There is a reason it’s called a living room; it’s often the room where you spend the most waking hours (aside from the occasional couch nap). It’s where we entertain guests, relax, play games, and socialize. It’s important for this room to support you in feeling your very best.
We have compiled the most essential living room remodel tips for architect, contractor or extreme DIYer to ensure good design, functionality and comfort.
1. Update your Front Door
If eyes are the gateway to the soul, doors are the equivalent for your home. Not only is a front entry door designed for security, but it is also an important component in the appearance of your home. As the last threshold before entering your house, it is a statement of how you adorn and care for your home.
If your living room is at the front of your house, installing a new entry door or freshening up your current door can do so much for so little cost and effort. Not only will it increase your curb appeal, but it will also make your living space feel more cozy. It can be as simple as painting the inside of your front door to compliment your decor.
This is a relatively effortless way to transform your living room and still make big impact.
2. Choose the Perfect Color Palette
Interior paint is one of the easiest ways to make a living room remodel on a budget. Colors directly influence the way we feel. When considering a color palette, think about how you actually spend time in your living room. The colors need to look great during the day with natural light, as well as at night when you have lamps on. The living room is a great place to try on an a bold accent wall.
3. Fix the Floors
Due to the nature of the space, your floors are probably ready for a living room remodel. Tired carpet, damaged tiles or scratched hardwood can really distract from your general decor. Vinyl tiles or wooden laminates are very inexpensive options that look great and are durable. Another benefit of these types of floors is that they can often be installed ontop of existing tile or subfloor.
4. Lighten Up
A new light fixture and eye friendly light bulbs are a very inexpensive way to transform the look and feel of your living room. The right lighting instantly adds ambiance and can set a mood. Tubular skylights are a really interesting way to both bring in more natural light and reduce energy costs. They are preferable to a traditional skylight, which is difficult to clean and easy to notice how dirty it is.
The world of lighting is pretty exciting. Whether you’re into a more polished look like a chandelier or something more whimsical with paper lanterns, lighting is sure to help bring harmony to your living room remodel.
5. Create an Open Floor Plan
The open floor plan is a very popular style to remodel a living room. Knocking down a wall dramatically transforms the look, feel and function to your living space. It is also the most technical and expensive way to update your space. If the wall is load bearing, it presents some difficulty. A professional will know if it is possible and if it requires permitting.
Double barn doors are an elegant way to make your open floor plan optional. Where there was once a dividing wall, barn doors provide the option for the space to be open or closed.
6. Replace your Windows
Old windows are not the cute kind of vintage. Window replacements look great and also provide better insulation than old, draft windows. Having modern windows will lower your energy costs all while making your home appear more modern. Natural light is very attractive in a living space. You can strategically add more windows to draw in more natural light. It’s a win win!
7. Get the Right Furniture
Furniture is expensive and difficult to move. It’s easy to feel “stuck” with what you have. If rearranging your furniture doesn’t achieve the look you desire, it is definitely time to reupholster or upgrade completely!
A living room floor plan needs to be designed around its furniture, and ultimately, the activities you plan to do in the room. If you like to host intimate gatherings, you will want a central space surrounded by a variety of seating options. If you like to host parties, larger couches along the edges of your living room will be more appropriate.
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