4 inexpensive ways to update the look of your living room

Updating a living room can be done easily without a major renovation. Here's how to inexpensively bring a different colour scheme or freshen the look of your living area without needing to be an interior designer.

Painting your walls in neutral shades makes it easy to give a room an update over a weekend.

• This is a good starting point for any changes you may want to make in the future, as a neutral colour palette provides greater flexibility to decorate.
• It can also refresh your living room's look with minimal disruption to any furniture, artwork or accessories you already have—but don't necessarily want to change—because it won't clash.

Take a good look at your room and consider a feature or special piece that will shape the theme and colouring of any accessories you may want to add.

• Is this a bright rug on the floor or a beautiful painting on the wall?
• A sculpture can add character to a room and makes a difference in the appearance.
• Using tapestries or trompe d'oeil effects on walls can provide visual interest to that room.
• Fireplaces also provide strong focal points around which you may want to add items such as carvings or family photos.

Let elements of what you already have in your living room inspire you. Don't be afraid to showcase a favourite object or item that may have previously been tucked away in a corner somewhere.

Once a favourite feature has been selected, the colour scheme can be added. This does not necessarily mean a total repaint, but a dab of colour will help highlight some carefully chosen accessories.

• A colourful throw on a sofa can update furniture in a flash.
• Adding bright cushions will create a homey atmosphere in the room as well as enhance the appearance.
• Curtains are another way of updating a room and can be chosen to set off the colour scheme and features in the room.

By using colour carefully a room can be changed to have a summer atmosphere with paler colour accessories, and then transformed with darker tones to give a cozier wintry feel in the fall. Plants can also brighten a room and add colour in a living room area!

Updating the lighting features is another way of refreshing a room in a jiffy, both in the daytime and at night. Warm lighting in the evening adds ambience; bright sunlight can make any room feel more vibrant and cheerful.

• Lamps beside the furniture can give a softer feel in a living room and a central fixture can act as a point of interest.
• Shades can be changed on existing lamps to provide an update to a living area.
• One simple way to let in more natural light is to clean the windows so they sparkle. You'll be surprised at how much brighter the room feels!

Sometimes, simply adding a lamp here and changing a lampshade there is all it takes to transform your living room into a welcoming, inviting space for all to enjoy.

Updating a living area can be achieved easily and relatively inexpensively. Why not take a good look at your living room today and freshen up the space?