Is your living room in need of an update, but you don't want to spend a fortune?
Our interior stylists have put together their top ten ways to refresh your living space without breaking the bank. From ideas that don't cost anything at all, to how to make a little go a long way.
#1 Rethink Your Living Room Layout
By reimagining your space, you can completely transform your living room.
Rearrange key furniture pieces, such as the sofa, armchairs, and the TV to not only change how the room looks, but how you experience it when you’re using it.
For example, consider rearranging your furniture to shift the focus away from the television, creating a cosy ambiance around your coffee table. This way, you can enjoy each other’s company while you relax, making quality time and special moments the centrepiece of your living space.
Top Tip - Remember to think about how you use the living room, where the doors are, and how you need to move around the space. Avoid placing the sofa somewhere that blocks an entryway, why not place it under the window, or against one of the other walls?
#2 Focus on the Fireplace
(image courtesy of @renovations_at_no7)
If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your living room, make the most of it!
There is nothing better than sitting around and enjoying the warm and cosy feeling of an open fire on a cooler evening. So, ensure you’re not blocking the fireplace or passing up on opportunities to make it even more inviting.
Make your fireplace look its best with a mantel beam, and some beautiful fireside accessories to keep the hearth clean and tidy.
#3 Add Colourful Soft Furnishings
If you want to change the colour theme of your living room, why not add some colourful new soft furnishings?
Choose cushions and throws in colours that you love. They’ll give your living room an instant refresh, and a soft blanket over the end of a sofa is great for snuggling up in the evening.
#4 Create a Gallery Wall
(image courtesy of @colourmadetheroom)
If you don’t feel like splashing out on a variety of prints and posters, how about creating a gallery wall that reminds you of the amazing times that you’ve had?
Do you have a stash of memorabilia from holidays, gigs, trips to the theatre or family days out? Don’t leave them in the drawer any longer! Create a gallery wall to house your treasured memories. Use a mix of picture frames, and place them together alongside your home’s favourite artwork.
Then, you’ve got an amazing new feature wall that is guaranteed to make you smile every time you’re in the room.
#5 Make A Reading Nook
Do you like to curl up with a good book? Dedicate a corner of your living room to your hobby.
Move an armchair into an alcove, or just a little bit further away from the rest of the furniture. Throw a cosy blanket over the arm and add either a floor lamp or a warmly lit lamp to a side table to create the perfect place for a cosy reading evening.
A bookshelf will also add to the aesthetic of your new reading nook, whilst also keeping your favourite books within easy reach. Our Ouseburn Bookshelf is a statement storage piece for the most stylish of alcoves.
#6 Add Some Greenery
Updating your living space with plants is a great way to refresh the look of your home on a budget.
Studies have shown that they can improve the air quality in our homes, and could potentially remove harmful toxins from the air we breathe. Aside from these benefits, they look pretty and don’t break the bank.
Add a large plant in a corner, or next to a piece of furniture. Smaller plants look lovely on coffee tables, or on a shelf. You could even add a plant in a hanging pot to showcase some greenery in a novel way.
Just don’t forget to water them!
#7 Change Your Lighting
(image courtesy of @clean_and_cosy_home)
Lighting has a big impact on how a room feels.
Choose warmer toned lights for a more relaxing feeling in your living room, or whiter lights if you prefer a fresh and modern feel. Just by changing a bulb, a lamp shade, or replacing one table lamp, you can transform the ambience of your living space.
Top Tip - Choose shades which cast a shadow pattern onto your walls for an eye-catching new feature to instantly update your space.
#8 Add Shelving To Alcoves
(image courtesy of Kyran Burrows)
Another quick way to instantly transform alcoves in your living room is to add open shelving.
This styling tip is also a great way to add an additional storage solution to your space. Use the open shelving for storage, and fill them with books and memorabilia. Or, if you prefer, you could keep them simple and position key accessories and treasured possessions to create a minimalist display.
Top Tip - For a touch of glam, why not backlight opening shelving in an alcove with LED strips? Simple but oh so effective.
#9 Paint a Statement Wall
(image courtesy of @_lifeatdallas)
If you’d like to add a new colour to your living room, injecting a little colour with a statement wall is a great idea. Make a focal point and add the colour of your dreams to refresh the look of your space.
Statement walls work wonders in monochrome living rooms. Choose a dark colour that ties in with existing features of your space to pull it all together. Then, be bold, and carry the colour from your feature wall through to other areas of the room.
Deeper colours will make the room feel warmer and cosier, whereas lighter colours will achieve a brighter and more open look.
#10 Add A New Coffee Table
(images courtesy of @r_h.home and Darren)
A new coffee table, placed in the middle of your seating area, can completely change the look and feel of your space. And, you don’t need to spend more than a couple of hundred pounds to do that.
Our collection of coffee tables, all made in our UK workshop, start from just £195, and they come with a 25 year guarantee!
