I love my family home, but I have to admit it’s dated. Besides the structural elements that need repairing, the decor is in desperate need of a refresh.

It’s daunting tackling an old home because there are so many things that need updating. But, I have to be mindful of what I’m choosing to spend because this is an unexpected project that I didn’t budget for.

Besides the financial restrictions, I have to consider my father’s feelings. My late mother decorated our family home. I don’t want to upset or disrespect my parents by changing every single thing.

That being said, my mother did express her desire to renovate the house before she passed. I don’t know what style she would’ve gone for, but I decided our family home should adopt a transitional interior decorating style.

It’s a mix of modern and traditional design elements, which best describes how we feel about my family’s current situation. We want to move forward while honoring my mother’s legacy.

So, the first area I wanted to start redecorating was this little nook in my living room. We have a pretty spacious living area, but this nook is my absolute favorite.

The objective of this living room refresh is to add a contemporary touch without spending a lot of money. Glad to say that I achieved it by following six easy steps!

Anyway, I know some of you may feel like you need a change of scene because you’ve spent the entire year (or more) at home. If you’re considering making small but impactful changes to your living room, I hope my method below helps!

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Before

Before we get into the living room refresh reveal, let’s take a look at my living room before the revamp.

Confession: These aren’t the actual before photos. Remember my decluttering and organizing spree? Well, I cleaned and organized the entire house before I decided to redecorate. If you’re wondering what it really looked like before, it’s mostly the same setup except for way messier.

This corner is right by our main door, so the chairs and table were used as a sort of catchall for my family. Think bags, unopened mail, books, and keys!

The only difference is that we had a faux plant on top of the table. I received a beautiful bouquet from my friends that week, so I swapped the plant for the flowers when I took these photos.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I don’t hate the setup. I actually think it has an old-school charm to it. But, we haven’t replaced the seat covers since we bought the rattan chairs two decades ago. They have faded, and they don’t look as good as they used to be!

After

I didn’t have a design plan when I started this living room refresh. All I knew was that I wanted to reduce visual clutter and replace the seat covers. Besides wanting to inject a modern touch, I also wanted a bright and calm space.

Although I didn’t have a design plan, I used these six steps to achieve the look I wanted. It’s such an easy and straightforward process, and you can definitely use these for any room!

Six steps to achieve a living room refresh

Choose a hero or focus piece

I was actually inspired to redecorate this corner when I stumbled upon this beautiful olive green planter. I loved the color and its rounded edges. When I first saw it, I instantly thought of how beautiful it would look on the glass table.

The faux plant my mother had was looking a little worse for wear. The color had faded, and it was just accumulating dust. I knew it was time to get rid of it and replace it with the wheeler planter, which became the hero piece.

Not sure where to start? I recommend getting your inspiration from a hero piece you’ve been eyeing. A hero or focus piece can be an artwork, a lighting fixture, or even a plant!

Choose a colour scheme

Since I had a small budget for this project, I knew changing the furniture was out of the question. However, changing seat covers meant I could pick a totally new color scheme.

The previous seat covers were a loud print, but I wanted something more neutral this time. I wasn’t planning on changing the curtains. So, whatever color I chose had to complement the curtains. Everything needed to look cohesive.

I finally settled on cream because cream goes with pretty much anything and everything. I knew the planter would add a much-needed pop of color. And, I thought it would be more affordable to add color by swapping cushion covers.

Once I decided on the color, I sent the seats to a local small business to get them reupholstered. I love how the new seat covers brightened up the area instantly.

It’s important to select a color scheme because it dictates the direction you’ll be taking. Color is good, but too much color can make a room feel overwhelming.

Add symmetry to create balance

The easiest way to make a room look more polished is by adding symmetry. This is very common, especially for a traditional or transitional decorating style.

Symmetry is a way to introduce balance within a space. It is achieved when two sides of a room are mirror images of each other. The easiest way to do this is to place two identical pieces of furniture together.

Fortunately, I already had two beautiful rattan chairs I could work with for this area. Since the planter was the focal point, the rattan chairs provided me with beautiful symmetry.

If you don’t have identical furniture, try pairing matching home decor items like candlesticks, wicker baskets, and light sconces.

Include soft furnishings

After changing the seat covers and adding the wheeler, the living area still lacked a couple of things to tie everything together. It needed warmth and comfort, which soft furnishings can provide.

If you’re not familiar with this term, soft furnishings refer to items made out of fabric to decorate a room. They refer to cushions, wall tapestries, and rugs.

Since I already had matching rattan chairs, I chose two different cushion sizes. Symmetry is good, but not everything has to be matchy-matchy!

I wish I could’ve included a rug as well, but I didn’t have the budget for it. Oh well, maybe next time!

Add print or texture to create contrast

Ah, contrast. This is what gives your overall space the “wow” factor. It is what keeps things interesting!

Every space needs contrast, and my living room is no exception. I chose printed cushion covers instead of plain ones because I wanted them to complete the look.

Since I wanted everything to blend cohesively, the cushion covers were a lighter cream color. They did, however, had hints of green to match the green from the planter. One had horizontal stripes, whereas the other had a botanical outline on it.

The botanical cushion cover was a tribute to my mom’s love for flowers. If you look carefully, you’ll see she weaved flowers into the design of the curtains as well.

Consider indoor plants as decor

Finally, introducing plants to any space is a great idea. Besides making the room look great, indoor plants carry a ton of health benefits! According to The Sill, studies have shown that they boost moods, increase creativity, reduce stress, and eliminate air pollutants.

I thought long and hard about adding indoor plants to my family home. We’ve never had an actual plant in the house. All of us had busy schedules and didn’t have time to care for indoor plants.

However, I’m all for indoor plants since I decorated my own apartment with them last year. I genuinely think they’re one of the best ways to decorate a space for cheap!

Since I’m a little more knowledgeable about indoor plants now, I decided to take the plunge and purchase a ZZ plant for the planter. The ZZ plant is truly one of the hardiest plants, and it’s the perfect plant for people who travel often like yours truly!

This is the first real plant we’ve had inside the house, and hopefully it won’t be the last one.

The best part about this living room refresh is that it cost less than USD150! Here’s a breakdown below…

• Custom seat cover reupholstery: $92
• Cushions: $22
• Plant: $8.50
• Planter: $24

Total: $146.50

So, what do you think of my living room refresh? I may be biased, but I love it! If I have extra funds in the future, I’m definitely thinking of adding a floor lamp and a rug. This was really fun to do, and I hope it has inspired you to refresh your living room too!

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