As the name implies, we spend the majority of our time in the living room. It’s where we unwind at the end of a long day, where we entertain guests, spend time with the family, and where we feel most at ease. So, of course, we want our living room to be comfortable and look as nice as possible.
But how do you do that when you’re on a tight budget? Despite what you might see in luxury home décor magazines, you don’t have to spend a fortune. You can create a beautiful space with a few changes to the color palette or furniture layout and a few accessories.
Also, you can prefer Staircase Parts in your living room that make it more beautiful.
This guide will show you that even if your budget is limited, you don’t have to settle for boring.
Decorating on a Budget – The Basics
When we are thinking about redesigning a space, we usually start by watching TV shows on interior design or looking for inspiration in magazines. Then we see that the furniture and accessories featured in those TV shows and magazines cost a lot more than we can afford and we get demoralized. We start to think that we’re stuck with bland walls and worn-out furniture, and we should just accept our fate.
But that’s not true. There are a lot of things we can learn from those shows. We can learn how to coordinate colors, arrange furniture, use lights to create focal points, display wall art decors, and so on. But we usually see this being done in the most expensive way possible.
First, they remove everything from the room, which most people don’t do when redecorating. Then they replace all the items they removed with high-end pieces they’re paid to advertise. And since they have to finish filming the episode quickly, they’ll bring in a big crew to help them.
When you’re decorating your own home, especially on a budget, this is not the best approach. You don’t have to throw everything out and start from scratch. You can save a lot of money by keeping and repurposing the things you have. You can apply what you’ve learned to come up with new ways to adapt them to your vision.
On the other hand, if you really need money, you can always check on how to apply for a loan. Easy loans are available, and you have flexible payment options for your needs so that you can pay them back quickly. This way, you can buy something new and effectively decorate your living room.
Change the Layout
Simply rearranging the furniture can radically transform the look and feel of a room. The best part is that it is completely free. Sometimes the problem is that there are too many pieces in the room, obstructing traffic or making the space appear claustrophobic.
Some broad guidelines for furniture placement might be useful. Professional Picture Hangers tell us that you should hang your artwork as the focal point of the room, whether that’s over the fireplace or on the opposite wall of the TV. You arrange the furniture around this focal point but avoid pushing the furniture against the walls.
Many people make this mistake because they believe that it will make the room appear more spacious. Actually, the opposite is true. Leaving a few inches will make the room look bigger, and it will also protect the paint on your walls.
You’ll want to create conversation areas for when you have people over. The chairs and sofas should face one another and be near enough to allow normal conversation. Your guests should be able to talk in a normal tone and make eye contact without bending their necks too much.
Allow adequate room between the sofa and the coffee table so you can move around easily. Consider traffic flow for the rest of the room as well. You don’t want to run the risk of you or your guest constantly tripping over things.
In addition, decluttering could be your best friend when you’re on a budget. If your living room is crammed with too many things or knick-knacks, it will appear small, cramped, and too busy. It will also be harder to clean as more surfaces accumulate dirt and dust. Go through your things, keep only the essentials, and get rid of anything you no longer use or need. This idea will make the layout planning or decorating with furniture much easier and more convenient.
We also suggest taking measurements of the room and the furniture, as well as sketching out the layout. It will give you a better idea of what will fit and what won’t. This is especially important if you’re working in a limited space. But if you don’t want to sketch, there are a variety of free apps that can assist you. It allows you to explore different options without having to move furniture around a million times.
Make Your Own Home Décor: Throw Pillows
Sometimes, a room needs a few well-placed accessories to achieve the perfect look. One of the simplest things to do this is by adding throw pillows.
A few throw pillows will look great on your sofa and chairs. They make the space look more put together and inviting. But since they’re such popular décor items, they’ve gotten quite pricey lately. A throw pillow can cost anything from $20 to $200. But why spend all that money if you can make your own? It’s an excellent way to add a personal touch to your home décor and comfort to your seating. If you know how to sew a simple stich, you shouldn’t have any trouble. Even if you don’t know, you can learn it online for free – there are a ton of video tutorials.
Choose the fabric you want and cut it in the size you want. You’ll need two equal pieces that you place on top of each other. The plain side should be facing outward because you will pull the fabric right side out when you’re done stitching. Remember to leave about two inches on the side.
As you’d expect, there are a lot of video tutorials on making throw pillows as well. You can play around with different fabrics and personalize them with sash ribbon or prints.
Create an Accent Wall
Wall is probably the most underrated element in interior design. The right color or pattern can change a room’s ambiance and feel—it’s that powerful.
Accent walls are not difficult to create, and they can give your living room a more refined appearance. One approach is to simply repaint one wall a different color than the rest of the room. Another option is to look for removable wallpaper with a stylish design that complement’s the room’s color scheme.
You can also use stencils and make your own patterns. You can either buy ready-made stencils from home stores or search the internet for patterns. Then you trace the pattern of your choice onto cardboard. You cut out the part you want to appear on the wall. Next step is to stick the cardboard to the wall and paint.
A fourth option is to make a gallery wall. You can either print out pictures from the internet and arrange them to make an interesting theme, or you can make your own art. After you put them into nice frames, you hang them on the wall.
Add a Touch of Greenery
House plants are a simple and inexpensive way to brighten up your living area. They’ll not only look good, but they’ll also help to improve air quality. It’s amazing how bringing a little bit of the outside inside can make a space feel so much more welcoming and comfortable.
Look for matching pots that can also serve as ornamental pieces. Large plants are more expensive, but you can save money by buying several smaller ones and grouping them together.
Takeaway
Decorating your living room doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With creativity and some elbow grease, you can achieve the look you want without breaking the bank. Let your imagination run wild and have fun with it!