Renovating the home from time to time ensures the space meets the family’s changing needs. It also increases the home’s market value and allows one to fix safety issues. Since living rooms are considered the face of a home, they need special periodic adjustments. Fortunately, one does not have to spend a fortune on such projects. Homeowners can consider DIY-ing living room upgrades and investing in cost-effective living room decor trends to save money.
Use plants as living room decor
To freshen up the living room, one can buy low-maintenance plants and place them in vacant spaces. For instance, homeowners can hang planters on empty living room walls and place potted plants on coffee tables in the center of the room. While any plant will work, one can consider varieties with unique leaf shapes or colorful foliage to spruce up the space. If the living area gets less natural light, one can populate it with realistic-looking faux plants.
Plants are an affordable living room decor idea to fill the space with refreshing natural beauty. But if looking after a plant seems difficult, one can simply gather dried leaves and stems from the backyard and place them in a vase to create free living room decor.
Add an accent wall
Walls are among the first things guests notice when entering any room, so it’s important to ensure they look great. Adding wallpapers is one way to beautify walls and transform the feel of a living room. But not every wall requires wallpaper. For a budget-friendly living room makeover, homeowners can create an accent wall using inexpensive (yet upmarket-looking) peel-and-stick wallpaper. An accent wall is especially practical for people living in rented homes. Wallpapers are available for as little as $1.50 to $3 per square foot at retail stores.
Rearrange the furniture
Those who want to update a living room cheaply will have to work with what they have, especially when it comes to furniture because buying new chairs, tables, and sofa sets can be expensive. One way to save money is to avoid purchasing anything new and, instead, rearrange existing furniture. Rearranging furniture can change the layout of one’s living room and spruce things up at zero cost.
To enhance the living area’s aesthetics, one can create a focal point while rearranging the furniture. This can be done by placing chairs, couches, and sofas around the fireplace, a large window, or a large potted plant. If this sounds like too much work, or if one’s tables and chairs are damaged, one can purchase inexpensive living room furniture or repurpose old furniture.
Introduce textiles to the living room
Textiles and fabrics are a great way to get a stylish living room on a budget. They are useful for adding color, coziness, and texture to the space and making it more welcoming. Popular textiles include blankets, throw pillows, area rugs, and curtains. Those who have a sewing machine can make pillow covers, curtains, and rugs on their own to save on renovation costs. One can use different kinds of fabric, from vintage scarves to fabric remnants.
Update hardware and fixtures
Old and creaky hardware fittings and cabinets take the sheen away from living rooms. So, replacing them is necessary to give the home a renewed look and feel. Replacing dated brass hardware with fittings made out of brushed nickel or sleek black metal can make living rooms look modern and upmarket.
Some prefer to spray paint existing cabinets instead of buying new ones. This may seem like the perfect hack to get new-looking cabinets for a fraction of the cost, but one must remember that the paint will wear off easily and quickly, often needing reapplication.
Modify the lighting
It is hard to overstate the impact new light fixtures have on a room. Lighting modifications enhance the mood of the living area and make it more functional for reading and watching TV. One can include pendant lights and chandeliers in rooms with high ceilings. Additionally, one can use floor lamps in corners that need to be lit up. New lights can cost anywhere between $20 to $150, depending on their size and brand.
Use thrifted decor
Buying decor from a thrift store is a great idea for a small living room, especially when on a budget. One can also check out estate sales, flea markets, and antique shops to find objects that add style and substance to one’s living room. Thrift store living room finds may be cheap, but it may look like they cost a million dollars if displayed correctly.
Before buying anything from thrift stores, people must check whether the object is usable, whether it is the right size for their room, whether the price is right, and whether it matches the stylistic elements of their house.
Display vacation souvenirs or family memories
Personal art or photographs add warmth and nostalgia to one’s living room. One can place art pieces purchased during vacation on shelves or hang picture frames on the living room walls to lend the space some much-needed novelty.