Updating the Living Room in 48 Hours: 10 Fresh Ideas

1. Painting Walls

Of course, everyone knows that one of the most budget-friendly ways to update walls is to paint them. That's true. Light-colored walls visually expand the living room space, and architectural elements (doorways, alcoves, niches) accentuated with paint will look very stylish. If you're looking for something unusual, try creating the illusion of paneling using two-color painting (you can use painter's tape here), create one accent wall, or use stencils. When choosing colors, don't forget about the interior style.

2. Wall Cladding

An excellent way to add character to your living room is to clad the walls with stone. This material is not very expensive, and you won't need much of it; partial wall cladding will suffice. PVC panels are another economical option in terms of both cost and time. Fearlessly combine materials: pair wallpaper with a panel strip at the bottom.

3. Art Gallery

There is no better place for a gallery than long walls in the living room. These can be family photos, maps, or DIY items. There are several ways to arrange them: for example, install floating shelves and place photos mixed with lamps or potted plants.

4. Functional Changes

You can not only refresh the look of the living room but also fill it with functionality. Key hooks, clothing hangers, shoe cubbies or pockets - adding or replacing these functional accessories will achieve a stunning effect. You can also buy a small sofa or footstool, or try an unusual and very practical option - install a board or panel where you can mark current family affairs and responsibilities.

5. Solid Wall

If your living room ends with a solid wall or two rooms, leaving free space between them, you can play with this interestingly. A mirror, a small coffee table with flowers or books would fit perfectly, as well as a narrow bookshelf.

6. Attractive Floor

Complete changes to the floor are not necessary at all. Experiment with carpet runners, their color and texture. A well-chosen carpet runner will highlight and expand the living room. Simply replacing the mat by the entrance door can already change the mood.

7. New Architectural Elements

Try decorating the living room with new architectural elements. For a classic living room, cornices, curtains, and various friezes will work. Modern plaster elements can easily be attached to the wall by yourself. You don't need to hire specialists to make an arch: brackets will help.

8. Updating Furniture

Transform your old and already boring wardrobe. There are several ways to do it: replace an unattractive door with an elegant curtain (or just leave the wardrobe open), paint the doors, decorate mirrors with faceted mirror elements, or enclose the wardrobe in a bright frame using wall painting. Recently, photo printing on wardrobe doors has gained popularity, but for that, you will need to use specialists' services.

9. More Light

One of the problems of the majority of living rooms is the lack of windows and, therefore, insufficient lighting. A great alternative to conventional electrical lighting is mobile fixtures: with their help, you can create a thoughtful accent lighting. An original solution would be lightboxes - photos and paintings illuminated from inside, as well as lamp string lights. Partially using light from other rooms can be achieved with glass inserts in doors.

10. Expanding Space

Naturally, the best way to create more free space is simply to free it up. For this, sliding drawers and compact cabinets will help. It's also worth clearing the space on shelves, removing all unnecessary items. Visually expanding the living room and making it more voluminous can be done with mirrors, but here the key is not to overdo it. Built-in wardrobes with mirrored doors will come in handy. Clothes are better stored in wardrobes rather than hung on hooks: that way, the living room will look neater.