Needing advice on how to decorate my living room!

Karly Wilkerson
by Karly Wilkerson
I am currently renting and on a low budget. I am not allowed to paint but I can hang things. I’m looking for cute but cheap ways to decorate.
  13 answers
  • Janet Pizaro Janet Pizaro on Mar 13, 2018

    use commands hooks for hanging items

  • Karen Karen on Mar 13, 2018

    This depends on your personality. My suggestion would be browse through some Pinterest pages. Start a search for DIY home decorating. Then narrow down your choices. You may find more than one that you like a lot and blend the ideas together for your unique look.

    Good luck. Enjoy the journey.

    K.


  • DebWor DebWor on Mar 13, 2018

    I would definitely add pictures over the couch. Use command strips a to hang maybe a rug in front of couch. Some bright throw pillows and maybe a throw blanket. On the table I would put candle's a DIY project. If the walls don't get hot near the fireplace some colorful art to draw your eyes up instead of looking at the fireplace. Since the room has dark furniture go with cheerful colors. You will feel more at home. If you can't find art work on your budget. Buy three skeins of yarn get a dowel and double yarn slip the ends threw the top. Stay with color for 8- 10 loops switch to next than next ending in color you started with. Wrap end and tie off carry it over to other end same thing tie off to hang. Another DIY project. Have fun and remember it's your place use what colors make you happy. Good luck

  • Anon Anon on Mar 13, 2018

    I first think about using COMMAND STRIPS...which are used to hang things on the wall with no holes made. I would focus on brightening up that paneling with stark white pieces...whatever you want...pictures with white frames, etc...Pictures, clock, etc...with plenty of white within them. Make the most of the window treatments. In this case, because of the dark paneling, whatever you use should allow all the light in that you can. You can use a tension rod within the window frame...and put on patterned white sheers, or lace ones, several of them per window, since that would also create your privacy...(Try Walmart)...

    or use white blinds with a valance, or cafe style, or one wide curtain that you

    drape to the side and secure with a rope, or ribbon...I would add white throw pillows, or white with patterns on the couch...I would add a throw rug or large rug on the floor that has a pattern and white in it. It would be great if you added a floor lamp in the corner behind the couch...rather inexpensive ones are at IKEA store...or, look in resale stores, etc.

    Maybe you can paint or enamel existing lamps...I would put end tables

    at each end of the couch, with lamps...keep the shades white...you can create color, though, on the lamp bases if you like. Find yourself a coffee

    table to go with this couch, in a resale store, etc, and likewise decorate it...(again...how about white paint, and perhaps a stencil)?

    Try silk flowers around in a variety of vases in color and size...Just do not

    overdo clutter, though. You could try the Command hooks with smallish

    mirrors...make a display of them...You can get a large vase at a resale store

    that you can set on the floor and just put long stemmed silk flowers in,

    or pussywillows, or grasses...or do the same with an umbrella stand.

    You should post pictures of your other rooms...so you can get more help

    too. Try to use your wall space visually...like try to find a standing shelf unit at a resale shop, paint it if you want, or stencil it, and use it for anything. Walmart has standing shelving units in boxes to put together simply, and they are paintable. Look at the home store for strips of molding that you can glue onto it and paint. Think resale shops, flea markets, yard sales, church sales, etc...Think repurposing...Watch "Flea Market Flip" on TV, or Google this all up...put all these words into Google, like "repurposing", "DIY projects", "decorating rentals", etc... You can sew your own slipcovers for pillows by hand...just do small stitches...close them with velcro, buttons, snaps, or look up how to make envelope style, so that you can throw those in the wash when you want to. If you want, you can even just safety pin the fabric at the back of the pillow...You can also just use an old but favorite t-shirt for the cover.

  • Mogie Mogie on Mar 13, 2018

    Paint the walls. Add color with new throw pillows. New drapes or some type of cover would help also.

    Just bring in color. Think almost any color except brown lol.

  • Imjhale Imjhale on Mar 13, 2018

    Wow! That's brown out! I had this problem in a room that was solid dark stained pine, floor to ceiling. I couldn't paint either, I feel your pain. I hung up multiple inexpensive rods that stayed close to the wall in the main sections (like your couch area). I used these to hang multiple white curtains and sheers. You could also use white sheets or some other light color of your choice. In the center I doubled rods up top to have extra sheers and hung a large mirror in the center over the sheets and pulled back curtains on sides but you don't have to. I incorporated mirrors and metallics, especially silver in the decorations and used white (Christmas) string lights in some areas, both on top of rods and behind others. I also had some with butterflies and dragonflies thatI got in clearance. Also check dollar stores. I went for a garden theme and picked up multiple wicker mirrors of varying sizes and painted them white. I also mixed in some (painted) wrought iron and plastic lookalike items, outdoor family photos, flower/ butterfly prints, a few humorous items and mixed it all up in large clusters/arrangements on opposite walls. Putting mirrors across from your windows brings in more light. Then I did some fun signs (bought and made/repainted), artificial plants and flowers, pictures of family in fun frames and anything that made me happy. I threw in turquoise, yellow and coral accents which went well with the wood that still showed. Those happen to be my favorite colors. You could also do as a beach theme, rustic/farm theme, animal theme... endless possibilities! Use throws to lighten your couch and pillows for accents, picking up your theme as you go and "cross pollinate" colors/theme and tie it to adjoining rooms...OR NOT!! Have fun with it!

  • V Smith V Smith on Mar 13, 2018

    Move your sofa away from the walls by about a foot. You can build large frames similar to the frame of an artist canvas, but make them long vertically (6 - 8 ft.) and staple fabric over them, just blocks of colors that you like. Do several and hang them around the room. Repeat the colors in your pillows and other accessories. Some plants will help, add a large majesty palm they are inexpensive and easy to care for. When you can afford it buy a large area rug in a lighter shade than the current carpet for the seating area.

  • Redcatcec Redcatcec on Mar 14, 2018

    Huge area canvas pictures on the walls, go crazy with that blank slate.

    Bright area rugs and matching throw pillows.

  • Christierei Christierei on Mar 16, 2018

    You have gotten some good ideas. To my taste, the room really needs curtains. I would keep the curtain rod long enough to pull the curtains away from the windows. I'd like to see: curtain, entire window, curtain. Curtains can take color and pattern up on the walls. You have almost no pattern in that room. Do you like stripes ? Floral ? Geometric ? Boho ? Colors : Blue , Brown and white always works together. Also, green brown and white. A few things to think about .... the rug, if you are brave you could use a bit of craft paint and stencil the edge or the whole thing. Have you considered painting the coffee table ? The throw pillows look skimpy on that big couch. Can you stuff them with more batting ? I would add the pillows right in ftont of the blue throw to draw attention to them. I think every room needs a plant or flowers, a mirror and pretty lighting / candles. A mirrored tray on the coffee table would be great. And / or hang a decorative bird cage, candelier , what ever from the ceiling. I think a pretty chandelier would be so eye catching that the walls wouldn't be noticed. Have fun!

  • Jcraw Jcraw on Mar 16, 2018

    My first order of business would be to find some fun, large-patterned curtains, be they checkered, plaid, chevron or funky floral if that suits you. The room is large enough for that scale. Hang them on dowels from HD (cheap) or PVC piping in the plumbing department. Hang those from either Command hooks or “J”- shaped bicycle hooks that would screw into the wall.

    Depending on what curtains you choose, as the lady above suggested I would fabric paint the rug, be it stripes or zigzags, or whatever. If you brighten up your rug, the very nice coffee table won’t look so dark. Maybe find some neat baskets or a tray for it. And pick up a philodendron for it. They’re cheap, hardy and will get enough light from your windows to thrive. For that matter, for the summer, put one on the stove.

    It’s yard sale time and you can get frames (artwork) cheap. If you don’t like whats in them, turn them over and paint what you like or add a great ”art” from a magazine. You need to go big, and go groupings as well. If you do groupings, frames don’t have to match at all, but the theme of the pictures should. If they’re all the same frames, anything goes, happy and bright. Don’t hang until you have the whole group done.

    Fuzzy throws are pretty much going on sale. Pick a color that flatters your curtains. Or a couple, since your sofa is so large.

    If your fireplace works, I’d get a roll of that insulting silver bubble wrap (HD again) and hang it behind (2 or 3 panels) which I’d attach first to 1” x 3” wood (HD) with staples or tacks then hang with Command hooks. Use wood on the bottom as well to keep it straight and in place. Dots of Museum putty or those poster dots will keep it from curling (HD!). There will be room for a poster-size picture next to it, or several family photos in those yard sale frames.

    As for pillows on your already-pillowy sofa, I’d stick to large and solid colors. Dainty pillows don’t apply. Many discount store carry European pillows, which are large square bed pillows. If you don’t like any of the colors available, go to Joanne Fabrics or wherever and buy substantial but comfy fabric and sew “envelope-style“ covers which require no zippers and can be easily washed.

    Have fun with this.


    If if you can find a round end table or two, which don’t have to match, and you have the room, it would be lovely. Paint them the same color. If you find a floor lamp, grab it for one side. For the other yard sale a lamp that complements, even if you have to paint the base.

    Ok. I’ll stop. Good hunting and have fun.

    Well....a small colorful oval rug or runner in front of the fireplace would be good too. Not thick enough to trip on.

  • Cheryl A Cheryl A on Mar 04, 2021

    add light colored art work or even macrame items on the walls using command hooks

  • Holly Lengner - Lost Mom Holly Lengner - Lost Mom on Apr 08, 2021

    There are lots of great and affordable wall hanging ideas here: Home and Garden DIY Ideas | Hometalk