5 great DIY living room projects - Ideas & Advice

Arguably the most lived-in room of a home, living rooms work best when they have the perfect balance of comfort, function and style. If your space is feeling tired, cluttered or just a bit drab, a little imagination and creativity can go a long way.

Whether you’re ready to overhaul your entire space or tackle those tired projects for an instant transformation, turn your living room into a space you want to spend time in with thrifty DIY makeovers.

From reviving the walls to giving your furniture, storage and accessories some TLC, here are our favourite upcycling and refresh projects for your living room

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Refresh with an inspired paint job

Refreshing the walls in your living room is a really good place to start for quick impact and a budget-friendly revamp.

Start by drawing inspiration and researching online. Decide on the mood you’d like to create then select a colour scheme that works alongside the aspect of the room. Swatch the walls with testers to see how the changing light affects the colours.
Give the room a lick of paint in an invigorating colour to lift the space or go for a cool and harmonious hue to make the space feel more open. For more paint ideas, explore 2020 paint trends and our guide on how to choose the perfect colours for your space.
And don’t forget the woodwork. A fresh white skirting board, window frame or ceiling can refresh a tired room. If you’re feeling bold, transform your interior woodwork by painting the woodwork and ceiling to match the walls, for a cool and contemporary twist on the traditional. Just make sure you prep the woodwork first for the best finish.

Be bold with decorative wallpaper

Lift your space, inject colour and add playful charm with decorative wallpaper.

Add artistic flair with a wall mural. Quick and easy to apply, murals create a statement focal point in your space and are available in a huge range of styles to transform your space.
If you want to refresh the whole room, choose decorative wallpaper for instant personality. 2020 wallpaper trends see abstract, textured, geometric and botanical prints at the forefront.
Not just for the walls, refresh the inside of a cabinet, line drawers and frame your favourite prints for some crafty creativity.

Get thrifty with your furniture

Give your existing furniture a makeover or upcycle a second hand find for a fun and thrifty transformation.

Whether it’s a scratched end table, rickety TV cabinet or tired coffee table, upcycling is a great way to breathe new life into furniture. Prep the piece by fixing, replacing or removing elements as necessary, then finish with a new lick of furniture paint to suit your spaces. For a range of timber renovation ideas, explore our upcycling a table project.
Paint pouring is a fun way to get creative with leftover materials and give your furniture a bold and quirky finish. A simple technique that doesn’t require any prior skill, have a go on anything from a canvas to a coaster for beautiful results every time. Watch our paint pouring a coffee table video and find step by step instructions if you fancy having a go.
If you’re not sure whether a piece works in your home anymore or you fancy having a go at a DIY repurposing project, consider upcycling a piece of furniture for an entirely new life. An old cabinet can become a chic bathroom basin, while a timber pallet can make a trendy coffee table with castor wheels and a glass top.

Make the most of storage solutions

Introduce more storage to hide odds and ends, display your ornaments and make the most of your space.

Build DIY bookcase ladder shelving to display your books with pride. An ideal choice for those who like to move furniture around or have an irregular shaped space, ladder shelving has a small footprint so can make a room feel more open.
Create your own pegboard storage. A custom fit to your space, pegboards are a great alternative to traditional storage as you can reconfigure the pegs and shelves at any time. Paint in a fun colour and give your plants a beautiful home.
Introduce an industrial edge with decorative concrete stools. Simple and cost-effective to make, add legs, feet and decorative touches to suit your style and utilise as the perfect end table, plant stand or stool.
Cover an ugly radiator and maximise the additional storage space with a DIY radiator bench seat. Adapt the shape for a bay window, fill with blankets and cushions and enjoy as a cosy reading nook.

Give your accessories an edge

With the ability to make or break a room, give your accessories an inspired makeover to complement your scheme.

Revamp your vases. The perfect candidate for a DIY paint project, try masking halfway down then coating with textured spray paint for an expensive finish. Dip into leftover paint for a fun and trendy look or experiment with metallics for a luxe look.
Upcycle an old lamp base with spray paint rather than replacing it. A great way to transform a light that’s seen better days, give the base and stand a couple of coats of a bright or pastel colour. Switch out your bulbs for smart lighting and enjoy handsfree connectivity and customisable colours.
Create a gallery art wall. A flexible way to fill an empty wall while adding colour and personality, hang your favourite prints, artwork and photos in a considered design. Hugely versatile, gallery walls will work with any budget and collection and make for a fun afternoon project.
Up the ambience with tiered lighting. Try adding layered lighting around the room with table lamps, freestanding units and low hanging ceiling pendants for a functional and complementary glow.