If you find yourself looking around your living room and sighing in disappointment, it’s time for a change. But don’t think an update will hit you where it hurts—namely, your wallet. With a few simple fixes and updates, you can easily turn your living room into the fanciest room in the house. Here are several ways to give your living room a new look for little money.
The fastest and most effective way to upgrade any room is to do a deep cleaning. Remove the furniture, rugs, and anything else covering the walls and floors and go at the hardwood floors with a dust mop, vacuum, and thorough mopping with an oil soap or similar cleaner or polish. Launder the furniture slipcovers and give the rugs a thorough cleaning as well. Wipe down the walls. Repair any damage in the plaster or drywall with spackle or joint compound, sanding it down when dry and touching up the spot to match the rest of the room. If you can’t afford to paint the whole room, consider painting one wall with an eye-catching hue—this is called an accent wall, and it can bring new life to any room.
If you want to add a pop of culture, a cozier texture, or a generally stylish look, discard the old throw pillows, blankets, pillow covers, and slipcovers and replace them with new ones. These tend to be more affordable to replace than furniture and can make even an old couch, chair, or other piece look brand new. Don’t be too cautious. Picking up a variety of sizes, styles, and colors adds visual excitement to the room and brings a greater sense of newness to the space.
Here’s a way to bring a new look without spending a penny. After the deep cleaning, see how things look with the furniture moved around. Create a more open and inviting arrangement by removing unnecessary or outdated pieces. Reduce the amount of art on the walls, going for a more minimalist look. Organize books by color on the shelves or find a similar please aesthetic arrangement. Make the most of older pieces by repainting or refinishing them in your spare time, too.
Here’s the last of our suggested ways to give your living room a new look for little money. Visit thrift stores, resale shops, and antique fairs in search of deals on charming pieces. You’d be surprised at the amount of vintage and contemporary furniture, lamps, artwork, accents, and more available at these places, so take the time to search for that perfect piece. You can re-outfit an entire room for a song!