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How to modernize your living room


7 Ways to Upgrade Your Living Room on a Budget

Home & Living

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There’s never been more interior design inspiration at our fingertips than there is right now. Between magazines, blogs, Instagram, and Pinterest, most of us aren’t short on ideas of how we’d like our living space to look. The thing many of us are short on? Cash money. Not to worry–I’m raising my hand too.

It may feel discouraging to not be able to order your dream couch or investment light fixture for your living room (yet!), but that doesn’t mean we have to resort to living in an uninspiring environment. You don’t have to make do with fluorescents and clutter in order to stick to your monthly budget. Keep scrolling for seven budget-friendly updates you can make to your living room that will have you quickly enjoying all the creature comforts of home. 

 

1. Swap overhead lights for table lamps

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If I’ve said it once I’ve said it a million times: stop using bright overhead lights at home. Studies show that softer, warm light inherently makes us feel more relaxed, while cooler, bright light (often found in overhead lights in office or commercial spaces) increases our productivity and makes us feel more alert. Nine times out of 10, your living room is meant for unwinding. Opting for table lamps (Hot tip: use warm-colored light bulbs) is one of the quickest and most foolproof ways to immediately change the vibe of your space. Plus, table lamps add a sculptural element and double as art. 

 

2. Add an accent chair

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If you can’t afford to replace a worn-out sofa, try elevating the overall look and feel of your space with a less expensive accent chair. I’d recommend choosing something that you can see continuing to evolve with your space over time as you are able to make updates. These chairs from Tanieka of This Borrowed Home were sourced from Craigslist, and their versatile size and shape means that they can easily move all around the home. 

 

3. Infuse pattern and texture with throw pillows

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Adding throw pillows to your seating areas is a great solution if you’re finding that your space feels unfinished or lackluster. The best thing about this update is that it’s minimal commitment, so you can swap patterns and textures with the seasons, or your mood! I love velvets and rich colors in fall and winter, but generally opt for neutrals and linen textures in warmer weather. While there are plenty of high-end pillows on the market that can break the budget, you can also find tons of budget-friendly options at places like Target, Wayfair, Amazon, or Etsy. 

 

4. Style your coffee table

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It doesn’t have to be much, but even adding a candle and a jar of flowers to your coffee table will do worlds for your living space. Fresh or faux flowers add height and texture, while items like candles and coffee table books infuse color and bring in sculptural elements. This update can be easily adjusted to suit your lifestyle, so feel free to go as simple or as extravagant as you please. 

 

5. Hang thrifted artwork

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I have a bad habit of letting artwork sit in boxes for months after moving into a new home, but I’m always stunned by how quickly a room comes together once I finally hang up all of my thrifted pieces. Art can quickly bust the budget, but there are always tons of options to choose from at the local thrift store, making it easy to get away with spending just a few bucks. I love the way vintage art immediately adds soul to any room, no matter how cookie cutter the bones may be. 

 

6. Create stylish storage with woven baskets

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Clutter can quickly kill the vibe of your living room, but we can’t always help the reality of having ~stuff~, especially when it comes to kids or those of us who work from home. Instead, keep extra storage on hand by way of woven baskets, which can quickly become home to everything from toys to extra blankets, or, in my case, notebooks and a computer keyboard. This update is incredibly functional and affordable–most thrift stores will have extra baskets you can scoop up for just a few dollars–but it also adds a ton of texture to an otherwise simple living space. 

 

7. Replace the furniture set with second-hand accent tables

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Furniture sets are incredibly tempting, I know. Who doesn’t love a one-stop shop where you can buy your side tables and coffee table all at once? Sadly, this approach doesn’t leave much room for juxtaposition, which is a key ingredient in just about every home that you’ll see gracing the pages of your favorite design magazines. Even if replacing the entire set isn’t possible at the start, try swapping out one or two of the accent tables for a second-hand option that contrasts the others. This quick trick will immediately lend a bit of character to the space and make your entire living room feel more collected and personal. 

 

11 Modern Living Room Ideas to Upgrade Your Lifestyle

Your living room is where the social part of the home life takes place, a space designed to be used as you decide: entertaining, spending time with family, skateboarding, watching TV, or waiting for Santa Claus while enjoying the jolly fireplace entertaining system. The following examples will help you create your own version of the ultimate living room. Just add… you.

Instead of rummaging through your living room in search of comfort, you could be lounging carelessly in your highly functional living room where there’s a place for everything and everything is in its place. These living room design ideas guide you through the design maze and help you figure out what actually makes you want to live in the living room.

Always reminding you of what is strictly necessary  – you don’t need much while lounging on your dearest chair or resting on your favorite sofa – a curated living room is like your life’s book you left open before guest’s eyes. But if you ever find yourself in need of anything, it would be a panoramic view of an unrivaled landscape.

Create a living room with a panoramic view

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A stunningly eye-catching panoramic view promotes the deeply desired lifestyle in permanent contact with the surrounding landscape. And when you have a view like that, it’s inhumane not to open your flawless living room to nature’s entertaining system. A decadent feeling of awe floods you when you know you’ve made the best of every panoramic angle available around your living room.

Make your small space compact, yet elegant

Dariusz Jarzabek / Shutterstock

Homes are not always dramatic and dazzling, but details make a huge difference even in the most compact spaces. Take this home as example: comfortable furnishings and colors create a parlor room where socialization is key. The fireplace and floor-to-ceiling windows leading to a terrace are massively charming, but all the details shape a elegant yet snug living room.

Try an eclectic-style living room

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If you are looking for an affordable way to make your home look like a luxury hotel, remember to have the living room well-organized from the beginning. An eclectic style like this one helps the living room reach its maximum potential. A respectfully chosen color palette, mirrors and artwork make way for an elegant living room design.

Add a touch of luxury

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Adding a touch of glamour to your modern living room can inspire your daily activities to become more centered around your own preferences and hopes about the future. This spectacular living room design might have the details you can borrow to add a little bit of five-star luxury to your everyday life.

Don’t hesitate to add a pop of color

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Living room ideas can come from small spaces. An educated eye for details can create colorful spaces that seem larger, brighter, happier. A colorful living room needs simplicity and functionality to be stunning and this one has clearly been thoroughly organized.

Make it transparent

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Daring to use glass walls in your home could be surprisingly helpful and visually attractive. This house boasts a transparent living room, where a neutral color palette was attractively contrasted by dark  frames that add depth to the view. This solution allows a visual connection between space that runs all the way outside, thanks to transparency.

Add a modern touch to any style

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This beach house’s living room reflects a relaxed atmosphere rich in comforting textures, a balanced color palette and spaciousness inviting to socialization. It is an example for those searching for a way to transform their living room layout into the main social space. With an open kitchen nearby, cooking, eating and lounging become a continuous energetic flow.

Go bold

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A luxury living room with bold features can keep you on your toes and an eclectic, vibrant mix can mean the difference when it comes to your desire to return to a comforting home. You can make your home look like you’ve hired an interior designer. Redefine elegance by using the right pattern and color combination. Choose the right decorations and details to make your living room luxuriously luminous and enjoy the results alongside friends and family. You earned this.

Stick to one color

Antoha713 / Shutterstock

A monochromatic living room can easily gather inspiration from nature only to maintain a powerful connection to our natural environment. Prints and textures compose the extra dimension needed to bring a refreshing, cozy feeling to a white living room. Light-colored wood is not only a trendy choice, but also an easy way of earthing the overall living room design.

Make your living room functional

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Living rooms created for sharing social moments and relaxation are easy to spot: the more places to sit, the merrier the social gatherings. Yet another home impresses us with its functional living room. Essential to creating that feeling of home we all search for was keeping the design simple, functional and elegant.

Add some texture

New Africa / Shutterstock

Textured living rooms that display different hues can virtually showcase your affinity for a toned down or a vibrant elegance. Choosing to adorn your sofa with pillows, your walls with art and your living room with beautifully functional pieces shows your home is more than a social hub, it’s also a captivating realm where you feel wonderful alone just as you do alongside friends and family.

Have yourself a happy living (room)!

Helpful Expert Tips — INMYROOM

Tips

Paint the walls in a neutral hue, add some bright accents, choose comfortable stylish furniture - these and other steps will bring you closer to creating the living room of your dreams

It is customary to allocate the most spacious room in the house for the living room in the house - for a good rest and reception of guests. This is where the family gathers in the evening to play with the kids, watch movies, share news and have a cup of cocoa.

First of all, it is important to create a family relaxing atmosphere here - this can be done with the help of the right finishes and accessories. Of course, the design of the family room reflects the inner world and interests of the owners. In order for the interior of the living room to please all family members and not give off old-fashioned, it is enough to follow certain rules and not be afraid to experiment with style.

Designers from the Romanoff & Wood studio told us what to look for when decorating a living room.

Romanoff & Wood interior design studio was founded in 2010. For 5 years, the company's designers have been developing and implementing design projects for residential and commercial interiors, decorating interiors, seasonal and festive decoration of shopping centers. During its existence, the studio has implemented many projects of varying degrees of complexity.

1. Create a neutral background

When choosing wallpaper or wall paint, choose pastel, warm and light shades. These color combinations help to relax and feel comfortable. The best option would be white, beige, pale green, light brown and blue. For the general background, do not use overly bright shades. Instead of creating an atmosphere of peace, they are annoying and unnerving.

The color scheme should consist of 2-3 primary colors that can be used for various design elements. For example, bright curtains will make the window the center of the interior composition, diverting attention from the design flaws of the room.

2. Add bright details

Complement a calm and unobtrusive background with a few bright elements - vases, furniture or colorful pillows. In the interior it is necessary to use several similar touches: the main thing is not to overload the space.

A good solution would be to place a fluffy or fleecy carpet on the floor in the living room, which will simultaneously create a cozy atmosphere and become an original detail that attracts the attention of guests. Rectangular carpets can be replaced with models of original shapes that follow the contours of the furniture or the room.

3.

Use a variety of materials

Decorating the interior of the living room, experiment with materials, combine different textures - use wood, glass, metal. Plastic will be appropriate in minimalist high-tech living rooms. Despite the high functionality, such interiors cannot boast of a homely atmosphere, but they impress guests much more than classic ones. The balance between comfort and impressive interest is the key to the perfect living room. Textile furniture, pillows and draperies can be selected in the same color - in this case, use a different texture.

4. Choose stylish furniture

Furniture sets made in the same style lost their relevance 5 seasons ago. Combinations of various models of furniture, united by one element - material, upholstery color or texture, are enjoying increased popularity today.

In a modern living room, a large easy chair is indispensable - it is it that acts as a symbol of comfort and homely atmosphere. An ottoman and a coffee table will become indispensable elements of a modern interior. In addition to the obvious practicality, these versatile elements easily fit into any design concept.

5. Experiment with decor

Decorate your living room walls with things that reflect your interests and hobbies. It can be shelves with books or some trinkets like porcelain dolls, paintings or photographs. Remember that light walls with a small number of objects on them and mirrors visually make the room larger - a spectacular technique in case of limited space.

One area of ​​the wall can be painted in a different color to match the decor of the furniture or upholstery. Hang pictures or decorative items here, or leave the space empty.

6. Don't forget the right lighting

Use complex lighting fixtures with multiple lighting modes for your living room. This is a multifunctional room - you may need both bright and subdued light. In addition, proper lighting also visually increases the area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe room.

Dimmed light works best in the living room - it creates a cozy atmosphere in the evening or at night. Hang a discreet central chandelier or a few wall sconces above the sofa - simply and effectively.

How to improve the interior of the living room and choose an inexpensive sofa

For many owners, the interior of a living room in a small apartment is the arrangement of a room for receiving guests or friendly gatherings. It is important not to make a mistake with the style, then the hall will be well decorated, it will be possible to organize a large family dinner or arrange an evening for watching movies. If you have already made a renovation, just choose inexpensive sofas, armchairs or poufs to match the overall style and place them according to the planned layout.

Are you just going to furnish the living room? - then think ahead design. The fashion for “rich design” has already passed, today they prefer zonal separation in the room and practicality. If everything is done with taste, the hall will furnished presentably and beautifully.

Arrange accents

If you do not place accents, the living room interior will turn out “tasteless” and your guests will not be able to appreciate it. You don't need to complete everything monotonous and hang one large chandelier in the middle of the room, with such equipment, you will not be dividing the space into separate zones.

It is better to focus on a few details:

With accents, you can mask imperfections, because guests will focus on beautiful details. If you want to expand space in the room, decorate it in bright colors and put one or several mirrors. Will look good in the interior of the living room in the apartment bright wallpaper, but this design is suitable for noisy companies or a perky family supper.

Combine old and new

Don't want to renovate? - then try to choose a design to the existing interior. If the house is old with high ceilings, you can take decorative furniture, and hang pictures and stylized sconces on the walls. In such large round mirrors take the living room, and wide velvety mirrors are hung on the windows. dark curtains. Do not forget about the chairs, take the model "rocking chair" or wide with armrests.

Under the old wallpaper, you can choose a sleeping sofa with a patterned pattern or with a cape, which is framed under the overall design.

Place carpets on the floor near the sofa, but small ones. Today, different options are available for stretch ceilings in matte color and with a pattern, shades are easily selected for any room. The old living room is better divided into at least two zones - in one part of the room they usually put a table with armchairs, and in the other - a sofa for relaxation. Lighting is chosen according to your own taste.

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