4 Decorating Tricks Under $50 That’ll Transform Any Living Room, According to Designers
Of all the areas in your home to rethink, the living room may seem like the most overwhelming — after all, there are endless ways you can style this space. Plus, full renovations or redesigns can add up quickly. If you’ve been craving change in your living room but haven’t made a move because you’re worried it’ll cost an arm and a leg (or put you out for weeks), it’s time to think again.
Design pros know that the devil is in the details; the solution to the conundrum of a hum-drum hosting space often lies in small changes that save you from a full-scale reno job. In fact, there are many creative ways to jazz up a living room in just one day — all without spending more than $50. Yes, really! But you don’t have to take our word for it.
We polled five interior designers to come up with these four affordable (yet impactful!) decorating tricks for smart living rooms. Below, we’re sharing tips that will make all the difference in your space without blowing your budget.
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Bring in fresh flowers and greenery.
Before you reach for paint or wallpaper, first ask yourself the following question: Could you use a pop of greenery? A bouquet of fresh flowers or a handful of potted plants can work wonders in livening up any living room.
“I find that adding something organic and unexpected to your living room highlights everything around it,” says Molly Bruno, founder of Molly Bruno Interiors. Rather than placing your blooms or branches in a simple vase you’ve kept from a past floral delivery, though, pick up eye-catching vessels that are personality-forward, which don’t have to break the bank. “Etsy and local vintage shops are great places to source affordable vases, but you can also find interesting ones at larger retail shops like H&M and World Market,” Bruno adds.
Don’t be afraid to go for a DIY approach, either, when it comes to sprucing up your home with some greenery, adds Jennifer McKissick, the founder of Jennifer McKissick Interiors. “I love to buy orchids at Trader Joe’s and arrange them in a decorative bowl — you likely already have something lying around the house you could use,” she says. “Add a little preserved moss, which can be purchased online or from a craft store, and you have a beautiful arrangement that would have cost you $200 from a florist.”
Frame your snaps for surprisingly less.
Framing can be expensive, but designers like Bruno make affordable options look expensive with clean white matting. Whether it’s your wedding photos or nature shots from your latest vacation, rethink how you display them in new matching frames with this styling trick. “Your favorite photos can become a beautiful focal point when given a little update and grouped together,” she says, adding that craft stores such as Michaels are great starting points for simple frames.
Not exactly a photographer? Don’t worry — Etsy is chock-full of stylish downloadable art prints that you can then have printed at your local print shop, shares principal designer Shaolin Low, founder of Studio Shaolin. “Pop it into a simple frame, and suddenly your space looks curated and intentional,” she says.
Rethink your lampshades.
Transform your living room in a snap by saying goodbye to a lampshade that is looking dated or no longer reflects your style. You don’t have to buy new lamps; rather, all you have to do is refresh the shade to better suit your space.
Designer Chrissy Jones, founder of Twenty-Eighth Design Studio, is partial to lampshades that are pleated, printed, scalloped, or textured. “You can find great options on Amazon for under $50,” she says. “It’s such a small switch, but it changes the vibe and makes a basic lamp feel intentional.”
Refresh your pillow inserts.
If your living room pillows are looking a little lumpy or deflated, don’t toss them out — you just need to order some new inserts. This simple swap could bring your cushions (and your space) back to life, notes designer Emily C. Butler, who owns her eponymous firm.
Remember, as Butler recommends, you should always select an insert that’s a size larger than your pillow cover. A 16×16-inch pillow cover requires a 20×20-inch insert, for example. This styling gives the pillow more loft, definition, and shape; it’s a pro designer hack that doesn’t cost any more than the “right” size inserts. Try H&M Home or Amazon for budget inserts.
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