Guest Post: Liven Up Your Living Room

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Today I have a guest post for you about easy ways to freshen up your living room's look, using things you already have!

DIY Ways To Liven Up Your Family’s Living Room

Every once in awhile, you probably find yourself looking around your home and thinking that it is time to liven things up a little. Maybe you find yourself staring at your beige bedroom wall and thinking, “This wall should be red.” Or perhaps while doing dishes in your kitchen you think, “It is time for a new dishwasher.”

Or maybe you find yourself sitting in your family’s living room and thinking, “This place could use a bit of excitement.” But maybe you haven’t done any of these things because you think that you don’t have the budget to do it. There is good news for those of you feeling a little strapped for cash but ready for change: there are easy ways to use your household items to liven up your current family room’s seating options.  Below are a few ideas to get you started.

DÉCOR IDEA #1 – Make the drapes your new pillows.

If you are thinking about replacing your drapes but you do not want to waste the fabric, consider using them to make new throw pillows for your couches. You can pick the least worn spots of the drapes, e.g. the parts that show the least wear and tear or fading from the sun, and use the other parts for other reasons. Your guests and family members may recognize the pattern but be unable to place where they’ve seen it before.

DÉCOR IDEA #2 – Bring in the plants.

Plants are a great way to really bring a room to life largely because plants are actually alive! If you take some of the plants from around your home and move them into your family room, you will see that it really brightens the room. You can also consider cutting some flowers from your garden or some thin branches from a nearby tree. It can be a great centerpiece or topic of conversation.

DÉCOR IDEA #3 – Create mini-rooms.

If you have a large living room, you can break it up into smaller spaces using nothing but the furniture that is already in there. For example, try putting a loveseat in front of the fireplace, with a small rug in front of it to set it off, and then place the other chairs or couches on the side to create another seating area. You can also use screens or bookcases as temporary dividers.

DÉCOR IDEA #4 – Reupholster some furniture using a blanket or sheets.

Reupholstering your furniture can make a huge difference and does not usually take very much time. In fact, it is so cheap and easy to do this simple carpentry work, you will be very surprised. Start by finding some fabric in your home – a comforter you stopped using or some sheets that you don’t use anymore. Then measure the size of the furniture to make sure you have enough fabric to cover it. Cut to size and grab the stapler. That’s all it takes!

If you don’t particularly like any of these ideas, get creative with the things you already have around your house and think of some new ones. There is no limit to the things you can do if you just give it a shot! What are you waiting for? Get started!

About the author: Lisa Steele has been involved in the home and garden industry for many years covering a litany of topics. When she’s not writing, you can find her reviewing companies like Seats and Stools, and many other worthwhile décor companies.

Thank you so much for the great ideas Lisa! {And for the day off!!}