10+ Budget-Friendly Interior Design Ideas to Modernize Your Living Room

Bloom

14 min read

Oct 16, 2024 Nov 21, 2023

The living room interior is the first thing people notice as they enter your home. So, it is very important to keep it well-furnished to make it look good and inviting.

We live hard in our living room – we do all sorts of things there – from having our morning coffee to late-night binge-watching and, of course, having a fine wine on a fine evening.

It is quite understandable that the cost of interior designing can be very high. If you are working on a tight budget, it is all about finding the right piece of decor, living room wall decor ideas, and living room furniture that delivers what you are expecting.

With the right living room interior design ideas, you can achieve your dreamy living room at a reasonable cost. Once you have the right pieces in place, you can make your living room minimally sophisticated and alluring.

Decorating your living room does not always have to be a grand affair. Instead, you can slowly curate them with minimal upgrades, interior color schemes, and vintage furnishings – thus one of the best interior design ideas for a living room.

Making your living room budget-friendly must be the priority when you wish to get your home at a low cost of interior designing. So prioritizing the components coming under living room design is a must.

You can do anything that your imagination can get to – living room wallpaper to DIY flower vases and minimal accents – possibilities are endless. Here are some of our favorite specifications that will take you through the journey of designing your living room with a low-budget interior design.

At Alacritys, we believe a well-decorated living room interior is the key to maintaining the vibe of your home. So, we have developed some amazing ideas (even DIYs) to ensure you have a great home within a budget.

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10+ Living Room Design Ideas For You

As the saying goes –

“The details are not the details. They make the design.”

– Charles Eames

Often the best and easiest way to decorate your living room is by restyling the items that you already own. But, here are a few budget friendly interior design ideas for your living room that you’ll adore –

1. Cost-efficient Electrical Wiring

Your home’s electrical system is one of the most important aspects of its overall safety and functionality. It’s responsible for providing power to all of your appliances, lights, and other electronic devices.

Effective electrical wiring for home requires careful planning to minimize the amount of wire used. Keep switches and outlets close to minimize wiring cost. If budget permits, use concealed conduits and cable trays to hide wires. This gives your walls and ceiling a neater appearance.

Apart from wires and plug points, switches also enhance your living room wall design. Purchase switches from reputable companies even if you want them under your budget. Because they become a long-term bet for your living room interior. L&T, Greatwhite, and Schneider, among other companies, have a variety of series, ranging from budget-friendly to high-end.

You can find several plug points and switches available in different finishes, such as –

Wooden finish – Wooden finish switches and plugs that can be stained and painted can match your decor.
Glass finish – They have a sophisticated, glossy appearance that creates an elegant atmosphere.
Metallic finish – Metallic switches and plugs can range from finishes such as bronze, copper, etc.

Note – Metallic switches and plugs are plastics with a metal finish.

2. Upgrade Your Ceiling With Budget-friendly Materials

If you are looking for interior design ideas for a living room on a budget – a perfect ceiling can do wonders.

A simple living room false ceiling design is one of the keys to making your living room interior design pop up and look beautiful. Consider the ceiling space, overall room layout, and height when envisioning a false ceiling.

Gypsum and POP are the two most popular materials for living room false ceiling design – that can enhance your living room design. Gypsums are expensive but durable, however, POP is less durable but comes at a cheaper price.

Note – A good quality false ceiling can block the amount of sun heat that enters the room.

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3. Include Some Basic Lighting That Illuminates Important Areas

If you are thinking of adding some living room lights, opt for a central light fixture, such as a budget-friendly chandelier or pendant light, to provide the overall illumination for your living room.

Mixing and matching sizes and patterns of affordable light fixtures is a great interior design idea for living rooms. You can use recessed lights, track lights, or wall sconces to create a dramatic effect and highlight artwork in your living room. Choose them from online platforms like Amazon. You will find multiple money-saving living room light options in all of them.

If you have some extra money to spend, consider using task lighting to illuminate specific areas of your living room, such as the reading nook or the TV area. Choose lamps with adjustable arms so that you can direct the light where you need it.

This minimal lighting helps create a cozy, lit-up environment and is one of the best interior design ideas for a living room.

Note – Selection of simple but efficient living room lights from brands that give at least 2-5 years warranty to choose from. Also, lighting for the living room can have light fixtures with 3 types of different basic mood lights that are warm white, neutral white, and white.

See How We Can Reveal Fantastic Designs For All Needs!

4. Rearrange The Existing Furniture That You Sit Comfortably

Rearranging the living room furniture is the best way to give your living room a fresh look, without even investing too much. So, next time before you buy or invest in furniture for your living room design, you need to ask a few questions yourself –

“Do I have anything that I can reuse?”

“Can I rearrange my furniture with the existing ones?”

“What should be the focal point of my living room?”

These questions help you understand what exactly you want to do with your room. You can reuse the existing furniture and change the layout – because why not try something different for your living room interior?

If your sofa is attached to the wall, pull it out and place a small stool with a flower vase on it. Or, angle your sofa at 120 degrees for an asymmetrical look. This is the best budget-friendly interior design ideas for a living room.

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5. Incorporate Some Worthwhile Pretty Furniture

Adding furniture to the space is one of the best interior design ideas for the living room. Depending on the size of the room, you can either go for a minimal or give the room a full-glam makeover.

Here are some of the living room furniture you can use –

Minimal Style for Living Room Sofa Set

Putting stunning sofa sets can jazz up your living room design. You can also place an ottoman or pouf around or near the living room sofa set to enhance the look. For a neutral background and sofa, add colorful ottomans to liven up the space.

An edgy couch can enhance the elegance of your living room interior. For a cohesive look, choose a matte couch in a sharp tone that matches your wall paint.

If you have a large space and want to add something more to your living room interior design, try adding 2 three-seaters and 2 two-seaters – with a few vases around – you’ll love the setup.

Pro Tip – Choose a living room sofa set with regular saal or pinewood, 32-40 density foam, regular velvet, and suede fabric to make it budget-friendly and durable.

Moderate Living Room Center Table

The living room center table is one of the center of attractions. This is because sofa sittings are pointed toward the table. You can use the coffee table as a center table – adds so much accent to it!

There are many affordable living room coffee tables that you will find online, or you can ask your craftsman to craft you a beautiful center table in budget-friendly finishes like glass for tabletops and mild steel with PU polishing on it for legs.

Make a living room center table and coffee table by using laminates to cover the tabletop. Laminates are one of the best options for low-budget interior design.

Economical Living Room TV Unit Design

Along with a sofa and living room coffee table, adding a living room TV unit right opposite the 3-seater sofa can be great – as it gives the perfect angle to binge on your favorite show.

Living room TV units can be in all sizes and styles to suit your taste, preference, and budget. Some of the TV units have less and minimal storage with shelves – which saves your money from being spent on other extra furniture like drawers and displays – and is an amazing living room wall decor ideas.

To make your small space look chic and elegant, place a ready or carpentry-made TV console instead of creating a complete TV unit on a wall.

Sleek Display Units

Display units with open shelves in sleek metal material are affordable ideas to add to your living room interior design.

How to make display unit design affordable? – Go for raw materials that reduce the living room furniture cost and make sure to simplify the design.

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6. Add Inexpensive Fabrics for Curtains

When planning to decorate or revamp your living room design on a budget, consider Living room curtains. They bring warmth, color, joy, and, of course, drama to your space. Hence, it is perfect for a small living room interior design.

Many designers agree that the right color and texture of the curtains such as polyester, sheer, and cotton that are pocket friendly can boost the elegance of your living room interior.

For privacy, use a solid or blackout curtain. Or, try a double curtain for a mix-and-match effect if your budget permits. Sheer living room curtains are wallet-friendly when it comes to decorative purposes only. Make the right living room curtains a focal point with trim and head.

There are a variety of curtains to pick from for interior design ideas for the living room. Choose the right colors, sizes, and patterns, as they can alter the room’s proportion.

7. Put On Reasonably Priced Wallpaper For Your Living Room Wall

You can add a value-conscious living room wallpaper design. Wallpapers have made a major comeback this year, and it is quite understandable why.

Living room wallpaper offers plenty of options to choose from and is the best way to enhance the look of your living room wall design. Hence, it is the best living room interior design idea.

There are many reasons to use living room wallpapers, apart from them being affordable.

Durable: quality wallpapers can last around 10 years.
Cleanable and handles wear and tear well.
Non-toxic and odorless.
Hides imperfections on the living room interior wall.
Available in different patterns and textures.

If you’re stuck, ask your Interior Designer for some cool living room wall decor ideas using wallpaper.

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8. Try Changing Living Room Floor Tiles If the Budget Permits

Living room floor tiles can be expensive at times, but many quality floor tiles are cost-effective and can enhance the overall look of your room. Here are some floor tile ideas for living room interior design if you are on a tight budget –

Vinyl Floor Tiles – They are made of PVC and are highly durable, lasting up to 10 years. They’re resistant to water and stains and easy to maintain.

The best part is – vinyl living room floor tiles can replicate the look of the wood and are cheaper than any other tiles.

This flooring doesn’t require any civil changes, you can directly glue it on the existing clean floor.

Ceramic Tiles – Ceramic tiles come in various colors, sizes, and finishes. They are the next best living room floor tiles option for your home, as they are easier to maintain.

They are easy to install over existing flooring, maintain, and resistant to scratches or fading.

Vitrified Tiles – Vitrified living room floor tiles are one of the best options to choose from while you are on a budget. They are hard, dense, and resistant to stains and scratches.

Available in different styles and designs, they can withstand heavy foot traffic.

Note – Laying on new ceramic and vitrified flooring requires civil changes by completely demolishing the existing living room floor tiles or the tile-on-tile method.

9. Boost Decor With Rugs and Carpets

Adding rugs for floor below the center table and in front of the main entrance can be a great way to accentuate the living room design. You can either use the rugs by mixing and matching the sizes.

A rug can enhance the beauty of your room. You can also use carpets to save money on flooring. It is alluring, and comfortable and provides warmth during cold winters. After all, who does not like the comfy feel while walking on the soft and oozy material?

Rugs and carpets also add harmony to your living room. After all, you have put so much effort into putting everything in place – adding a rug can elevate the normal look of your space.

Note – Perfectly woven carpets or rugs for floor are best to boost your living room’s aesthetics.

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10. Go for Economical Yet Resilient Paint For Your Living Room

Want some low-budget interior design ideas? Get that paint bucket and brush.

Painting your living room is something you can do on your own, and is one of the most affordable interior design ideas for a living room. This saves you money, of course! The type of paint you use for the living room wall color combination also affects the cost.

Plastic paint is often more affordable than higher-end options like Royale paint. Due to its low price, you may choose from a wide range of colors without going over budget.

Paints from reputable companies are some of the great choices if you are planning to paint your living room.

Though paints can go a long way – you will ultimately get bored of the paint after a year or two – one must acknowledge that paint can elevate your living room design.

If you want to show off your living room features, try painting one wall a bold, bright solid color and the rest of them with lighter or muted colors. You’ll love the living room wall color combination, and voila – you save interior designing cost too!

If you are confused about what you should paint or are lacking inspiration, you can get in touch with the best interior design services for your living room interior design.

Note – To choose a living room color combination on a limited budget paints like plastic emulsion and lustre paint are the best. These are quality paints that look good and last longer.

See How We Can Reveal Fantastic Designs For All Needs!

11. Create an Artistic Wall Gallery

No matter how much furnishings and furniture you put in your living room or how brightly you paint your wall – without wall decor, your living room design looks dull and empty. One of the best ways to do it is – buy an original artwork or art piece.

But, as we are on a budget, let’s talk about something inexpensive that won’t cost you an arm and a leg – and would be the best fit for interior design ideas for a living room.

Creating a wall gallery is one of the cheapest and most cost-effective ideas for a living room interior. It adds your style and personality to the wall.

You can add a cluster of smaller art pieces with a large one as an anchor. Also, you can make the wall art gallery using your old family pictures, shadow boxes, or book pages – trust us, they make amazing living room wall decor ideas.

Pro tip – You can download some cool and vibrant images from the internet and get them framed for your living room wall design.

Though time-consuming, this is a low-budget interior design idea for the living room.

12. Bring in Nature To Your Living Room Interior

Potted plants and planters are the best way to bring nature home. They create a basic yet pleasant living room interior design. As plants grow, they give your space a new look.

Apart from greenery, they add a lot to the room – beauty, fresh air, and calmness. Many different types of houseplants are the best for low-budget living room interior design ideas.

Before you place the plants inside, it is important to understand the layout of the house. Plants must be positioned to receive enough sunlight to thrive and be ideal for small living room interior design.

Once you have the location ready, it’s time to buy planters. Don’t buy just one – a single plant might look sad. Buy different types of living room planters to make the room look lively.

You can buy hanging living room planters, floor planters, and greeneries for your wall. For living room wall design, remember to add some greenery to your wall shelves.

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Tips and Tricks You Can't Miss -

To brighten your home, open living room curtains or blinds and add mirrors to reflect natural light.
Add a few soft furnishings, such as carpets, rugs for floor and walls, curtains, etc., to reduce the friction between the wall color and living room furniture.
Multiple options are available for living room wall décor ideas. You can hang inexpensive wall frames, decorative mirrors, wall art, murals, and more on your living room wall design.
If your living room is small, use ottomans with built-in storage, floating shelves, or wall-mounted cabinets to maximize space.
Check affordable samples of colors, patterns, and textures for every finish that you want to go with before decorating your living room.

Conclusion

Designing your living room does not mean – you have to break the bank. Many living room interior design ideas can enhance your living room on a budget – without ever compromising on quality and style.

All you need is this guide attention to detail, and, of course, some elegant taste.

You can make use of the material available at your home or create a DIY home decor for your living room design – ideas are endless.

All you need to remember is it is not about the price tag – it is about making your space comfortable and beautiful. Also, you can take the help of your Architect for more professional work, and they deliver the best result.

Now, here are some brainstorming questions for you from Alacritys –

Do you know the 70-30 rule of decoration?
What should you avoid while decorating a space?
State three things that can make your home luxurious on a budget.
What are your favorite decor ideas for a small living room interior design?

Require Expert Assistance for your project?

We are dedicated to enhancing the aesthetics of your spaces make them beautiful.

FAQs

How can I decorate my living room very simple?

A simple decorated room looks pretty and well-maintained. Here’s how you can decorate your living room simple –

Photo tiles
Framed pictures
Inspirational quotes
String lights (with or without photo)
Candles
Tabletop photo prints

How to decorate a living room on a small budget?

Use greens (plants, shrubs, etc.)
Use light-colored paint to make your space look refreshing
Hang portraits, wall quotes, etc.
Add statement furniture
Add throw pillows, cushions, etc.
Add lamps for aesthetic appeal

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