Let’s talk budget living rooms formula style!
Select the rug first. Find a rug that appeals to you, this can be any color, texture, or any price range. This rug becomes the platform for your design. In this particular room, I wanted to keep a simple, organic color scheme and the rug set the tone for a classic black and white theme. Finding a rug can give you a sturdy foundation for the rest of the design.
Next, select the sofa. Scale is always important, draw a room to scale if possible. There are so many apps now (like Room Planner) that can help with this. The biggest issue I see when going into people’s homes – they purchase furniture (especially sofas and sectionals) that are either way too large for the space or too small. If you aren’t good with technology, empty the room and get out painters tape. That’s such an easy way to visually see things. In terms of design for furniture, I always encourage clean lines and neutral colors for a sofa. This is not only my preference for my design aesthetic, BUT, if you ever want to change accessories or paint colors at a later date, your sofa will still look amazing and current. This sofa for example, super affordable, $599, modern, and neutral! It would look amazing with any color. I don’t have a chair in this design, but I always encourage a bit of leather in every room. A faux leather or real leather accent chair(s) is always a win!
Next, select your main media cabinet, coffee table and end table. I always try to mix it up a bit either with material or tone. In this design, I selected a simple round black coffee table, easy on the budget, but also grounds the space with a strong black. The media cabinet adds a layer of warmth and texture with the reeded wood that’s so popular right now, and the end table mimics the clean lines of the sofa.
The finishing touches add the final layer. Don’t underestimate the power of lighting. I wanted to bring in a very modern, sculptural lamp – a bit of a splurge but so worth it! Every room needs ambient lighting, so if possible make sure you incorporate a table AND floor lamp!
In terms of accessories, I never do a room without a touch of green. To me, nature is the ultimate power and brings a room to life without doing any heavy lifting.
This room comes in under $2700. You can do a few splurge pieces and still keep things affordable. Can’t wait to share more tips and tricks with you.