Published: January 21, 2025 I HOME DECORATING
This post is all about living room ideas on a budget.
Creating a beautiful and cozy living room that matches your style and personality doesn’t have to be expensive and stressful. There are so many great ways of decorating a living room on a budget. You just need to look around your home and use the existing decor, personal items, or choose other options that are also great alternatives to more expensive brands.
Here are 19 beautiful living room ideas on a budget.
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Living Room Ideas on a Budget:
1. Use wall molding to upgrade your wall
Crown molding is absolutely one of the best living room ideas on a budget because it that adds style and sophistication to your space.
Before and after photos:
These are the three simple steps to help you install the crown molding:
Step 1: Measure and Cut the Molding
Measure the Wall: Measure your wall and determine the length of crown molding needed for each section.
Mark and Cut the Molding: Use a miter saw to cut the molding at a 45-degree angle for corners. Inside corners should have one piece cut at an angle and the other straight for a snug fit.
Step 2: Attach the Molding
Find Wall Studs: Mark the studs along the wall using a stud finder. You can also use a carpeter’s tape to mark the area to put your crown molding.
Secure the Molding: Hold the molding in place and use a nail gun or hammer with finishing nails to attach it to the wall at the marked studs. Start at one end and work your way along, ensuring that it is level.
Step 3: Finish the Look
Fill Gaps and Nail Holes: Use caulk to fill gaps between the molding and the wall or ceiling and wood filler for nail holes.
Sand and Paint: Once dry, sand any rough spots and paint the molding to match your room’s décor.
2. Add a sconce
Adding another piece of lighting creates a warm atmosphere in your living room. You can already get sconces from $30 to $60.
3. DIY your fireplace
Creating a do-it-yourself project is one of the most creative budget living room design ideas. With just a little imagination, you can transform your space. Take this example: a faux fireplace and chair were refreshed with a coat of white paint, and then styled with a simple frame, a mirror, a bottle, and some leafy stems. The result? An inviting fireplace that adds character to the room.
Before and after photos:
4. Make a bold statement with your floor
Copy this look by using inexpensive black and white floor tiles that you can buy from Amazon for a lower price. The checkered pattern will ultimately level up the design of your space with a classic look.
5. Paint your window frames a contrasting color
Just by looking at the windows you’ll notice a stunning contrast between the white walls and the dark windows. Just painting your windows darker can exude a more modern look. The dark windows also act as a bold outline making the outside view seem like a beautiful piece of art.
6. Layer your books
Books are definitely one of the top living room ideas on a budget! It’s super simple but looks great on your mantel, coffee table, or living room shelf. Here are some nice examples:
7. Decorate your shelf with art collection, memorabilia, or vintage pieces
Your art collection or other memorabilia are great items to include on your shelf. Things you bought during your travels and souvenirs combined with baskets, small bells, and books complement each other nicely when placed on your shelf.
Related Post: 6+ Great and Easy-to-do Living Room Shelf Styling Ideas
8. Rearrange your furniture
The easiest thing you can do that doesn’t require any spending is to rearrange the layout of your living room. Changing the orientation of your sofa, coffee table, or side tables can give a fresh perspective to your space. Rearranging your furniture can also open up the space or make your seating area more intimate for conversation.
The first thing you need to think about is how will your current living layout affect your daily living and how you use the space. You can also separate the different sub-areas (zones). For example, you can place a chair and small table in a corner to transform it into your cozy reading corner, or separate the living room from the kitchen by putting a sofa between them. You can also take some furniture from your bedroom like a pouf or a rattan chair, and place them in the living room for a more comfortable seating. Remember to focus on functionality as well as style.
9. Hang framed art of family and friends
Another great budget living room hack is to bring out all your family photos and create a lovely wall gallery. To create a cohesive look, print the photos in black and white and choose frames of the same size. Before hanging them on the wall, lay them out on the floor to decide how your layout should be.
10. Use a wicker side table instead of a wooden table
Need a more interesting but inexpensive side table? Why not try a rattan or wicker side table!
11. Hang a mirror on a blank wall
Mirrors are not just great décor but they also make your space look larger. Depending on how big your wall is, you can try hanging one or more mirrors.
12. Decorate the coffee table
Reuse items that you already have and decorate your coffee table. Get creative with old vases, a rustic wooden branch, a vintage tray, and a stack of books. These simple yet stylish touches can add charm to your space while keeping your décor budget-friendly.
Related Post: Beautiful Coffee Table Styling Ideas for Your Living Room
13. Create a contrast with blue and white accents
If you have some dark furniture or mantel in your living room, a great way to make the room stylish is to add light-colored poufs that create a beautiful contrast with the furniture or mantel. Plus, poufs are very easy to store and add an extra layer of comfort and seating for your guests.
14. Change your throw pillow or opt for one that’s larger or a different shape
Just changing your throw pillows/ covers is another budget living room idea. It can make a noticeable change to your living room and make it more interesting without breaking the bank. It’s absolutely okay to use different sizes of pillows to create a layering effect that makes your sofa more cozy.
Try different shapes of pillows to match your personal style. The smaller pillows are great for lower back support, while larger ones provide plush comfort, making the sofa not just stylish but also functional. No need to be matchy-matchy (see photo below).
15. Paint your shelf with a dark color
Check out this shelf that has a dark green color. Absolutely stunning! You can try this trick with a dark gray color as well.
16. Change your curtains to match the seasons
You don’t have to worry about buying another set of curtains as you can just use your current ones and swap them whenever the season changes.
17. Bring in the flowers and plants
You can never go wrong with plants because they are so inexpensive and readily available (if you have a garden) or you can just purchase them easily online or in a store.
This post was all about living room ideas on a budget.
