7 Projects to Spruce Up Your Living Room on a Budget

A lovely example of decorating with neutrals in the living room

A new year has arrived at your doorstep, and you’re looking to make changes to your home. Naturally, you look to your living room as the key spot, since it is the welcoming space for all who visit your home. While the holiday season can take a toll on your wallet, it is possible to make some changes to your living room to ring in the New Year in style. Here are seven quick and affordable projects to make that happen.

1. Flair Up With a Throw Rug or Two

You can really influence the atmosphere of your living room literally from the ground up, by adding a new throw rug or two. Using a throw rug can enhance your living room by accentuating what décor is already present. The best part about it is, you can opt for different sizes and styles to your liking and they’re definitely affordable like this number from Etsy.

2. Upholster a Furniture Piece

If you happen to have a crafty hand, doing a bit of upholstery can give a piece of furniture a little added flavor. You might not have the skills to take on something large like a sofa, but you can start small with an item like a bench or a stool. Thankfully, we’re also in the age of online tutorials so you can consult YouTube or other places to help you through the process.

3. Utilize Your Spare Wallpaper

Incorporating wallpaper into your living room is a fabulous and inexpensive way to make this common area not so common. Start out by something as simple as using it to decorate the interior of an open bookcase if you have one in your living room to add a burst of color to go with the design scheme. Another idea is to cut a desired piece of wallpaper to fit onto a lampshade with a spray adhesive, and if you want a more subtle effect, you can apply it to the interior. You can even get a piece of it framed and hang it on your wall as an eye-catching piece of art.

4. Make Your Own Bottle Vases

You like to do your part to help the environment, right? Well, here’s one way to do that and add a joyous element to your living room. Making a vase out of are cycled bottle is easy, especially if you have one or two lying around after your holiday parties. Get some leftover paint that you might have stashed away and paint them to your heart’s desire. Or you can add a piece of old cord or rope and tie it around the neck for a rustic touch. Once done, position them around the room on places that will accentuate the room’s focal points.

5. Enhance the Appeal of Your Windows

The windows of your living room are key fixtures that can definitely add to a welcoming atmosphere in your home. A simple fix to enhance their effect is to decorate around them, which you can do by shifting your favorite chair next to one or placing a potted tree beside it. If you want to do something a bit more involved, you can put together a new window treatment with some new drapes. One neat trick is to pick up a mirror from a thrift store, paint the frame to match your color scheme and hang it up opposite the window of your choice.

6. Grab a Paintbrush

You might look at the color scheme of your living room and feel like you did when your favorite band broke up – the magic is gone. But fear not, change is just a good afternoon of painting away. You can paint the trimming on your windows or even the foyer door leading into the living room.

A dramatic red living room arm chair, with a contrasting purple pillow

7. Switch Up Your Pillows

Adding pillows and throw blankets to your living room furniture is a neat and affordable way to totally rejuvenate the atmosphere there. Instead of over size ones, pick up smaller pillows to make your couches less cumbersome to sit on.And don’t be shy when it comes to color if you want the tone of your living room to be brighter.

With these handy tips, some spare time on your hands and maybe a mug of hot apple cider or two, making your living room as bright as you expect your new year to be will be a cinch.