Cost Effective Ways to Spruce Up your Living Room

Would you love to refresh your living room but afraid it will cost too much? Don’t be put off, our living rooms are a space to relax and unwind but they can also uplift our spirits. Here are some great cost effective ways you can spruce up your living room and reap the benefits.

Decide on the Mood You Wish to Create

Do you want to make your living room more sociable because you are spending more time in it with family? Or would you prefer a calmer retreat to escape from the stresses of the day?

Keep this top of mind as you plan your changes.

Reconsider the Layout

It may be you don’t need to add anything to your living room, just moving the furniture around will change the look. Start by rearranging furniture around one focal point in the room, for instance the TV, fireplace or coffee table.

Two sofas facing each other separated by a coffee table keeps the family focused on each other for conversation.

Alternatively if you prefer to relax in front of the TV, decide if your television is in the best place to arrange your furniture around.

This is a great time to get rid of any clutter you may have in the room.

Avoid placing large pieces of furniture in front of a window blocking natural light from flowing in.

Switch Rugs Around

A rug adds mood and atmosphere to a room, it can blend in with the furniture or be a feature. Ideally your rug should be centered and grounded by the surrounding chairs and sofas.

If you have a few rugs in your home in different rooms, switching them around will give each area a new look.

Paint the Room

This is an inexpensive way for you to make your living room feel fresh and new, it’s also something the family can have fun doing together.

Changing the paint colour is one of the most transformative and cost effective ways you can spruce up your room but it not easy selecting colours. Here are some tips on Finding the perfect paint colour.

Add Some Colour

There’s nothing quite like colour to add mood and atmosphere to your living room because it is the first thing you notice when entering a room.

Blues and greens will add a relaxing feel while the warmer reds, oranges and yellows will add warmth and energy.

The trick is to find a good balance between the two, so try and add a bit of warmth to cool colour schemes and vice versa.

Create a cohesive look by linking colours, for example selecting a paint colour featured in a piece of art, cushion or rug for the wall colour or feature wall.

Other ways to add colour include cushions, throws and beautiful vases and flowers.

Include Different Textures

If your living room is looking a bit boring, then perhaps you need to consider adding more texture. A bland neutral scheme becomes much more interesting when different textures are introduced like wool, sisal, wood, metallics and glass for example.

Think of shiny and matt, coarse and smooth, hard and soft. A great way to do this is to include items that are handmade like a ceramic vase or basket.

Consider Art for Personality

I believe art adds soul and personality to a room, there is nothing quite like sitting down and being surrounded by a piece of art that you truly love.

In addition to adding beauty, art also provides inspiration for the rest of the decor scheme by inspiring a colour palette that goes with it or alternatively complementary colours that will enhance it.

Introduce Plants

Not only do plants balance decorating schemes, they absorb CO2 and release oxygen which means they are good for our health. Adding greenery to your decor scheme reduces stress as well as brings the outdoors in.

Layer your Lighting

Think about the light you need in your living room:

• Do you have enough natural light coming in?
• Could you do with a reading lamp next to your armchair?
• Do you have some pretty lamps in another room your could use in the living room?
• Candles are a wonderful way to add mood and atmoshphere.

Think about Sustainability

Before deciding on anything new, think about how you could renew or reuse an item of furniture.

Outdated furniture can be given a contemporary new look with a coat of paint, so consider repainting before replacing furniture.

In conclusion, if you intend buying new items to spruce up your living room, check that they are sustainably sourced. Not only will you feel better about your purchase but you will be contributing to a healthier planet too.