1. Declutter
One of the easiest ways to instantly make a room feel refreshed is to clear the clutter. Remove items that you don’t use or that make the space feel cramped in order to allow the furniture and decor that you love to truly shine. Sell what you don’t use or find a place for it in other places in your home. Rethink the ways you use the storage in your space and incorporate built-ins or bookcases in order to store items that you may not want out in the open. For our basement, the built-in by the TV is perfect for storing movies, remotes, and other TV items that we want hidden. Less is more when it comes to design and you want this to be a space that’s practical and useful for your family and lifestyle.
2. Paint
Paint is such an inexpensive and simple way to make a room feel brand new. For the living room, neutral colors are a great choice in order to keep the walls clean and simple, while adding pops of color through pillows, blankets, and other decor. If you like your current color, give it a new coat for a fresh feel. One of our favorite colors in living rooms is Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore, because it goes well with both gray and brown tones. In this modern farmhouse basement below, it was the perfect color to provide a cozy, neutral base for the furniture and wood tones.
3. Create a Feature Wall
One of the ways you can make a statement in your living room is to create a feature wall. If you already have a fireplace in your living room, this is the perfect place for your feature wall. Add some shiplap, reclaimed wood paneling, stone tile, or a wood mantle to make the fireplace wall really shine. Other than a fireplace, other ways to add a feature wall in your living room could be adding artwork or installing a gallery wall with pictures of your family and friends. For another way to create an accent wall, paint one wall a different color, whether that’s a bold color or just a darker swatch of the paint on the other walls.
4. Add a Mirror
In a smaller room, mirrors can help make the room appear larger. We love incorporating mirrors into living rooms because it is a great way to add decor, that’s functional and practical as well. Find a size that fits your space and a style that reflects your personality. Hang the mirror above the mantel to enhance the size of the space, on your feature wall as an accent, or even on a small side wall. With our living room, these gold mirrors were a great accent to the side of the fireplace, allowing the room to feel bigger and bring in a gold finish, which we love!
5. Lighting
We are huge fans of natural light because it makes the room feel brighter and happier. If you have windows in your living room, make sure there isn’t anything blocking that natural light and allow it to flow into your space. When using curtains and other window treatments, hang them a couple inches on either side of the windows and 6-12″ above the windows, so you can have them completely open during the day. Once it gets dark out, use table lamps, floor lamps, and walls sconces to create a cozy vibe in your living room for reading and hanging out at night.
6. Change the Focus
Instead of having the TV become the main focus of the living room, move the chairs and couches around so they face each other and encourage conversation. You can also create a reading nook, away from other distractions. In this basement remodel, we brought in a cozy chair with a fun side table next to the fireplace for a fun little nook that’s perfect for reading, cozying up on cold winter days, and creating a space that’s away from the TV. If you have a fireplace, you don’t need to have the TV above the fireplace if there is another place where it would work in the room. Consider moving the TV downstairs and creating more of a family room and letting the living room be the place for conversation, reading, and just hanging out.
7. Switch up the Flooring
Flooring is the most dramatic change you can make in your living room. If your carpet is outdated and stained from pets, kids, and food, consider replacing your carpet and choosing an option that works better for your family’s lifestyle. When putting carpet in living rooms, look for carpet that’s easy to clean and isn’t white, so that stains or other blemishes aren’t easily seen. Another option we like to recommend to clients is making the change from carpet to wood. You may think that it makes the room feel colder or more sterile, but adding a large rug like the living room below ensures that the room still feels cozy and warm. Rugs are a great way to add texture and color to your space, but aren’t as permanent as carpet and can be more easily changed out.
8. Accessorize
One of our favorite ways to refresh living rooms by bringing in new decor and accessorizes. Change out your pillows with the seasons to bring in fun color or textures and change up the space. We love pillow covers because it allows you to buy quality pillows and then just switch out the covers. Check out our line of pillow colors with Anthony Diehl Home HERE. Buy a new throw blanket, add in some macramé hangings, or find small knickknacks for your coffee table. Another way you can refresh your living space is to add some good-smelling candles and artwork for your walls.
