What Is The Cheapest Way To Decorate A Living Room?
Out of all the places in my home, the one room that seemed to be lacking the most was the living room and this is the room where the majority of my time was spent here.
So, it made a lot of sense to finally get down to improving the way the room looks but with a tight budget, I knew redecorating a living room can be straining on the wallet.
This in turn motivated me to find new ways of decorating that will still create the look and feel I had in mind and decorate the living room in the cheapest way possible.
So, what is the cheapest way to decorate a living room while on a tiny budget?
The cheapest way to decorate a living room would be to try DIY projects to create a coffee table and a tv stand. Try browsing thrift stores for unexpected gems that can be upgraded and refurbished. Next, you’ll need to add new decor items like ornaments, plants, and artworks, get rid of the old and damaged furniture, repair and refurbish what can be saved, replace old curtains, and lastly, give the walls a fresh coat of paint.
If you’ve been feeling stressed at the task of having to decorate your living room but not having enough money to do so, I have a few epic ideas that will show you how.
By following a few of these options below, it’s definitely possible to decorate and make a living room look amazing while on a budget.
Here’s what you need to do:
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Cheapest Ways To Decorate A Living Room
1. Make your own furniture through DIY projects
Although there are a few DIY projects that require too many supplies to the point it would be cheaper to just buy an item ready-made, there are many DIYs that are way cheaper to try than buying the actual item.
It really depends on the project and the item itself.
You’ll need to be on the lookout for these kinds of DIY projects that will save you money and make your home look fantastic.
For instance, building a coffee table on your own is way cheaper than purchasing one.
There are many tutorials that you can choose from that will show you step by step how to recreate what you are looking for.
This too can be applied to floating shelves or even creating a stunning wall unit for cheap.
If you want to decorate your living room for cheap, then doing it yourself is the best way possible if you’re accustomed to these types of projects already.
There are some fantastic items that you can create with your own hands that are way better than buying from a store and it’s more meaningful and personalized when you do it on your own.
2. Add cheap decor accessories and plants
Adding plants and unique decor accessories to a living room might be the best way to decorate.
These two things can almost instantly brighten and uplift a decor and you can do this at a reasonable price.
A few plants placed on a shelf or a large pot plant next to the sofa can change the entire look and feel.
The next thing you can do is pick one or two framed artworks to hang on the wall.
You could pick a canvas from a dollar store and follow a quick and easy tutorial to create a stunning abstract artwork to hang on your wall if you don’t want to purchase any art to hang.
Also, browse the thrift stores or dollar stores for decor items you can spray with a can of gold or silver spray paint to make them resemble expensive decor pieces.
You can also mount floating shelves above the TV or on a blank wall and add a potted plant, frames, and ornaments.
If you’re looking for things to hang on your living room walls, then I recommend you check out this post: What Can I Hang On My Living Room Walls?
This too is a fantastic way to decorate a living room for cheap.
3. Pick items from thrift stores for furniture and decor items
The next alternative for decorating on a budget would be to browse thrift stores and second-hand departments.
You may find a few surprising items that could also be refurbished to look like new again.
Also, an item that someone else would consider no longer usable may in fact look like a rare treasure to others.
If you find items that are still in a good condition, you can easily make them look their best with a good clean-up or paint job.
There are many instances where others have thrifted and found some real items that they’ve put into good use.
Related Post: How To Decorate A Room Without Spending Money
4. Add a patterned rug and wall art
A pretty rug is the last item that will complete the room decor. Here you can go with a big or small rug but this will depend on the room size.
There are tons of designs and patterns you can go for but try to choose a rug that will stand out and make the space look even better.
And finally, you could try making your own wall art to hang on the walls rather than purchasing expensive artwork.
You’ll save a lot of money if you do this yourself but you could also purchase digital artwork online, print and frame them for less.
See also: How Can I Make My Old Carpet Look Better?
5. Paint the walls to a neutral shade
When decorating on a budget, if you want to make a room look nice, the best way you can do so is to paint the walls in a lovely shade that will complement the rest of the decor.
This leaves you with the option of going for a neutral shade like cream or white that will give the rest of the room a light and airy feel.
Painting the walls in a bright and soft shade will make decorating the rest of the living room much easier and everything you add thereafter will only enhance the room decor.
6. Refurbish old decor items
Buying new decor items and furniture can be expensive at more stores but just because something has a bit of wear and tear, doesn’t mean it should be trashed.
Take a quick scan of the items and make an inventory of the pieces that can be saved and refurbished to look like new again.
This right here is one of the best tricks you can use to decorate the living room for cheap.
It will save you so much money if you refurbish and make use of the items you already have.
For example, if you have a coffee table already and it looks old but can still be used, sand it down and apply a fresh coat of paint.
You’ll be shocked to see what a simple paint job can make an old item look almost new.
See also: Is A Coffee Table Necessary? (Here’s The Best Way To Know)
7. Reupholster a couch
If you can’t afford to replace the entire seating area and you find that there are just one or two seats that need to be worked on, consider patching those ones up to look good again.
Alternatively, you could try reupholstering the couch but the price of doing this may depend.
You’ll have to see whether it’s more cost-effective and reasonable to buy a new set than to reupholster but if you find someone who will do a good job for less, that’s a huge win for you!
8. Rearrange furniture into a new layout
Now here’s a neat trick that can vastly change the way a room looks and that’s rearranging the furniture and decor accessories in a room.
You can play around with different ideas before making the move but this is a great way to discover better ways for the seating arrangement and displaying certain art pieces and ornaments.
If you really don’t want to or can’t afford to spend that much on decorating a living room, try this one if you already have items in your living room.
9. Hang a nice curtain or replace old curtains with new ones
If you have old curtains already in place, you might want to get rid of them or maybe they just need a really good wash if it hasn’t been washed in months.
But if the current curtains clash with the rest of the decor, this will impact the overall appeal of the decor.
If you’re decorating a living room for the first time, then you can consider looking for cheaper curtains until you can upgrade.
However, be sure to choose the right shade for the curtains that will match the rest of the decor.
Final Thoughts
Decorating a living room for cheap is definitely possible and can be done.
In my own house, we have opted to make our own wall unit and coffee table for much less than if we had to purchase them and honestly, they turned out amazing!
There are many ways to decorate a living room listed above and I’m sure you’ll discover on your own that these options are fantastic.
If there are a few tips I might have missed, share them in the comments below and I’m sure it will be of great help to others who are looking to make their home look outstanding without breaking the bank!
Related Post:
What Should I Put In A Living Room? (Essential Items)
