Thrifty Living Room Refresh: Affordable Updates That Add Big Charm

Today I am sharing our living room refresh using thrifty decor pieces I already own!

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Hey friends, I’m excited to take you guys along with me today because I made some pretty big changes in our living room—and I didn’t spend any money. Well, maybe a couple of dollars, that’s about it. I just used what I already had, and so I can’t wait to share the whole process with you in this living room refresh.

As a homemaker, sometimes you’re looking at the same things over and over again. The temptation might be that you need to go shopping and fill your home with everything new. But today I want to show you guys that you can actually shop your own home to achieve those changes. You don’t need to spend hundreds of dollars to switch things up.

I don’t know if you guys remember the really cool shelves that I found with my mom at a flea or antique market a couple years ago. They were really beautiful, but I couldn’t find a place for them. Recently, I just kept thinking about those shelves. They were just sitting in our basement, and I decided to bring them up into my living room space and try setting them up for some extra storage and texture.

I think before, they were too tall. I had them up too high on just the piece of furniture I had tried, and it just felt like clutter. Clearly, these bookshelves belong to a desk or secretary or something. I think they sat on top of something, but I only purchased the shelves on their own. So I tried to put them on another pine chest that I had, and, wow, what a big difference! I really think I like the way it looks.

I love old crocks, earthenware, and pottery, so I’m collecting a lot of similar accent pieces to place on this shelf. I love neutrals and really try to stick with a clean, bright color scheme. I think that similar items all grouped together make more of a statement than random items. My favorite way to make a big impact is place similar, smaller items together.

I thought maybe some baskets might help to soften all of the square lines—there are a lot of windows, French doors, and panes. I thought the baskets might help add some softness. I grabbed some faux stems to put in the baskets to add a little color to this corner and make the space feel more fresh.

I’m just playing with the pieces. I don’t like things to look too busy or cluttered. I like to keep things simple. Something about the neutral color palette against the wood backdrop is really working for me. I know the temptation is to want to add more new pieces, but sometimes I add more and then want to take it away. I like the direction it’s headed.

Now in this other corner, you can see I stole the little pine table that was in the entryway. It’s really, really skinny, so it’s perfect for this little corner. I took all the pieces of art that were on the walls and hung that on this side of the living room for a little gallery wall. I’m just adding a few pieces to this table here in between the Ikea armchairs—just a little basket, a plant, a candle. Nothing too busy, but makes the living room feel like a new space.

I am loving how the artwork came together. The brass frames with the little brass art lamp adds a lot of character, I think. At one point I had a brass floor lamp in my living room, so I’m happy to add a touch of that back to this side of the room. It’s fun to swap art pieces to change the mood or vibe of how a room looks. New season, new piece of art haha

I’m trying to find a blanket that will go well on these chairs with this new sort of wood backdrop that’s happening here. Adding beautiful lilac arrangements to my side tables definitely adds some much needed color to this space. of I really do love the fact that it adds a lot of warmth to my living room space. Having these shelves here is just going to take some time, I think, to get used to.

Alright guys, so that’s my little living room refresh of the finished look for now. I think I really love these shelves in the living room. Maybe I was just craving something different. I feel like the shelves add a little bit more character or something to our living room space—warmth, maybe. For right now, I think I’m liking it. I’ll definitely live with it for a month or so before I decide for sure. Let me know what you guys think about these cute shelves. I’ve always wanted to find a place for them.

Before I wrap up, of course I had to add some lilacs to my little bench that I am using as a coffee table! I am planning on doing a full summer home tour soon with lots more lilacs, so prepare yourself for that haha I am also still on the hunt for a new sofa, but one thing at a time. For now, I am happy with this thrifty living room refresh.

I think this is just a good reminder too that oftentimes homes—they’re just slowly collected over time. I think there’s so much more character when you just continue to add all of these pieces that you find and discover. A 24-hour makeover isn’t necessarily realistic. Sometimes it takes time to find the right pieces. Have patience, and if you’re itching for some change and transition, try shopping your own home before you buy new pieces.

Let me know what you guys think about the changes in here. Right now I’m really loving it, but I think I’m just going to live with it for a little while before I decide on anything for sure. I added a table lamp to bring in a black element to complete this space.

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