Everyone loves to design the way their homes look according to his/her own style and taste. But has your personal style ever stayed constant over the years? No, Right! We change with time, and what looked incredible to us before may seem tacky or outdated now. So, if your living room is starting to feel dull or just ‘not you’, but your bank account is saying ‘absolutely not’ to a full renovation, this blog piece is for you.
Sometimes changing a couple of things here and there is enough to brighten up a space. Here are some tips on how you can get your living space a full lift without pouring in all your savings.
Change the Layout
It may sound minor, but the layout of the living room is everything. If you’ve placed your sofa all the way to the back, try bringing it slightly away from the wall behind and angle one or two armchairs towards it. It instantly creates a cosy conversation area. Place your coffee table at a different angle if your space allows it, and keep it at arm’s length from the sofa. You can also define a corner by placing a bookshelf there and adding a decorative piece on the wall behind your couch. You’ll already see a big difference.
Update the Corner That’s Been Bothering You
There’s always that one corner in every living room. The one with the pile of magazines, jumbled-up chargers or a chair that has become an extension of your wardrobe. Please do something about it. Try removing everything that doesn’t belong there and add little antique pieces if possible. Just clearing one neglected corner can calm the whole room.
Replace the Flooring
Flooring makes the whole mood of any room. If you have an old, stained or dated carpet, try to get rid of it as a first step. If it’s too much for you to do alone, contact a carpet removal service, and their experts will clear your floor within minutes. Once the carpets are removed, you can either replace them with a new carpet or keep the flooring bare, whatever you want.
When you’ve had a carpet on for so long, you miss that feel of smooth, cold floor beneath your feet. If that’s you, try cleaning up the flooring, and if you see no need for a carpet, just go with a bare floor. You can always add a minimal rug beside or underneath your coffee table to make it look more classy.
Replace the Sofa Cushions With Fresh Covers
Upgrading your living room doesn’t always need new furniture. You can also make a big difference by changing your soft furnishings. Cushion covers cost just a small fraction of a new sofa, and will instantly transform the feel of your room. Autumnal warm tones, colourful linens for spring and textured materials in winter. Throw in a throw, and suddenly the whole room feels styled, not stale.
Paint One Wall
The best way to glam up your living space is by adding colour to the walls. But you don’t have to do it for all four walls. Just painting one feature wall can change the vibe altogether. A deep navy, muted sage or warm neutral wall behind your sofa can create dimension in the space, with everything in front of it popping.
More than anything, it is one of the least expensive ways to spruce up your space. Just be sure to try a patch first; what looks perfect in store lighting may feel much different once you get it home.
Adjust The Lighting
Overhead lights are rarely flattering. Though they can illuminate your room, they don’t really set a warm atmosphere. Stand a floor lamp in a corner or next to your sofa and add a table lamp on said sideboard. Use warm white bulbs, not glaring cool ones. Layered lighting gives your room a much softer and more intimate feel. You can also add some yellow lights on your walls if you like a mix of yellow and white lights.
Add Some Green
A plant immediately brings a living room to life. You’re not going to need a hundred pots. One large plant in a lovely pot is enough. If you’re not sure how well you’d do caring for plants, pick low maintenance ones that don’t easily die and can thrive on their own. Or you can compromise with a pretty good quality fake plant that looks alive and real. Plants can ease the vibe of your space, and can be very soothing when you’re stressed out.
Final Thoughts
You don’t have to do a full renovation or even have a designer budget to bring new life into your living space. You just need to be clever about it. Just a few updates within a low budget can do a decent job in lifting up the whole vibe of the room. Shift the layout, clear the clutter, upgrade the lighting, and do something about that flooring, and voila, a brand new vibe is awaiting you!!!