Living Room Remodeling On A Budget We Can Do This

For the Living Room

Texturize and Accessorize

Estimated cost: $50 to $150 to update a few accessories

“A room can appear one-dimensional when it’s missing texture,” says interior designer Lance Thomas of Thomas Guy Interiors in Lake Charles, La. Designers may add texture by incorporating dressers with fluted designs, chunky knit throws, velvet ottomans, or leather accent chairs. You can adapt that idea by scoping out items from other rooms in your house that you can mix into the living room to add texture and depth. Or shop secondhand stores for small items you can refinish, repurpose, or re-cover. For example, re-covered accent pillows are an affordable way to add texture to your furniture.

“Perhaps the best thing about accent pillows is they're an easy seasonal item, making your living room feel different without costing as much as a new furniture buy,” Alvarez adds. “Throw pillows are a great and inexpensive way to incorporate new trends or add color to your living room.” Also, functional accents — like a set of three seagrass baskets — can be great for a corner or near a fireplace, Alvarez says. Then, “place throw blankets in them to give the room a cozy, inviting feel.”

Wallpaper the Shelves

Estimated cost: about $50 for a small roll

For homeowners who may be too timid to jump on the wallpaper comeback trend, try it in small doses and with less commitment (especially when using a removable peel-and-stick type). Interior designer Mel Bean of Mel Bean Interiors in Tulsa, Okla., suggests adding wallpaper to the inside back of a bookcase or other shelving unit to dress it up. Recently, she used a jagged, striped gray-and-cream-colored wallpaper behind each shelf on an all-white built-in to add texture, color, and a more custom look.

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