For most homeowners, the living room is a place filled with great memories. It’s where friends and family gather to watch movies, play party games, share holiday experiences, and bond in other ways.
Did you know that people spend an average of 1,600 hours a year in their living rooms? That’s 67 days! Spending so many hours in the same space means people are bound to get tired of the décor.
If you find yourself weary of the same old scene, rest assured that a renovated living room can transform your entire home plus boost its property value.
As exciting as it is, though, upgrading a living room can be quite the challenge. Where do you start? How much can you spend? Should you rip up the floors, swap out the furniture, or do more?
Relax. Holland’s Custom Cabinets is here to help. Transforming your living room doesn’t have to be overwhelming. We’ve compiled eight remodeling ideas for the living room to help you brew some of your own ideas.
Eight Living Room Remodeling Ideas
1. Add New Custom Cabinets
Keep clutter to a minimum by organizing and concealing your living room necessities. Leverage multi-functional furniture, such as custom-built living room cabinets, to integrate storage with your décor.
For example, you can use a dresser to stow frequently used items such as books, CDs, games, electronics, or toys. A flattop dresser can also serve as a TV stand in a tight space.
If you entertain frequently, consider keeping a stocked bar cart with bottles, glassware, serving utensils, trays, and boxes at the ready. A bar cart with a closed storage option is always a great way to hide everything in a hurry.
2. Go With an Open Floor Plan
One of the most dramatic ways to remodel your living room is to knock down a wall and create an open floor plan. Open floor plans allow:
- Better traffic flow – without walls obstructing the way, you can move around more freely
- Multi-functionality – the living room can double as a dining space and kitchen
- An abundance of natural light
- Ease of entertainment – you’ll be able to communicate with guests while working in another room, such as the kitchen
- More space for you and your loved ones.
While open floor plans are desirable, they are often labor-intensive when working with an existing space. As such, they can add to your living room renovation budget significantly. This is especially true when load-bearing walls need to be moved or replaced or plumbing or wiring needs to be re-routed. So, before going all-in with an open space design, be sure to research and weigh all of your options.
3. Refresh Your Entrance
If the living room is located at the front of your house, you can benefit from replacing the existing entry door with a new one. In addition to boosting curb appeal, a front door refresh can breathe new life into living room décor.
If you’re not sure where to begin refreshing your entrance, here are a few tips to get you started:
- Paint the door with a color you love. Don’t be afraid to choose paints just a little out of the ordinary (but that still go with your home’s overall aesthetic)
- Place greenery and flowers around the front door area
- Upgrade your door hardware, mailbox, and lights
- Replace your doormat and add a wreath or other hanging.
4. Focus on the Flooring
It’s no secret that floors take a hefty beating every day. Unless you take preventive measures, this wear and tear will show over time.
Redoing a floor doesn’t have to be a hassle. You can change the carpets or choose modern floor finishes that can be installed over existing tile or cement. Doing so is relatively easy, inexpensive, and can work wonders to give a space a much-needed facelift.
Sometimes, though, floors are beyond saving, which means they need to be replaced entirely. If this describes your situation, be sure to choose flooring that fits the rest of your living room remodel. If you need help, don’t be afraid to ask a professional like Holland’s Custom Cabinets to assist with your decision making.
5. Don’t Forget the Lighting
Well-thought-out lighting can boost your living room’s aesthetics. Experiment with ambient lights, recessed lights, high-hat lights, and can lights to improve the feel of the space.
For a truly dynamic living room, use strategically-placed table lamps with removable lampshades that match your seasonal accessories. A chandelier or pendant light in the center can add a dramatic effect.
6. Replace the Windows
Old, drafty windows can quickly undo all the hard work put into your renovated living room. Consider replacing existing windows with new ones. Not only do new windows lower energy costs, they also . . .
- Increase home value
- Enhance home safety and security
- Reduce dust and allergens
- Reduce cold drafts and hot spots
- Lower maintenance efforts
- Help soundproof the home.
Given how window replacements recoup a healthy 66.3% of their initial cost, it might be worthwhile to include them in your living room renovation.
7. Paint It
Painting is a great way to update your living room on a shoestring budget. A few paint cans, brushes, rollers, and some elbow grease combined with reading up on living room remodel color ideas can bring rundown living rooms to life again. You don’t even have to paint every wall. Choose just one wall or paint over only the baseboards and ceiling trim!
As for your color palette, choose colors that complement the rest of your home. White, gray, beige, and other neutrals are often the safest bets, but you can also get creative and opt for browns, golds, earthy oranges, and blues.
8. Create Faux Space
Finding remodeling ideas for small living rooms can be frustrating. Luckily, there are ways to create the illusion of a bigger space, and you don’t even have to knock down a wall to do it:
- Make the ceiling white to give it a more open, airy feel
- Choose an area rug that covers most of the floor space
- Mount shelves high to pull the eye upward
- Plant a large, colorful statement piece in the center of the room.
Holland’s Can Help with Your Living Room Remodel
Everyone adores a remodeled living room, no matter its size. Hopefully, this article has given you some insight into a few ways to spruce up your space and turn it into something you have always dreamed of. No living room is complete without the proper cabinetry and storage. At Holland’s Custom Cabinets, we provide a wide range of creative designs perfect for living room remodels. Reach out to us today to learn more about how we can help.
