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How to Decorate a Living Room on a Budget

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Your living room is the center of your home, and it should be a reflection of your personal style! It doesn’t have to be expensive too. In this post, I am sharing tips on how to decorate your living room on a budget!

With a bit of imagination and some elbow grease, you can save quite a lot of money and still create a welcoming living space that adds class and style to your home. From living room furniture sets to wallpaper, rug, lamps, and antiques. Here are a few tips and ideas on how to decorate your living room on a budget.

It may seem challenging how to decorate your living room on a budget, but with some creativity and hard work, you can turn your home into an oasis without breaking the bank to give it an expensive look, and It may be the first thing your guests see when they enter your home, so it’s important to get it right!

WHAT TYPE OF LIVING ROOM DO YOU WANT?

How to decorate your living room on a budget, you need to decide on the type of living room you want and how you want it.

For example, do you want a country style for a cozy feeling, a traditional style room with leather furniture, hardwood floors, or something like a modern look with glass tables and leather couches?

  • The size of your room will determine the type of furniture you buy at a reasonable price.

Once you have decided on the type of furniture, you can start thinking about the design process for the style and color you want. Also, you need to consider other things like size and shape when purchasing items such as a side table for your living room.

  • Take Measurements First!

If you have a large living room, purchasing larger items like couches and coffee tables would be the best thing, but on the other hand, if your room is small, it’s advisable to stick with more compact pieces such as end tables and lamps.

Tip: When planning out your living room design, be sure to get the measurements first so that nothing ends up being too big or too small.

How to decorate a living room on a budget with careful planning!

The easy way to give your living room new life and stay on a budget can make a huge difference with these tips!

  • LOOK INSIDE YOUR HOME

When decorating a living room on a budget, it is essential to look inside your home first. Take inventory of items you already have. Do you have spare items in another room that can be moved into the living room? This may include furniture, accent chair, rugs, antiques, artwork, lamps, mirrors, pictures, or any other decorative items.

You may be surprised at how much you can work with just what you have by being your own interior designer.

If you need to, you can always add a few new pieces to help tie everything together, but it’s best to start from the inside before going out and buying new things.

  • TAKE THE TIME TO DECLUTTER

One thing you should also do is take time to declutter. Take the time to go through your items and eliminate anything you don’t need or use. This will help make the space feel more open and inviting by making these simple changes. If you have too much furniture or decor, it can make a room feel crowded and cluttered.

Now that you have an idea of the kind of living room you want!

To create, you know what you need and get rid of what you don’t. However, there may be a few things you need to bring out your imagination, so let’s go shopping! Don’t get scared; we aren’t robbing a bank to do this, and we’re still keeping a low budget.

  • SHOP SECOND-HAND

Depending on what you have in mind, check out online stores; like the Facebook marketplace, consignment stores, thrift stores, estate sales, antique stores, flea markets, and second-hand shops for furniture or other items that can be repurposed at an affordable price. Trust me; you’ll save time and money this way.

  • ANTIQUES & THRIFT STORES ARE THE ONE PLACE TO GO TO SPARK UP YOUR INTERIOR DECOR.

You will be surprised at how much beauty and uniqueness an antique can add to your living room and how much attention it gets when visitors come by.

Check out affordable living room decor from thrift and antique shops and repurpose them creatively. (Check out my post on 5 tips for antiquing and thrifting on a budget).

  • USE A COLOR SCHEME

When decorating a living room on a budget, “never ignore your walls” in fact, you should start with the walls.

It’s important to choose bright but neutral color paint or wallpaper so that they won’t cause eye strain when someone looks at them for a long period.

  • NOT GOOD WITH COLORS? DON’T STRESS!

Magazines and the internet are good places to catch some inspiration. However, you can use a coordinating color palette to create an overall look for your space. This will help you avoid buying furniture and accessories that don’t match each other or your walls.

Here’s a quick tip: When choosing colors, keep in mind that neutral walls like tan, brown, and beige can be used with any other color without clashing. You’re welcome! 🙂

Once you have an idea of the colors you want to use, you can begin to look for accent pieces, such as a piece of artwork that will help pull the room together and give it a whole new look.

Creating natural light!

  • USE NATURAL LIGHT

Open windows whenever possible and ensure your room has plenty of natural light coming in from outside. You can add more light by adding lamps and table lamps to your room. If you have very little natural light, consider getting a skylight or other artificial lighting, so you don’t have to use as many lamps.

  • HANG CURTAINS

Curtains can serve as simple, neutral covers while also adding lovely texture, color, and pattern to window treatment ideas. For example, hang curtains on your room’s windows to create privacy and allow for more light in the room.

Replace old curtains with sheer curtains and add inexpensive sheer drapes over the window to cover up what’s behind them while allowing natural light to come through.

Create a Focal Point!

Create a focal point. What this means is that you will use all other objects in the room around this point to create an even more inviting atmosphere or attention.

For example, if you have an empty wall, choose one area of the wall and fill it with artwork that draws attention to itself.

This can be as simple as hanging a large mirror, a wall gallery, or painting a mural on the wall. Likewise, if your furniture arrangement leaves an empty space on the floor where there’s no table or other piece of furniture, place something there that will attract attention, like a statement rug or colorful plants in pots.

Use furniture as a focal point. For example, if you have an empty wall or space in the room, fill it with a large piece of furniture like a couch or bookshelf that will draw attention to itself.

Furniture Arrangement

Arrange the furniture so that it’s comfortable for you and your guests. If you have more than one sofa, place them in opposite corners of the room to create conversation areas where people can sit and talk to each other.

  • PLACEMENT IS IMPORTANT

Add table lamps next to the sofa to provide just enough light without distracting the room’s decor. Place chairs around these sofas and a coffee table in between them if possible.

It also creates an intimate setting, which can be ideal for dinner parties or reading time by yourself.

  • USE SPACE-SAVING AND NICE FURNITURE AT DISCOUNT PRICES

One way to decorate on a budget is to get creative with your space. That’s why living room furniture that provides a comfortable seating area in the smallest amount of space is key.

Putting table lamps on either side of the sofa gives your living room extra warmth and ambiance. This also allows you to position other pieces of furniture strategically for maximum effect.

It can seem daunting when you don’t have a budget for it. But, with some thought and foresight, getting new furniture for your living room on a budget is easier than you might think.

  • YOU CAN RENT FURNITURE!

Many stores now offer the option to rent furniture from them so that you can put it in your home and return it when you’re done. It’ll help keep the cost of furnishing down by providing another way to shop without breaking the bank.

  • INTRODUCE THROW PILLOWS

Throw pillows can be the easiest way to update your living room on a budget. If you want to bring in more color and make your space feel lively without spending money on new furniture and lamps, try throw pillows instead of an expensive piece of art that’ll just be looked at and not enjoyed.

They are available in different sizes, colors, and a wide variety of shapes. Be creative with it! Group them according to color or pattern, and you can use them to strengthen your focal point.

  • ADD PLANTS

Plants are excellent and natural interior decor; they have a way of reducing stress and anxiety, air quality, improving your mood, reducing fatigue, and adding to your living room’s decor in such a fantastic way.

To make your living room seem more eco-friendly, add flowers and plants, like bamboo, orchids, or ferns, for a bit of color or freshness!

If you want a warmer and more natural look, try adding a cactus or succulent. Also, try adding air plants that don’t need soil for an airy feel! You can also add faux flowers in hanging pots or on a table.

  • ADD SOME PERSONAL TOUCHES

One of the best ways to make a space feel like your own is to add some personal touches. This can be anything from family photos to artwork you’ve made yourself. Adding these personal touches will help make the space feel homey and inviting.

  • DON’T BE AFRAID OF DIY PROJECTS

You can always do things yourself if you’re on a tight budget. One of the best ways to decorate your living room on a budget is to DIY.

  • WITH A LITTLE IMAGINATION & HARD WORK

You’ll be surprised how well you’ve transformed your living room into the space of your dreams by doing it yourself to give it a fresh new look.

This includes creating your own wall art, painting, hanging curtains, and even reupholstering furniture. Don’t be scared; you’ve got plenty of online resources available to help you get started.

  • BALANCE THE ROOM

If your living room has a lot of large furniture pieces and a few smaller accent chairs, balance things by adding more small accessories like lamps, vases, and plants

. If you have too many large pieces in one area, place a mirror there so it doesn’t feel like everything is taking up all the space in the living area.

  • KEEP IT SIMPLE

Keep the furniture and accessories simple when decorating so they all work together without making the room look too busy.

  • USE NEUTRAL COLORS

Many interior designers use neutral colors like beige, tan and black because they’ll go with almost anything else in the room without clashing with each other.

It’s easy to get carried away with the idea of decorating a living room, but keep things simple by using only one or two colors on the walls and furniture rather than several different ones competing with each other for attention in the room.

  • DON’T OVERCROWD YOUR SPACE

Arrange the furniture in the living room space so that it’s comfortable for you and your guests. Keep furniture and accessories comfortable so you can easily walk around the room without bumping into anything or anyone, and ensure there’s enough room for everyone to sit comfortably and have conversations is a great way without feeling cramped or far apart.

  • IF YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE SOFA

Place them in opposite corners of the room to create conversation areas where people can sit down and talk to each other. Place chairs around these sofas as well as a coffee table in between them if possible.

Conclusion

There you go! I hope these tips help you with how to decorate a living room on a budget; all you need now is to be fearless and make the first step. Remember, the living room is where people spend most of their time in the house, so show off your personal style with some gorgeous pieces. As long as you stay within a reasonable budget. Stay creative!

Until next time y’all 🙂

Name image for Dusty at Linen and WildflowersIf you want to follow along on our home restoration/renovation plans and all of our exciting antique & thrift finds, be sure to check out Linen and Wildflowers on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest! And don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter to receive updates.

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5 Comments

  1. I love the reminder about natural light. I’ve been studying more about hygge and my goal for this fall and winter is to use more candles. That and declutter my tiny house bursting with people!

  2. We are getting ready to tackle our living room and I’m not looking forward to it. At least not until I read your posts. Then I’m all about it. But man, covering that paneling is such a pain!

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