Top 8 Home Decor Ideas That Will Refresh Your Old Living Room

You’re looking at your living room and a thought crosses your mind – the place needs to be redecorated. Everything looks old, out-dated – in desperate need of a change.

Still, you don’t have the time or money to entirely renovate the room, replace the furniture, or go through massive changes. This is why you opt for a change in décor instead. It can help you spruce up the living room, without actually undergoing any drastic changes.

1. Change Your Curtains

Adding new curtains will always change the entire look of your living room. For example, if your curtains are old, faded, and overall out of shape, a new set will make everything seem like new.

Depending on what you wish to achieve, there are certain types of curtains that you may go for. For example, some thin, light-colored draperies will let the light in and give you the privacy you need. However, thick, velvety curtains will make a room feel darker if you are easily bothered by the light. If you have a specific model in mind and you can’t find it in any store, you might want to look for a local shop specializing in custom drapery. A lot of people will be surprised to find that custom draperies are currently priced very closely to ready-made drapes but fit perfectly to individual window sizes.

If you want to add a more whimsical look to the ambiance, you could go for some sheer curtains. Their advantage is that they also tend to allow a lot of light in. Ruffled curtains will add an extra touch of “pizzazz,” drawing attention to a specific focal point without seeming too heavy. With the right curtain upgrade, you can give a touch of character, elegance, and interest to the living room.

2. Try a New Paint Color

Tired of your old wall color? Decorate and spruce up the room with a new shade. You can go for the classic and paint the entire living room in the same color.

Still, if the walls already look nice but you just want to make a change, simply paint over one wall with a more daring shade. For example, if the rest of the walls are white, make one of them a deep emerald colour. Or paint the wall in stripes. Let your imagination run loose as you are decorating the living room.

3. Change the Curtain Rods

If your living room seems like it’s been passed down through generations, the chances are that your curtain rods look very old and out-dated. If you want your new curtains to shine, you need to make sure the object they are attached to is chic, modern, and matches the rest of your interior. This is why you may want to search for some trendy curtain rods, to do some justice to your curtains. Metallic ones are quite popular, as they provide a shine – but if you wish to go for a classier look, wood is also a good choice.

You should also decide between single curtain rods or double curtain rods. For example, singles are great if you only want to use sheer curtains, but if you intend to add thicker curtains, you should use double curtain rods. The latter option offers more stability and will also help you achieve that layering effect.

If you are planning to hang pencil pleat curtains, you must make sure that the curtain rods are in the right size as well. Once they are up, ensure that you distribute the gathers evenly and that you secure them with knots. Arranging them properly is what will make your living room look more elegant and put together.

4. Get Some Plants

When in doubt, decorating with plants is always a safe bet. Plants have a way of making every design more exotic – fresher if you may. Get some potted plants to add a touch of greenery. It will make your room smell fresh and improve its air quality. As a result, not only will they make the living room look great, but they will also help you breathe better.

Small plants such as succulents are great, but you may want to get one or two bigger ones to make the living room stand out. Ferns are a nice, exotic choice, and other plants such as lemon and ficus can grow to become quite beautiful decorations.

5. Change the Carpet

It’s amazing how the entire vibe of the room can change by simply changing the carpet. If you have an old carpet, consider getting a new one – maybe even a smaller one, if the older one was large and your floor is still looking in peak shape. Over time, carpets tend to lose their vibrancy and they begin to look bland. This is why a new carpet that doesn’t seem like it’s been stepped on thousands of times will entirely change the look of your home.  

You may go for a variety of carpet types, depending on the look that you are trying to get. For example, plush carpets are very popular nowadays, as they are very soft to step on – not to mention modern-looking. However, if you are hoping to achieve a somewhat traditional look, then you should consider Persian carpets. They are elegant and perfect for living rooms that need a splash of color.

6. Hang Some Paintings

Do you feel like your walls look boring, but you don’t necessarily want to do any permanent changes to them? Well, you may decorate them with some paintings. You may go the easy way and purchase them from your favorite artists. Still, if you want to give the living room a personal touch, you may decide to paint them yourself.

Nowadays, it’s not that difficult to paint, even if you’re no expert; simply take a canvas that has pre-drawn lines and fill them in with color. You may play with the canvas yourself if you’re feeling artsy and hang the result on your wall. Splash-paint art is quite popular today, and there are several tutorials on the Internet on how to do it.

7. Get Some Nice Lighting

You may have some pretty furniture in the living room and some nice walls, but if the lighting isn’t right, then the entire look can be compromised. This is why you may want to decorate your room with some nice lighting pieces.

You don’t have to change the whole lighting structure of the room. Adding some beautiful lamps will do as well. Go for some floor or desk lamps that perhaps have a unique design to them – maybe a statue base or something looking quite special. This way, you will change the whole room with the addition of a new lighting accessory.

8. Add Some Throw Pillows To The Mix

Empty couches look boring – and old pillows look just as bad. If you want to refresh your old living room, you may want to get some new throw pillows for your couch. Learn how to mix them properly as well; don’t just add the same model everywhere. As an example, for every one pattern pillow, go for a solid color one. Also, if you want to pair powerful colors (for example, blue and orange), make sure that you have a clear (white or cream) backdrop.

The Bottom Line

Decorating your living room should not take much from your budget. You just need the right ideas to emphasize the qualities that the space already has. Use our ideas and bring your living room back to life.

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Author bio

Zana Dodig loves interiors and everything related, from decorating to organizing and remodeling. Her favorite part of interiors for the last 20 years have been window coverings. She works as a window treatment consultant and writer at DraperyCurtainRods.ca and PrestigeDecor.ca.