No matter how much time, effort and money you invest into decorating your home, even the most perfect interiors can start to look a bit bland and in need of a refresh. The living room is one of the places we spend most of our day, so it’s only natural to become tired of our surroundings from time to time. While it can be exciting planning to redecorate your home, we’re not always in the position to pay for the expenses that may come with it. Luckily, you can update your living room and save money at the same time with these helpful tips!
Upcycle and recycle
Upcycling is the number one money saving way to spice up your interiors, and make your living room look even better than before. If you have an old piece of wooden furniture that could do with some attention, why not reinvent it by painting it a new shade? This gives you a chance to really get creative with colour choices, and have the freedom to choose from different paint finishes such as chalk paint for a one-of-a-kind, rustic feel.
Recycling old items found in the home is also a perfect way to freshen up your living room without spending anything at all. A great way to do this is by turning a piece of unwanted patterned fabric into a stylish throw or wall-hanging.
Make you walls a feature
Rather than covering the whole room, why not make one wall a ‘feature’ with some glitter wallpaper or a lick of bold paint? Alternatively, you could create a photo wall in your living room with a mixture of photos or artwork that inspires you, perhaps looking for a colour scheme that will match your living room’s aesthetic. You can then buy some cheap black photo frames to make your images look the real deal, and hang them in whatever way looks best to your artistic eye. Alternatively, you can create your photo wall with family photo’s if you prefer a more personal, homely feel.
Buy a funky rug
If your wooden floors or worn out carpet is making your living room lose it’s magic, consider investing in a new rug. The right rug can do wonders for a room, giving the illusion of more space while also creating a relaxed and cosy feel. With tonnes of amazing cheap rug’s out there to choose from, there’s no need to spend a fortune on this easy room update.
Source second-hand
Buying second hand furniture and homeware is a good way to go if you’re looking to save some cash. Search through charity shops and car boot sales for bits and pieces that stand out to you, or look online for people in your area selling second-hand items. Pre-loved items that the owners are now sick of could be the solution to your worn-out room woe’s, and the perfect way to update your room with unique items you may not find elsewhere.
Go green
Plants are the finishing touch to any home, and all they cost you is a little bit of love and attention. Adding some greenery to your living room will brighten up the space and also improve the air quality, which is a huge bonus. Go for a large houseplant in the corner of the room, or create a row of tiny plants in beautiful ceramic pots, to easily update any shelf or coffee table.
How do you update your living room?
Plants, prints, rugs and a throws! These are a must for me to make my living roo feel more homey. The downside to renting a furnished place is we have had no say so in the bigger objects, which are ones we would never choose ourselves, so trying to cover them up or draw the eye elsewhere in the room is a must! I would love to do a bold coloured feature wall but I can’t be doing with the hassle of putting it all back to magnolia once we move out!
Sarah 🙂
Upcyling gets my vote I wish I had more time to do it. Why fill a landfill when someone else will love your used treasures. This year I am making a concerted effort to chuck out my unwanted things. Great tips Lucy x
Great tips! It’s actually the first time I’ve heard of upcycling, I think it’s a nice idea to re-paint and furnish old stuffs for a new look. Making a photo wall is also a great idea!
I’m so glad you included plants in this as that’s basically all I use to refresh a room haha! That and some new candles – IKEA is my best friend!
Amy xx
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These are super tips!! I love updating my home!! x
Such awesome tips! I have tried painting the walls with bold colors mostly to revamp my living room, will give other tips a try too 🙂
xx
I want to have some plants in the living room, but I can’t seem to find where to put them. So far I would bring some colour with a bunch of flowers and that works nice too.
A fancy rug will liven up a space fabulously, I have always said, when in doubt just buy a rug. LOL! And yes, I too source second hand decorative pieces, there are some really lovely ones for almost nothing.
These are fab ideas. I think that a feature wall or adding some new art is such a great and fun way to refresh a living space!
Hopefully we’re going to actually decorate our living room at some point! I definitely want a feature wall with a really lovely contrasting colour!! 🙂
I love just moving things around in my living room! and a simple lamp can make so much more of a difference! I really want to repaint mine at the moment though!
i love buying second hand/vintage as well. there’s lots of weird and wonderful things you can find! xx
I really like the idea of creating a photo wall 🙂
Good tips! I always update our living room with plants and flowers! I can really enjoy that!