The living room is one of the hardest working areas in your home. It’s where we relax, watch TV, entertain, and much more. And because it’s a hub where we spend so much time, we want it to look great as well as offer the foundations for peaceful downtime.
Our furniture is designed with longevity in mind, using quality materials to ensure that your cabinetry or sofa offers lasting value you can trust.
If your living room needs a bit of an update, here are a few ways to give it a refresh without breaking the bank.
Shop your home
Parquet chest of drawers | @709_design
One of the easiest and most affordable ways to update your living room is to ‘shop’ your own home. Have a look at other rooms and see if the artwork, rugs, cushions, lamps or decorative accessories might work just as well when moved to a different spot in the house – in this case, the living room.
Sometimes all an item needs is a different context for it to feel fresh and new to your eyes again. Be sure to dip into any items you might have in storage in the loft or garage too – you might just find a gem you’ve forgotten about!
Shop second-hand
Evie sofa | @new_build_forever_home
Not only is it environmentally friendly but shopping second-hand can be one of the best ways to save money. Look out for well-made pieces and accessories in charity shops or online auctions and peruse local selling groups for unusual pieces that will create personality in your home.
Add plants
Copenhagen TV unit | @honey_on_the_row
Be sure to give your living room some life with houseplants and greenery. You can pick up small potted plants for just a few pounds at garden centres, DIY stores and even your local supermarket. With care and attention, you can create your own urban jungle for not a lot of money.
The power of paint
Detroit nest of tables | @clean_and_cosy_home
It’s amazing what a lick of paint can do for changing the entire mood or energy in your living room. Consider going with a darker shade to create a cosy vibe in the evenings. Plus, your artwork, furniture and accessories will stand out even more against a darker colour.
Brighten up your walls
Parquet large sideboard | @roseontherow
If your walls feel a little unloved, there’s plenty you can do to create a wow factor on the cheap. Group together your favourite prints for a statement gallery wall, with colourful frames perfect for injecting extra happiness into your decor. Or, consider hanging a beautiful piece of vintage fabric or textiles picked up on your travels for an eye-catching and unusual wall hanging.
Add colour
Evie loveseat | @barn_owls_and_butterflies
Speaking of colour, if you don’t wish to repaint your walls, you might want to consider giving your room a bit of life with some colourful accessories. Choose a mix of shades in similar saturations for a fun, eclectic vibe or stick with tonal or analogous colours (those closest to each other on the colour wheel) for a more pulled-together look.
Decorate with books and magazines
Parquet coffee table | @laura.elizabeth_
And finally, books and magazines add plenty of personality to a room so think about using them in your decor. A small stack of coffee table books will look great on surfaces as part of a display area of smaller pieces, or add interest to your shelves with aesthetically pleasing books.
Hopefully, this has given you plenty of purse-friendly ways to update your living space. Plus, don’t miss our round-up of sofas under £1k, combining quality, stylish designs and great value.
We’d love to see how you style your living room. Make sure you tag us at #OakFurnitureland on Instagram to share your snaps.
