount, wallpapering doesn’t have to be a budget-breaking project. If you like painted walls but would like some wallpaper also, paper one wall or run a border around the top. Save your leftover paper for patching and also for making accessories later on.
4) Replace your window treatments
Once the room has been painted or papered, hang some new curtains or drapery. Attractive window treatments can be one of the main focal points in a room. Place a few colored bottles or other glass objects in the windows for a lovely effect as the sun shines through.
5) Toss in a few area rugs
If your carpeting or flooring has seen better days but your budget can’t afford replacements, lay some reasonably priced area rugs over the worn spots. The fresh new rugs will perk up your room instantly and with little cost. Also keep an eye out for carpet remnants on sale that you could install yourself.
6) Spruce up your couch
The living room couch is typically another one of the main focal points in the living room. If yours is a bit lackluster, add a new slipcover and some attractive throw pillows. Do the same for other upholstered chairs that may need some sprucing up.
7) Create an accent wall
You can devote an entire wall or a portion of a wall to bookshelves, wall art, paintings, photographs, murals, plants, or any other purpose you would like to emphasize and draw attention to.
8) Accessorize
Add a few accents and accessories here and there to complete your decorating efforts. Some brightly colored throw pillows, a new lamp or two, a refinished coffee or accent table, a nicely framed mirror, all will enhance the charm of your living room. If you did decide to hang some wallpaper, use some of the leftovers and cover a lamp shade or line the inside of a bookcase, continuing the wallpaper theme in the room.
9) Introduce your personality
Bring your own style and personality into your decorating. Look through home decorating magazines, browze through antique shops, furniture stores and demolition warehouses that specialize in furnishings salvaged from old homes and buildings. You may stumble upon something absolutely fabulous that strikes your fancy and gets your creative juices flowing.
10) Think outside the box
Don’t limit your decorating efforts to a fresh coat of paint or some new throw pillows for your tired old couch. Be willing to try something new, daring and different.
For example:
If you always wanted a fireplace mantle to decorate but don’t have a fireplace, you can often find some wonderful old mantles at auctions, at the demolition companies, and also on the internet. Pick your wall, attach the mantle securely, then start your decorating! Add some tall candles, a few of your favorite artifacts, a couple of your treasured family photographs. For the holiday season, drape your mantle with fresh scented pine boughs, add a few pine cones and cranberries, and you have transformed your living room into a holiday wonderland.
How to stay within your budget?
1) Do most or all of the decorating yourself rather than hiring pricey professionals. Do your own painting and papering, make your own curtains or slipcovers, whip up your own creative accessories.
2) Never pay full price for anything. If you are clever and persistent, you can pick up most everything you need for well under full price. Wait for holiday, end-of-season and close-out sales at your local stores.
3) Routinely check out your local consignment and thrift shops, used furniture stores, flea markets, tag sales and auctions. You can practically furnish your entire home with goodies from these places and at very reasonable prices.
4) Whenever possible, make your own and grow your own. Plant some flowers to use for decorating. Grow your own herbs to dry and display in decorative baskets. Cut your own greens for the mantle. Sew and craft your own accessories. The more you can do yourself, the more money you will save and the more decorating you can do!
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