Your living room is the heart of your home. It’s where you relax, entertain, and congregate with family, friends, and other guests. And if there’s one room in your house that should be a direct reflection of who you are as a person, it’s this one.
6 Living Room Makeover Tips
If your living room is generic, dated, cold, lifeless, or otherwise tired and unattractive, you should try giving it a makeover. And contrary to popular belief, a makeover doesn’t have to be intensive. All it takes are a few simple tweaks.
Don’t believe us? Well, we have some tangible ideas for you:
1. Rearrange the Furniture
“For the least expensive update of all, just work with what you’ve got,” Claire Paquin writes for HGTV. “A new furniture arrangement will do wonders in updating your living room’s look and functionality. Grab a friend and start moving pieces around until you find an easy-to-flow arrangement that’s ideal for conversing or watching movies.”
If you have a large living room, consider creating a couple of different seating areas. For a smaller space, pull everything out to the edges to create a more open, airy feel.
2. Let There be Light
Nothing kills the vibe of a living room quite like darkness. This isn’t a home theater or basement man cave – it’s supposed to be a cheery place for gathering and entertaining. Be mindful of lighting!
Natural light is the first priority. Get rid of thick drapes and go with something that lets in more light. As far as artificial lighting goes, swap out cheap fixtures with some newer, more luxurious alternatives. This is a cost-effective way to change the look and feel of your living room.
3. Introduce Pops of Color
Monochromatic and/or neutral color schemes are very popular at the moment. And while they look good, it’s easy for them to feel lifeless and tired. You can overcome this by introducing tasteful pops of color.
Throw pillows, artwork, and accent chairs are perfect vessels for color pops. This is your chance to go a little a crazy and do something totally different. If you end up not liking it, it’s an inexpensive mistake.
4. Makeover the Fireplace
The fireplace is the focal point of the living room. This makes it your most powerful tool for visual change.
A fireplace makeover – meaning a redesign of the fireplace surround – doesn’t have to be complicated. Consider buying a new fireplace mantel – such as a reclaimed wood beam or custom molding – and swapping out the existing one.
If you have a tile surround that you no longer like, you have a variety of options. You can paint the tile, replace it with something else, or even install a brick veneer directly over the top.
5. Dress Up the Walls
Nothing screams “boring” quite like a bunch of painted drywall. You can make up for this lack of character by dressing up walls with something fun, unique, or eclectic.
Options include accent walls, hanging mirrors, a mural, built-ins, or a gallery wall. This latter option is especially powerful (and inexpensive).
As Architectural Digest mentions, “Nothing adds personality and color quite like a gallery wall. Display a collection of art or photographs, or add wall hangings and other ephemera. Opt for simple, cohesive frames or bring in an array of ornate variations to mix things up!”
A gallery wall also helps stretch your eyes toward the ceiling. If you have a smaller space with low ceilings, this is a fantastic way to visually enlarge the space.
6. Use Unique Materials
Next time you walk into a room that has character and charm, make a mental note of the individual items it contains. You’ll notice that it has a variety of unique materials. This may include a combination of leather, stone, wood, ceramic, upholstery, plants, metals, etc.
You don’t have to go crazy with materials, but it’s certainly nice to have an eclectic mix. If nothing else, it helps your living room feel lived in.
Discover Your New Look
Your living room should be the personification of you and your family. It needs to represent your personality, character, interests, and tastes. How you accomplish this will depend on numerous factors, including your budget, creativity, abilities, and motivation. But hopefully, this article has provided you with a few useful tips and suggestions that you can act on.