Have designer tastes but no budget to go along with it?  You can give your living room a fresh, updated look without spending much money at all.  Your living room is where you relax with family, visit with guests, and generally live your life when it’s time to unwind after a busy day.  You want it to be beautiful and welcoming to all who enter.  This article offers lots of easy ideas for giving your living room an appealing new look without busting your budget.

Give a worn floor a colorful new look

If you have wood floors that have lost their luster, put a coat of polyurethane on to shine them up.

Have cracked tiles or worn carpet?  Decorative throw rugs can hide a multitude of sins!  Braided rugs, square, oval or oblong rugs with bright patterns – these all work to not only cover up a floor that has seen better days, they add color and texture as well.

Paint – one solution for many problems

Paint is one of the most affordable ways to spruce up your home!  If you currently have off-white walls, why not add a little fresh color?  Consider soft blues and greens if you tend toward cool colors.  Those who prefer warm shades should consider shades like rusty orange, warm amber or spring fawn to give the room dimension and interest.

If you decide a little texture for the walls would dress it up, use some of the popular techniques such as sponging, stenciling and rag rolling.

Paint is also a great way to freshen up your living room tables, especially if you like a country or shabby chic look.  Just paint over the existing finish, then do a little light sanding to naturally “wear” the edges.

Have a talent with a needle and thread?

Make your own throw pillows and curtains!  This is easily accomplished, since most pillows are square or oblong.  Buy some discounted fabric in shades that match your decor, then sew up your own original throw pillows.

For the windows, casually drape a long piece of hemmed fabric over the curtain rod leaving a curved “swag” in the center to add elegance, or use cotton or satin bed sheets!  No one will ever know the difference, and your windows will look beautiful.

Take a few ideas from nature

When it comes to accents, there are some easy ways to make your own!  Keep old canning jars, bottles and other glass pieces and fill them with shells, herbs, marbles, stones, nuts, potpourri or anything you like.

Take a few photos when you’re outdoors.  Pictures of nature are beautiful when blown up and framed – you can even craft your own wooden frames for an old-fashioned, unique look or, if you have a little artistic ability, paint your own pictures!  Abstracts, landscapes – whatever suits your decor tastes.

Have a few family heirlooms stored away?  Get them out and put them on display.

Need new lamps but just cannot afford them?  Changing the lamp shades or even the wattage of bulbs you use can make a dramatic difference in your living room.

There is no limit to what you can accomplish when you put your imagination to work!  Visit estate sales and flea markets to see what you can find.  Use any talents you have to create your own original accents.  The ideas above will get your creative juices flowing, and you will have a whole new living room – on a shoe-string budget!