Living Room Refresh on a Budget

Today we’re sharing the updates we’ve made in the living room since we purchased our new home. It’s so fun to see the before photos and how far we’ve come. The final touches were done on a budget to save after the cost of renovation and I can’t wait to hear what you think!

LIVING ROOM BEFORE

When we purchased this home it came with some pretty interesting built-ins on the wall where I imagined the TV going. The wall didn’t even have a plug on it. We removed the built-in’s and had a plug added for the TV. The other walls were covered in 80’s paneling that had warped due to humidity from a water leak. There was a pony wall in the entryway which was removed and a warm honey-colored wood flooring was run throughout. We added board and baton to all the walls and gave everything a fresh coat of SW Pure White paint. An oversized candlestick chandelier draws your eyes up to the vaulted ceilings. I know that one day I want to add a fireplace that runs to the peak of the vault. Removing the wall of built-ins also keeps them from competing with the fireplace.

If you want to see a full tour of the house before updates you can see our PreRenovation Home Tour here.

MEDIA CONSOLE

I decided to hunt for a unique piece with character for the TV console. I treasure hunted at estate sales, flea markets, thrift stores, and Facebook marketplace. When I’m shopping second-hand in this way I have a list of things I’m hunting for that I can find over time. Sometimes it takes weeks and months to find what feels right. I found this piece for $50 on Facebook marketplace. It had the same shape and feel of the piece I loved at Restoration Hardware. I pulled the trigger knowing that if I failed it could be a useful piece for storage in the garage. It’s super heavy and 97″ making it perfect for the long wall in my living room. It will be great for storage too.

MEDIA CONSOLE BEFORE

I worked on the media console over time, cutting the depth of the piece 26″ to 18″. As I was painting and wrapping things up I sent mom to find pillows and accessories to make the space feel like home.

SHOP THE LOOK

SECOND-HAND FURNITURE

Thankfully the treasure hunt paid off in other ways because I found an awesome white slipcovered Restoration Hardware sofa on Facebook Marketplace for $75. I normally don’t buy upholstered furniture secondhand but that was too good of a find and was barely used in a formal living.

I also purchased two tone-on-tone patterned slipcovered chairs from a friend that actually worked perfect with the sofa. The search also turned up an awesome weathered wood coffee table and along with a side table and entry table, the furnishings were complete!

NOTE FOR SHOPPING SECOND HAND FOR YOUR HOME

I know that different areas have different availabilities on second-hand finds especially on Facebook Marketplace. The Dallas area happens to have a lot of good things but some days it’s a miss. I look a couple of times a week and I’ll find things over time. It’s a fun adventure if you are patient.

NEW RUGGABLE

Next, it was time for the fun part, giving the room a refresh. We removed an old rug we were using until we found the perfect one for the space. And it was a beautiful new rug from Ruggable for the win. When choosing a rug I went back and forth with more subtle tone rugs and the deep rich colorful ones. We finally decided on a rich navy and red rug and it was definitely the right choice!

I have a Ruggable discount code for 10% off if you’re on the hunt – FUNFARMHOUSELIVING10

FINAL ACCENTS

We bought more pillows than we needed and laid them out on the sofa until the combination felt right. The coffee table just needed a few books and we added a fall floral, a candle, and a chain link to a wooden bowl for a centerpiece. We also shopped our own home for accessories for the side table and console. The TV above the media console was flanked with wall sconces which really brought it all together. Nothing is too fussy, but a couple of black and gold botanicals anchor the room. We think it feels sweet and sophisticated. The room definitely fits with the home’s cottage style.

We are still on the hunt for some sheer linen panels for the windows and there’s another found item, a solid wood front door in the garage, waiting to be refinished. But we couldn’t be happier with the way this budget-friendly room has turned out. I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below. Also, if you haven’t yet make sure you watch our YouTube video of mom and I took on this room. I’d love for you to join the Farmhouse Living family as a subscriber.

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