Cheap Renovations - Refreshing the Living Room

It is easy to understand why the look and feel of the living room is crucial – this is usually the place in the house, where people spend most of their time. It’s also the place for rest and relaxation, the place to recharge and bond with your flat mates, friends or family. Therefore, there are two points to consider when decorating the living room – it has to be a comfortable space to relax, not too busy or cramped with furniture and décor. It also has to be stimulating, with enough accents to create an interesting atmosphere, which doesn’t feel dull or depressing. There is also the question of how much renovating you’re allowed to do – if you’re living in a rented flat for example, you would not be allowed to make any major changes to the place. This article will lay out a few ideas for sprucing up the living room on a budget by adding a few small touches. A surprisingly pleasant and comfortable atmosphere can be created with a minimal amount of work. Here’s how to do it.

The first thing to think of when changing the feel of a place, is the lighting. The lighting of a room can change the atmosphere and even visually augment the space. When considering the lighting of the living room, go for minimalism – one or two light fixtures and soft, yellowish light to give the place a feel of comfort. If you are renting and therefore, not allowed to install any light fixtures, consider buying a table lamp or a standing one. Even changing the bulbs from fluorescent white to a relaxing yellow will drastically alter the look and feel of the room.

The second thing to think of are obviously, the walls. If you are able to change the wall color, go for soft eggshell, peach, or maybe even an accent wall in burgundy – go for warm, relaxing colors. Startling shades like red or navy blue aren’t completely out of the question, however do consider them along with your overall plan for the room – you don’t want anything to clash and irritate the eyes, after all. If you are not willing or unable to change the wall color, do not fret – there are still a number of things you could do to change the atmosphere. Art is always a good idea. Consider creating an arrangement of photographs or portraits along one wall, for example – go for accents and arrangements, rather than haphazardly scattering random prints along the walls. Look up some design websites, or even crafting websites like Pinterest for inspiration. If you have a creative circle of friends, why not ask each of them for a memento? They could draw, paint, write or take a photo, which you could then put up and personalize your living room It’s a fun and completely original way to add some life to a dull generic room. Along the same lines, it might also be a good idea to invest in new, bright and interesting drapes, a soft carpet or a potted plant or two. If you have the time and funds, you could even create an indoor garden in one corner of the room. Always remember, however, that you need to be careful when creating accent pieces in the room. You should not have more than one focal point. Too many things competing for your attention will make the room feel cluttered and busy and destroy the relaxing atmosphere you’re trying to create.