7 Ways To Style Your Living Room On A Budget
You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a stylish living space. If you want to decorate your living room with a fresh look, or even if you’re starting from scratch, there are many affordable ways to do so. Taking the time to plan out your space and brainstorming creative ways to save money can ultimately result in the living room of your dreams! From decorative accent ideas to furniture hacks to creative wall art and more, here are 7 ways to style your living room on a budget.
1. Freshen Up Thrifted Furniture To Style Your Living Room For Cheap
If you want new living room furniture but you’re on a tight budget, you probably won’t want to buy fresh designer furniture from a store. Instead, take advantage of thrift stores to search for some unique pieces that you can freshen up and transform. You don’t even need to be super crafty for this idea; some pieces of furniture just simply need a fresh coat of paint.
When you go to the thrift store, make sure to find pieces that aren’t too worn. While there are many things you can do to improve old furniture, some pieces cannot be saved. Make sure to take your time inspecting the furniture before you consider purchasing. You should also have an idea of how you want to transform it before you go ahead and buy it. Check out some ideas below for inspiration.
How To Freshen Up Thrifted Living Room Furniture
- Sand down an old wooden coffee table for a fresh look
- Use a furniture slipcover to transform a thrifted couch
- Reupholster a seat cushion on an old accent chair
- Place decorative tablecloths on top of thrifted side tables
- Paint a thrifted television stand to give it a brand new look
2. Use A Rug As Your Living Room Centerpiece
If you’re going to put a large amount of your budget into something, make sure it’s a nice big rug! A large area rug can transform your entire living room. Set up your large area rug in the center of the living room with your coffee table in the middle and your couch or seating area surrounding it.
Use the large rug as your living room centerpiece; let it set the stage for the rest of your decorations. The rug can set up your living room color scheme, decor style, and overall mood and tone of the space. This is a great way to create a stylish space if you aren’t sure where to begin. Pick out some accent colors from your rug and use them within your throw pillows, coffee table decorations, and some wall art. You can even make your own DIY accents to save even more money.
If you don’t want to make a rug the main giant centerpiece in the room, you can instead use smaller rugs throughout the room. Set up a rug at the foot of an accent chair, one underneath your coffee table, one by the entrance of the room, and one near the windows. Find creative ways to include these small rugs throughout the room to give your space a stylish appearance.
3. Frame Small Poster Prints For Affordable Living Room Decor
Wall art can make a huge difference to the look of your living room but it can often times get pricey. You don’t want to spend too much of your budget on accents because you’ll want to save for bigger pieces in the room. Instead of buying wall art, you can instead frame poster prints and other photographs or display something alternative. There are so many different ideas for affordable living room wall art to make your space feel stylish for less. Check out some tips below to find out what will work for your space.
Affordable Living Room Wall Art Tips
- Use poster prints as wall art and frame them with thrift store frames.
- Hang up your own photographs in frames – these can be pictures of your family or photos you took on a vacation.
- Print out pictures or inspirational quotes from your computer and frame them.
- Use fabric wall hangings instead of artwork – these are typically more affordable.
- Hang a tapestry to create a low cost accent wall.
- Put up peel and stick patterned wallpaper – having busy walls means you don’t have to hang up any additional artwork.
4. Combine Function & Style With Living Room Storage Cubbies
When you’re trying to create a stylish living room space on a budget, you also have to consider your selection of storage in the room. Stylish storage is a great way to keep your living room looking nice and organized. However, a lot of stylish storage pieces can get pricey. Instead, you can easily use cubby shelves as a way to blend together your storage and decor for a cheap alternative.
Cubby shelves come in many different designs, sizes, and varieties. Find a set of shelves that will fit nicely into your space; you can even use a set of tall cubby shelves as a makeshift television stand to make it even more efficient. You can even paint your cubby shelves to fit your color scheme or to create a bold accent color in the room. Depending on the look that you want, you can make any set of cubby shelves look stylish and unique in your living room.
Create your stylish storage space by filling some of your cubby holes with drawers and leaving some of them open. You can then use the shelves to hold any items you want to hide away and then display decorative accents on the open shelves. Then, display your bigger accents on the top surface of the cubbies or use it as a television stand (as previously stated). Make it work for your space by combining functional storage with a stylish touch.
5. Display A Mirror As Your Main Living Room Wall Hanging
Mirrors are wonderful additions to any room. They can make any space look bigger, bring a touch of elegance into the room, and provide some interesting style with minimal effort. Instead of spending too much money on wall art for your living room, consider using mirrors as wall art instead. You can also use mirrors as unique accents throughout the room for a stylish and elegant look for less.
Decorative Mirror Ideas For Your Living Room
- Hang a large mirror over your couch as your main wall art piece in the room.
- Use small mirrors on the walls above your side tables for a balanced look.
- Display a mirrored tray on the coffee table with decorative candles.
- Use mirrored decorative accents throughout the room for a unique appearance.
- Show off mirrored lamps on your side tables for an upscale addition.
- Use a variety of small decorative mirrors to create an interesting gallery style accent wall.
- Display wall mirrors throughout the entire living room to make your space look more open.
6. Use Trays To Create Decorative Accent Displays On Your Coffee Table
Your coffee table is the perfect place to show off your main decorative elements, especially if you’re on a budget. Put a lot of your budget into your coffee table decor to create a stunning and stylish centerpiece for the room. This will give your living room an instant upgrade without spending too much money.
There are many ways to style a decorative tray on your coffee table. Ultimately, make sure to choose accents that match the style of your living room. Additionally, make sure to not overcrowd your tray. Decorate your tray based on the size and shape; be sure to leave some empty space throughout the tray to create a sense of balance. Check out some ideas below for the types of accents to display on a decorative tray.
What To Put On A Decorative Tray
- Vase of flowers
- Candles
- Block sign
- Lanterns and lighted decor
- Succulents
- Small sculptures and statues
- Decorative books
7. Put Covers Over Your Books For Cheap Living Room Decor
Decorating a bookcase can be challenging if you’re on a budget. Many stylish living rooms have bookcases filled with decorative books and stunning accents that make the space look unique. However, decorative books can be costly, especially if you have a large bookcase with a lot of shelves. That’s why you have to be a little creative when it comes to styling these shelves.
If you already have a large book collection, you can easily create a stylish and cohesive look with the help of book covers. While covering up all your books make seem like a tedious task, it’s definitely worth it to get a brand new look. You can create almost any look that you want with book covers. Create more simple look by covering all your books in the same cover or set up a more artistic bookshelf by using a variety of colors. It’s best to use book covers that complement your color scheme in the living room; however, you can also opt to turn your bookshelf into a bold piece with an opposing color scheme.
Once you’ve successfully covered all your books, finish up the bookcase with decorative bookends and other small accents in open areas of the shelves. Real or faux plants can add some freshness and variety to your shelves, while decorative statues can make it look more modern and artsy. You can also choose to just completely fill the shelves of your bookcase with all your books if you have enough of them. No matter what you decide, you can instantly transform the look of your living room bookshelves.
Now that you’ve learned some ways to style your living room on a budget, check out our selection of Home Decor to get started! Find affordable decorative accents, wall art, home collections, rugs, window coverings, and much more to transform your living room.
