In this post, you will learn:
- Hints for successful living room updates
- How small changes bring big results
- How to create a wall display
- Choosing lights that up your living room
- Ways to refresh your living room updates
- How color play can instantly transform
- Going green makes a difference
- How a MagikFlame adds clean, green, upgraded flair
- Tips for updating your tech
- How to choose window treatments
- Tips for toning up the textures in your living room updates
When rearranging your furniture again just doesn’t cut it, consider some easy living room ideas to refresh your home décor. You don’t have to break the bank to make some significant living room updates. The trick is to choose wisely with an eye towards the future.
Before you start shopping, do some dreaming. Get out the graph paper and sketch out a new look for the living room. Browse for ideas online and in magazines like House Beautiful. Find out the latest in new home design ideas. Take some home tours in your neighborhood. Bookmark those living room updates you like.
One Small Change Brings Big Results
When you think about a living room makeover, think small. Although you might covet a completely refreshed living room design, you may not be able to swing it. Instead, start with a new coffee table.
The coffee table you choose can infuse yesterday’s living room with a very contemporary vibe. Select one that expresses your personal aesthetic.
Trendy coffee tables include:
- Marble – This natural stone material with contrasting veins makes a big impression. It brings the classical beauty of Renaissance sculpture to your home. Whether paired with wood, glass, metal or on its own, marble is a smooth choice in living room updates.
- Burl – A burl is wood that has grown into a large bump on the tree trunk. Inside the burl are interesting and unique grain patterns that make it a one-of-a-kind artifact. A coffee table made from a cut and polished slab of burled wood adds a distinctive flair to your seating area.
- Bunching – This coffee table configuration comes in several different materials, from traditional wood to edgy metallic – but the common theme is they fit together like a puzzle to create a single surface. Alternatively, you can pull them apart and distribute them in case you have guests in for dessert or it’s family movie night. Bunching tables upgrade the versatility of your room while adding an evocative design.
Gather Favorite Prints/Photos for a Gallery Wall
Gallery walls first began appearing in the French salons of the 17th century. Originally known as salon walls, these eclectic displays served as a backdrop for the evening salons where intellectuals, artists and members of the nobility gathered.
An interior designer in Great Britain adopted similar wall decor ideas, and the salon wall gained popularity in other countries too. What’s amazing is that a gallery wall is still a popular trend, possibly due to its versatile nature.
A gallery wall can be colorful and eclectic, or it can be monotone and formal. It’s all up to you. However you design this fun DIY decor project, be sure you include a large dollop of your family’s personality to give the room a contemporary upgrade.
Elements of a successful gallery or salon wall include:
- Cohesion – Have a common thread/idea that holds it together like color, frame shape, theme, type of print/photo, etc.
- A pleasing arrangement – White space should be uniform throughout.
- Lighting – Everything in the gallery should be visible; if not, consider adding a light source.
- Creativity – Trust your eye in choosing and arranging your pieces.
You aren’t limited to two dimensions on your wall display. People have used plants, baskets, hats and even stuffed animal heads. If it pleases your eye, it works. Try not to limit your decorating ideas to the traditional.
Up Your Lighting Room Lighting for a Lovely New Glow
Lighting is one of those interior design elements that you may take for granted. Often, the lighting chosen by the original home builder is the lighting that stays.
You’ll be amazed at what a difference a lighting remodel can make in your great room, dining room and/or family room. Consider swapping out your recessed ceiling lights with:
Chandelier – small chandeliers are quite popular in contemporary homes. They come in different sizes and different styles, from classic to avant-garde. It can redefine a conversation space. You won’t need that old table lamp anymore.
Track lighting – this type of lighting has come a long way since the 1970s. Interior designers make the most of the uniquely curved tracks, colored LED lights and statement styling. Track lights are great for shining the light on your wall art, illuminating dark corners, and creating a savvy, upscale vibe in general.
Pendant lights – Often used to illuminate a a small space, pendant lights come in handy in multi-use locations like the living room. Pendants come in a variety of designs and lampshade styles. When you replace your old floor lamp with a stylish pendant, it even makes vacuuming easier.
Statement light fixture – Your selection of a light fixture can set the tone for the entire room. For instance, when you install an eye-catching abstract fixture above your living room, it puts your furnishings and accents in a whole new light. It will also inspire future upgrades.
Living Room Furniture Refresh
Replacing all your furniture really isn’t necessary to upgrade your living room decor. If you aren’t ready for such a definitive step, consider such intermediate measures as refinishing and repurposing.
Depending on the condition of your wood furniture, your options are cleaning it, refreshing the finish or refinishing it. Use a cleaner made for wood furnishings if you have a side table that is coated with grime. You may be surprised at the difference some deep cleaning makes.
If you simply want to lighten the color of the furniture or even out the finish, try a rub-in, wipe off product. You can complete a piece like a bookcase in an afternoon. It’s also a good option for antique pieces that just need a little TLC.
As for those wood living room pieces that are in more serious distress, it’s time to refinish. One method is to remove the stain, sand the piece and re-stain it, which takes several days. If you want to completely repurpose the piece, paint it.
The paint you choose can complement your living room décor. If you want to ramp up your interior design, add a pop of color that revitalizes the space.
Play with Your Color Palette
A coat of paint can breathe new life into a room. Of course, painting your walls and ceiling in a new color scheme is a virtually instant refresh. Also consider painting your fireplace surround, your built-in shelving or your window/door frames a contrasting paint color.
If you have plank flooring, you could paint that too. Better yet, bring in a new rug. Choose a bright, colorful pattern if you want it to be a focal point of the living room. Opt for a solid neutral color or a plain pattern if you don’t. Treat yourself to a luxurious, plush area rug for an upgrade that pampers you every time you enter the room.
If you’re not ready to replace your couch and armchairs, renew them instead. Upscale throw pillows go a long way in redefining your contemporary style. Curate a collection that expresses your family’s style, whether that’s artsy, vibrant, calm or casual.
Take it a step further by changing up your upholstery. Slipcovers instantly transform tired colors and patterns. They are available ready-made from stores like Ikea, or you can have them custom-made to fit your decor concept.
If you still enjoy that comfy sectional, but you don’t like the look of slipcovers, get your couch reupholstered. Depending upon the fabric you choose, you’ll pay between $1,800 and $4,500 to have your sectional recovered. New upholstery is typically less expensive than a whole new piece of furniture.
Because of the variety of upholstery fabrics available, from multi-tonal to black and white, you can make a bold statement, if you choose. You could choose a neutral or solid instead and rely upon throw pillows or an area rug to make the room really pop.
Go Greener with Natural Accents
Living green is a powerful trend that promises to gain momentum as the decade progresses. You can make it a priority in your home too by upgrading your living room with earth-friendly, carbon-neutral additions.
One easy way to start is to introduce more greenery in your family’s spaces. Houseplants and cut flowers freshen up your interiors. A vase of wildflowers on your mantel or a Boston fern in your bay window lighten up the atmosphere. Living greenery actually refreshes the oxygen in the air your family breathes too.
If you want to take the greenery theme a bit further, choose wall art that reflects an earth-friendly vibe. Botanical prints, landscape paintings and Audubon bird prints are a few examples. A collection of bonsai trees on the windowsill or horse figurines on the mantel add vivacious, thematic accents.
Replace and Refresh with a MagikFlame Fireplace
Say you already have an existing electric fireplace in the living room, but it is drafty and outdated. Consider upgrading with an energy-efficient insert. If you don’t have a fireplace but always wished you did, now is the perfect time to treat yourself to one.
Upgrade to the cleanest, most energy-efficient fireplace available: the MagikFlame freestanding fireplace or fireplace insert. Some of the upgrades you’ll enjoy with this premium fireplace include:
DIY installation – You don’t need a gas connection, a chimney or an exterior vent, so it can go anywhere in the room. All it needs is a standard electrical outlet. This lets you skip having an architect draw up chimney plans, which can be a major expense.
100-percent energy efficiency – A gas fireplace is 50-80 percent efficient. In contrast, a MagikFlame electric fireplace is 100 percent efficient. This means it converts all of the power it draws into heat. This incredible efficiency is one reason more and more home builders are putting MagikFlame fireplaces into new homes.
Zero emissions – MagikFlame does not produce combustion biproducts like particulates and carbon monoxide. That’s because no actual combustion takes place. Instead, this groundbreaking fireplace uses patented HoloFlame technology to produce realistic flames and zero pollutants.
Economical heat – You may think an electric zone heater like MagikFlame is expensive to run. In reality, it is cost-effective. Use this utility cost calculator to see how MagikFlame stacks up in terms of energy savings.
Zero maintenance – Keen attention to detail, precision engineering and rigorous 12-point quality control testing ensure a high-quality product. It requires no maintenance to provide you with years of trouble-free use.
Elegant wood surround – All five freestanding MagikFlame models come with furniture-grade wood surrounds with classic details like fluted side columns, crown molding and intricately carved accents. A new MagikFlame fireplace immediately becomes the focal point of the room.
Incredible ambiance – The ambiance of a wood fire with glowing embers and crackling flames makes your living room a warm, inviting space. You can enjoy that real fireplace feeling all year-round, with or without heat. MagikFlame offers 30 flame styles to light up family life in a whole new, heartwarming way. Learn more with the Magikflame electric fireplace buying guide.
Go Contemporary with the Latest Tech
Trading old technology for new is key to a successful lifestyle upgrade. Refreshing your living room tech might mean replacing an outdated television, embracing a cutting-edge sound system, or adding automation.
The emergent trend for TVs is living large. Televisions are getting bigger and less expensive, putting them within the reach of more households. You could certainly make a bold statement with a large, wall-mounted OLED TV.
Tiny wireless speakers eliminate the need to hide snarls of wiring, so installing a new, space-saving sound system is among the easier DIY projects. Smartphone controllers and voice-command automation make choosing music to soothe your mood a matter of seconds.
Speaking of automation, smartphone-controlled heating, such as a MagikFlame fireplace, helps you save on your energy bill too. You can turn it on or off, up or down, from any remote location. You won’t waste money heating an empty room while everyone is out for the day.
Treat Yourself to Stylish Window Treatments
Curtains, shades, sheers and blinds are more important to your home decor than you may realize. The main reason is they control the natural light.
A dark living room is not very inviting. Light fixtures and a bright fire can help, but natural light is a nourishing, essential element in living space.
Window treatments are like a frame for your source of sunlight. A fresh color or a new style of curtains makes a big impact in upgrading your room.
Tap into what’s trending in window treatments in new home style like:
- Roller shades – new fabrics and textures revitalize these traditional window coverings that are currently more popular than blinds
- Cellular shades – their semi-translucent, honey-comb design insulate and let in filtered light
- Sheers – these see-through curtains class up your windows but don’t block out the sunlight
- Plantation shutters – you can paint these wood shutters to match or contrast with your room décor
- Valances – decorative toppers that dress up your windows without covering them up
You can mix and match window treatments like sheers and curtains to get the look you like best. With so many types and colors of fabric available, some new window dressing has the potential to make a big splash.
Tone Up Your Textures for a Tactile Refresh
While the focus of decorating is largely visual, don’t neglect the tactile element. Textures not only appeal to the eye, but they also nurture your sense of touch.
You’ll find lots of ways to tone up the texture of your living room. For example, you could replace your old plush carpet with a sisal area rug or a braided wool rug. Each provides a distinctive experience for your bare feet.
Add some texture-rich throw pillows into the mix. Quilted covers, embroidered designs or velvet fabric all bring something new to the touch table.
Accent pieces like woven willow baskets and wood carvings provide interesting textures that invite your touch. A collection of seashells in a smooth glass container or a soft, handwoven throw provide other enticing textures.
If you wish to make a bigger textural statement, consider a stone fireplace wall. Slate, limestone or river rock contrast in eye-catching ways with smoothly painted walls and a bookshelf mantle. An elegant white wood MagikFlame surround and mantle make a marvelous aesthetic impact in front of a dramatic stone backdrop.
Try some of the small upgrades above to get the best living room update. A single addition like a lovely electric fireplace can transform your living space while shrinking your family’s carbon footprint.
