Aside from the bedroom, the living room is the room in which people spend the most time. It is the hub for some of our most important daily routines, like catching up on the news, talking to our kids or even eating our dinner.
However, there is a problem: our living rooms are not always the most chic places to be. Sure, we would love to have beautiful furnishings and fabulous flooring, but that is too expensive, right?
It is expensive if you go with high-end designers and use rare materials. Nevertheless, you would be surprised just how much of an impact you can make with cheap tweaks. Look at some of these ideas.
Go Shopping In Your Own Home First
The first thing that most people do when they want to revamp a room is head straight out to the store. However, if you want to upgrade your living room experience, think first about whether there are any items you can “borrow” from other rooms in the house. Dust out your attic and check out your closet to make sure that there are not any beautiful heirlooms lying about that could add a bit of pizazz to your lounge. An old table, a painting, even a commemorative ornament can all have a huge impact on a room and massively increase its appeal.
Be a Master Curator
Knowing what should be in a room, and what shouldn’t, is an art form. It is a good idea to make sure that you are adhering to style vignettes, arranging decorations in such a way that helps your eyes to move around the room.
Use Lots of Plants
According to apartmenttherapy.com magazine, greenery is one of the best ways to enliven a room. The great thing about it, they say, is that you do not usually need to buy plants. Instead, you can go to your neighbors and ask them if they are able to give you a plant for your living room. Alternatively, you can go out to the garden and bring one in.
The next step is to find a suitable container for the plant that will suit the rest of the room. It is best to keep plants near to a window, but it is not essential.
Accessorize With Furniture
When it comes to furniture, there are many choices. However, you would be surprised just how much these days you can get for your money. One of the best ways to spend your furniture budget is on ottomans from sites like thelongeststay.com. Ottomans provide an excellent centerpiece for living rooms that do not have a central coffee table, and they are ideal for living rooms that use many different styles of seating. Ottomans are best placed alongside Chesterfield-style sofas and loungers.
Bring In the Books
You would not expect it, but piles of books all arranged in a bookcase can actually be very beautiful. If your living area has a spare corner that is not being used, consider installing a bookshelf and filling it with all your favorite novels. Hardback books add a touch of color.