Ten Quick Ways To Refresh Your Living Room!
After all the holiday decor is down, it feels like the perfect time to refresh your living room! Today we have another Project Design: Living Room Refresh with Cindy, Annie, and some top-notch decorators…so lots of good advice to give your living room a lift! Be sure to follow their links at the end of the post.
If you are new here, I would encourage you to discover and be true to your style! Mine is influenced by the French architecture of our 100-year-old apartment here in San Francisco and my love of comfortable traditional furnishings with a collected vintage and global feel.
Ten Ways To Refresh Your Living Room
1. Throw Pillows
New throw pillows or even just larger inserts for your pillows to plump them up can give you a quick lift. I like Interior Linens (buy the actual size) or if I buy from places like CB2, I will buy say a 24″ insert for a 22″ cover. Check out pillow cover sources on Etsy such as Pop O’Color and OneAffirmation.
There are some affiliate links and I may make a small commission if you purchase anything (at no extra cost to you). Thanks for supporting CCH!
2. Lighting
Update your lighting with new fixtures or just change the lampshades with new shapes like a drum or rectangle. After adding this new floor lamp, I brought in a different lamp from another room (shop your home first). If the lamp seems a bit short, place books underneath it.
3. Coffee Table
Remove everything from your coffee table. Clean/wax it. Then, style it with fresh flowers and by shopping your home for accessories like books, a tray, a candle, or a box.
4. Sofa
Clean and/or flip your sofa seat cushions.
5. Fresh Elements
Bring the outside in with branches from your garden or fresh fruit in a bowl. Above is a “new” vintage oil painting that I just bought on E-bay for $30. It reminds me of where we walk the dogs near my sister’s house in San Diego. The other painting I bought at a Paris flea market.
6. Coordinating Accessories
Exchange lots of small photo frames on surfaces for fewer, larger coordinating 8 x 10″ and 5 x 7″ frames.
7. Reduce Clutter
Corral clutter by grouping collections together and storing some. Trays are good, too!
8. Throw Blankets
Add a new throw blanket. It’s still chilly and these can be the perfect layer…from Target, WS Home, Serena and Lily, or Pottery Barn.
9. Change Hardware
Change the hardware on side tables like with pulls from Anthropologie or World Market.
10. Add Indoor Plants
Pick up hearty houseplants to clean the air and add a pop of green.
Those are ten quick ways to refresh your living room! You may also enjoy Home Office Quick Makeover and 8 Ways to Create A Serene Master Bedroom.
Now let’s get some more inspiration…
I thought I posted a comment after reading Ten Quick Ways to Refresh Your Living Room but it’s looks as if I didn’t! In the comment that I didn’t make, I told you that your living room is an extension of the ocean and vice-versa. I don’t think I’ve ever seen this more effectively achieved. You can and should go to the front of the line. Thank you.
Mary Ann,
That view! I’m afraid I’d sit for hours watching out the window. I love your style and no matter the season you always manage to wow me. 🙂
Karen
P.S. Great series
It’s all so classic and glorious, Mary Ann! Thanks for sharing all of the ways you refresh and for the nudge to give my own space some love. It’s easy to neglect since I spend more time in the kitchen and studio so you’re doing a service here! Sending a bit of the pink-pretty winter light of the Heartland to your Cali soul just now and wishing you peace. xox
Two words…beautiful and inspirational. Mary Ann, your throw pillow collection is amazing, what do you do with all your old pillow covers, I’d love to buy a few of them. I love how each pillow is different but they all coordinate so well together, the sign of an excellent designer! I could be perfectly happy living in your living room!
XO
Thanks so much, Gail. Alie has a few but mostly I store them and they reappear now and then 🙂 I have trouble parting with them…but I’m sure there are a couple I could give to you.
Mary Ann, your styling is always on point, I love what you do with your coffee table vignettes and bookshelves! The interior is as pretty as the view!! Thank you for including me in this group, I loved participating today! XO
Mary Ann, I love how just a few simple changes make all the difference. Your fireplace is gorgeous and the way you change it seasonally is always fresh and original. Love how a beautiful bowl of fresh oranges with the leaves intact makes for a beautiful display. You always have the best and most elegant ideas! I can’t wait to see you and this room in person soon!
xo
What I love most about your cozy space is the mix of patterns from the pillows and that fabulous rug!
Mary Ann, I learned a lot here; lighting, hardware, & throws…but of course!
you have a naturally vibrant view, that screams brighter days, LOVE!
love & miss you xoxo
thank you for including me
Debra
That is such a great apartment you are living in. And the view is just wow. LOve all of your ideas and I agree sometimes it feels really good just to get in there and clean everything. I think I need to flip my cushions LOL ;))
thanks again for including me in this wonderful group. xxoo Kelley
It was a great group, Kelley!! Loved your post.
HOW does one COMBAT DOG HAIR!
REFRESH………….I am slowly getting there by starting with my office!
EVERYTHING is SO CLEAN AND SIMPLE FOR YOU!
YOUR POSTS SCREAM FRESHNESS!!!
XX
My sister loves her Roomba for the dog hair!
Seriously though…that view!!! Positively dreamy. Thank you for the great tips…I’m going to go flip my cushions now! 😉
Ha! I flip my cushions about once a week…seems to help.
Mary Ann your living room is perfection! I love that rug first of all. And it just keeps getting better from there. You’ve managed to create such a elegant space without skimping on warmth and coziness. You’ve also inspired me to buy some new pillows, your combo of color and texture is simply wonderful. And of course, that view!
Thanks, Leslie so much. Love your style!
So many great ideas and resources here. You’ve inspired me to refresh my family room and given me some ideas for my current renovation project.
Thanks, Celia!