Consider Your Coffee Table

Create a cohesive look in your living room by echoing colors or finishes from the room’s centerpiece, the coffee table, throughout other accessories. For example, the metallic sheen of this gold coffee table repeats on ornamental candle holders gathered in a neutral serving tray. Not sure where to begin with your coffee table update? Favorite books, fresh flowers, and treasured travel mementos all make fashionable contenders.

Contain Clutter

A little storage can go a long way in creating an updated living room. In this color-coordinated room, two bookcases are filled with office supplies, documents, magazines, and more, though guests of this home would never know thanks to clever clutter-busting tips. Use spare oversized glass containers to corral office supplies or small toys. Large baskets or boxes conceal papers and magazines in style. Stack them on a bookshelf for easy access that saves on floor space.

Rearrange Furniture

On a tight budget? The best living room ideas don't have you reaching for your wallet. Instead of heading to the store, rethink your living room furniture arrangement. Start by breaking the norms. Pull your sofa away from the wall or bring your wicker patio furniture inside. Whether you have an open floor plan, tend to gather around a TV, or prefer cozy conversation, a new arrangement can inspire and revitalize a room.

Improve with Paint

Give boring wood furniture a fresh (and fast!) facelift with paint. Try the fun dip-dye technique featured here, or update with a single bold color. Updated living room colors create unexpected change that will result in rave reviews.

Slipcover a Sofa

Living room decorating ideas don't need to revolve around dated furniture. A simple slipcover in a neutral color gives your space a blank slate for stylish accessories. If you're feeling creative, consider dip-dying the slipcover for a modern ombre effect. Pile the couch high with colorful pillows of different sizes and textures for an eye-catching look.

Punch Up Throw Pillows

Modernize your living room in an afternoon with throw pillows. Although they might seem like an afterthought, throw pillows are an easy solution for trying out trends in pattern and color without the major commitment. Keep seasonal pillows related to the holidays in storage until you need to make a swap. Use scrap fabric for an easy-sew pillow cover or try one of our favorite painted pillow projects to update your existing collection.

Organize Bookshelves

Consider rearranging your bookshelves for a no-cost living room refresh. Gather a variety of collectibles in a similar color scheme and place them between books for loose symmetry. Other options include arranging books by color and presenting collections in groups of three. Before you decide on an arrangement, you can also make your bookcases look new by painting the shelves and installing adhesive paper to the back wall of the storage unit.