Living Room Makeover on a Budget
Meet the Owners
Nathan and Jennifer Carpenter (with, from left, Grace, 8, Emma, 4, and Mae, 6) wanted to crank up the personality in the bland living room of their ’90s Chester, Connecticut Colonial.
Boring Living Room Before Makeover
Wake up this blah room with bright colors and patterns
Photo by: Miki Buisterhof
Miki Buisterhof
Before: Since moving in two and a half years ago, they’d done zilch with the space—and were desperate for color and excitement.
After: A bright and sunny space that didn't cost an arm and a leg.
The Updates and Improvements
- Bold curtains are splashed with tropical fig leaves.
- Vivid pillows instantly energize the old sofa.
- Cheapie vases spray-painted shades of green only look pricey.
- A wowza pattern animates the whole room.
- Pea green chairs add gutsy color.
- Layering scrapbook paper makes easy DIY art.
- A neglected spot gets styled up with a new console and fuchsia lamps.
Total Cost: $3,447
How they spent it:
- coffee table, $399
- drapery fabric and accessories, $390
- nesting tables, $149
- art, $44
- rug, $799
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Cast Base 48"W x 24 1/4"D x 16"H wood and metal coffee table, westelm.com
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Domesticate Tropicali Afternoon silky faille, $24 per yard (12 yards total), spoonflower.com hardware Wooden ball 48"–88" drapery rod, $35 (2 total), and Walnut metal curtain rod clip rings, $8 for a set of 10 (4 sets total), both worldmarket.com
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Set of 2 Industrial Mansard nesting tables, homedecorators.com
Miki Duisterhof
Ribba 19 3/4" x 19 3/4" frame with mat in white, $20 (2 total), ikea.com; scrapbook paper, $.50 per sheet (8 sheets total), hobbylobby.com
Courtesy of the manufactuter
Borgne 8' x 10'6" polypropylene rug in lime, homedecorators.com
Wood and Metal Oval Coffee Table
Cast Base 48"W x 24 1/4"D x 16"H wood and metal coffee table, westelm.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Green Leaf Fabric
Domesticate Tropicali Afternoon silky faille, $24 per yard (12 yards total), spoonflower.com hardware Wooden ball 48"–88" drapery rod, $35 (2 total), and Walnut metal curtain rod clip rings, $8 for a set of 10 (4 sets total), both worldmarket.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Metal and Wood Side Nesting Tables
Set of 2 Industrial Mansard nesting tables, homedecorators.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Geometric DIY Art
Ribba 19 3/4" x 19 3/4" frame with mat in white, $20 (2 total), ikea.com; scrapbook paper, $.50 per sheet (8 sheets total), hobbylobby.com
Photo By: Miki Duisterhof
Lime Green Patterned Rug
Borgne 8' x 10'6" polypropylene rug in lime, homedecorators.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufactuter
Vases, $33
Green Vases on Mantel
Mismatches from a thrift store, $15 total; Spray paint: Grass Green, Malaria, and Desert by Montana White, $6 each, dickblick.com
Photo by: Miki Duisterhof
Miki Duisterhof
Mismatches from a thrift store, $15 total; Spray paint: Grass Green, Malaria, and Desert by Montana White, $6 each, dickblick.com
- pillows and inserts, $150
- lamp $270
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Knappsäv 12" x 24" multicolor pillow, $5, IKEA stores
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Studded Velvet 20" x 20" pillow cover in horseradish, $39 (2 total), westelm.com
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Lappljung Ruta 16" x 26" pillow cover, $10, IKEA stores
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Solid Silk Hand-Loomed 20" x 20" pillow cover in green tea, $44, westelm.com; Inner square pillow insert, $3 (3 total), and rectangle pillow insert, $4, both IKEA stores
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Surveyor 60"-tall wood and metal tripod lamp, jcpenney.com
Tropical Pillow
Knappsäv 12" x 24" multicolor pillow, $5, IKEA stores
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Studded Yellow Velvet Pillow
Studded Velvet 20" x 20" pillow cover in horseradish, $39 (2 total), westelm.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Black and White Tribal Print Pillow
Lappljung Ruta 16" x 26" pillow cover, $10, IKEA stores
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Green Woven PIllow
Solid Silk Hand-Loomed 20" x 20" pillow cover in green tea, $44, westelm.com; Inner square pillow insert, $3 (3 total), and rectangle pillow insert, $4, both IKEA stores
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Tall Tripod Lamp
Surveyor 60"-tall wood and metal tripod lamp, jcpenney.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Console and Lamps $237
Console Table and Wall Art in Living Room
Wildon Home Haycock 42"W x 14"D x 30"H glass and metal console table, $177, wayfair.com; Lamps Steel Droplet lamps in fuchsia with drum shades, $60 for a set of 2, lampsplus.com
Photo by: Miki Duisterhof
Miki Duisterhof
Wildon Home Haycock 42"W x 14"D x 30"H glass and metal console table, $177, wayfair.com; Lamps Steel Droplet lamps in fuchsia with drum shades, $60 for a set of 2, lampsplus.com
Art, $270
Just As You Are by A.F. DueAlberi 24" x 24" unframed acrylic on canvas, duealberi.etsy.com
Wall paint, $78
Classical Yellow by Sherwin-Williams, $39 per gallon (2 gallons total), Sherwin-Williams stores
- chairs and pillows $470
- end table $158
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Safavieh Noho 30"W x 25 1/4"D x 30 3/4"H linen-blend lounge chair in green, $230 (2 total)
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Nävviva 12" x 24" cotton pillow, $5 (2 total), IKEA stores
Courtesy of the manufacturer
Strata Furniture Twist 12"W x 12"D x 20"H wood table, wayfair.com
Green Accent Chair
Safavieh Noho 30"W x 25 1/4"D x 30 3/4"H linen-blend lounge chair in green, $230 (2 total)
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
White and Black Patterned Pillow
Nävviva 12" x 24" cotton pillow, $5 (2 total), IKEA stores
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Abstract Wood Side Table
Strata Furniture Twist 12"W x 12"D x 20"H wood table, wayfair.com
Photo By: Courtesy of the manufacturer
Next Up
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Downsized Living Room Style
New and Improved Living Room Style
The Elements of a Happy Living Room
Make Your Living Room Look 20 Years Younger
How to Overhaul Your Backyard
Contemporary Classic Living Room
Living Room/Dining Room Makeover: From Gutted to Gorgeous
From Victorian Tearoom to Cozy Living Room
