The kitchen may be the heart of the home, but the living room is where friends and family gather for conversation, watching TV, playing board games or hanging out. The living room is also usually the first room guests see when they enter a house or apartment. 

Remodeling your living room is an ideal way to refresh the overall look of your home. These five living room hacks are a great way to accomplish that goal, while making the living room more functional and welcoming for family and friends:

1. Start With A Plan

Many living rooms reflect the fact that a few pieces were purchased, some were acquired from family and friends, and others came with the place. A living room remodel represents the ideal opportunity to start with a clean slate and create a coordinated look and feel for the room. The time it takes to map out a plan for the desired look of your new living room will not only ensure the final result comes out right, but will also make the process more efficient and save both time and money. 

2. Choose Furnishings According To Lifestyle

TV home remodeling shows often feature spectacular rooms that look like they are straight out of the pages of a design magazine. But too many of these gorgeous rooms are completely impractical in real life. For a family with kids and pets, living room furnishings should be durable and practical, in addition to being stylish. Choosing living room sets from Jerome’s takes away much of the stress of redecorating. In addition to selling superior furniture, Jerome’s offers financing and delivery options for new purchases and even picks up old furnishings you no longer want. 

3. Decorate With Personal And Household Items

Home remodeling projects can be exciting, but they can also be pricey. Then again, cutting costs does not have to mean sacrificing style. That is why creative repurposing of personal and household items can give a living room a unique look for little or no money. For example, unwanted costume jewelry makes elegant tiebacks for drapes, while carefully placed holes in dark lampshades create a striking starry effect when the light is turned on. Meantime, old stair treads and corbels make a stylish and inexpensive alternative to cookie-cutter, store-bought mounted bookshelves.

4. Opt For Removable Wallpaper

Wallpaper can create a dramatic focal point for a room. But renters are often prohibited from putting up wallpaper, because it is so difficult to remove. However, removable wallpaper is available from conventional manufacturers, as well as specialty companies. The designs look just like regular wallpaper, and because the fabric is removable, it can also be applied to tabletops or shelves to give them a fresh, new look.

5. Create A Fireplace Focal Point

Few things are more relaxing than lounging by a fireplace with friends and a glass of wine. But for homes and apartments that do not have a real fireplace, a mantel set against a wall can create the illusion of one. A fireplace, whether real or fabricated, makes a natural focal point to center the décor of a living room. 

Making The Living Room A Showplace

The living room can set the stage for the look of an entire home or apartment. But if you are looking to remodel this space, starting with a plan ensures this process will go smoothly, as well as save money and frustration. Choosing suitable furnishings to suit the family’s lifestyle and tastes, plus thinking outside the box with decorating ideas, can ensure that a living room not only looks great, but also functions well for years to come.

Andi Perullo de Ledesma

I am Andi Perullo de Ledesma, a Chinese Medicine Doctor and Travel Photojournalist in Charlotte, NC. I am also wife to Lucas and mother to Joaquín. Follow us as we explore life and the world one beautiful adventure at a time.

More Posts - Website - Twitter - Facebook