Breathing New Life into your Living Room

*This is a collaborative post

Like many people across the globe, I have spent a fairly significant amount of time lately confined to the four walls of my small three bedroom, semi detached home. The more time you spend looking at your surroundings; the more you become aware of the little things you want to change, improve and regenerate in order to make your living space more appealing.

Of all the rooms in the home, our living room is the place we spend the most time as a family. We eats our meals together  in the dining room, I currently work at the table, we watch movies together on the sofa and we relax and switch off with a book after a hard day juggling working from home and home schooling.

If you’re bored of your living space, here are some ways you can breath new life into your living space:

• New blinds or curtains – If your curtains and blinds are dull, dark and dusty, freshening them up with brighter, lighter colours can have a huge impact on your room, bringing in more natural daylight and helping the room feel fresh and clean. If your room is generally on the darker side, opt for lighter colours or something like shutters to help you be more in control of the light you bring into your home environment.
• Reconsider your flooring – With a young family who have spent far more time at home than normal, our carpets are certainly looking a bit tired and worn. Whilst we could spend time opting for carpet cleaning services or eco-friendly carpet cleaning options at home, I have always loved the clean open feel of wood or appliqué flooring. My partner is also really tempted by the prospect of underfloor heating which can be done yourself if you have the right equipment (click here). It would be nice to be able to ditch the slippers that’s for sure!
• Lick of paint – If the walls are looking a bit scuffed and worn – why not give the room a lick of paint? Not only is it a fun weekend activity that you could get the whole family involved with, painting your room a lighter colour (or perhaps one feature wall) can completely overhaul the look and feel of a room.
• Add accessories – Adding mirrors or artistic prints and canvases to your room can be a great way not only to create an illusion of more space but also insert some personality too. Pick a print that you all love as a way of reprinting your family values, preferences or approach to life!
• Consider knocking walls through – One of the best things we ever did was to knock down the interior wall between the originally separate living room and dining room. We now have one large open space which feels far less restricted and more spacious. This isn’t a decision you can make lightly however, you must first find out whether or not the wall you have is load bearing, use gauges and potentially insert new steels, so we recommend that you get the advice and guidance of a structural engineer if this is something you want to explore further.
• Throws, cushions and covers – If you can’t quite afford to upgrade the sofa yet, why not cover it with a lighter fabric or throw? Alternatively, seek out the interest free deals which quite often do the rounds at this time of year. Many will let you pay for your furniture across 5 years without paying additional interest; making it a far more affordable and budget friendly option.

How else have you improved your surroundings whilst staying safe at home?