How to transform your living room interior without renovation

Sometimes there is no money, the last one is invested in purchasing or renting an apartment... but you still want to have a cozy nest. What to do in this case? It turns out there is a way out, and it’s called normal renovation of an apartment

for affordable money. This may be cosmetic work or part of it.

Budget apartment renovation photo

Rearrange the furniture

There is no easier and cheaper way to change the decor than rearranging the furniture.
A slight castling will not only help add variety and better organize the space, but will also allow you to see the room from a different angle. This makes it easier to decide what is really needed and what is high time to get rid of. Just remember that this seemingly simple event requires careful preparation. Don't move things by eye. You can waste a lot of time this way and end up making things worse. Better take a tape measure, measure all the existing furniture and sketch out a rearrangement plan on paper. Or plan it on your computer using convenient services or programs.

Stylish ideas for arrangement can be borrowed, for example, from this video:

Tips for choosing a style

The choice of style for a small living room should be taken responsibly. We list those that are most often used in its design.

Modern . It is distinguished by functionality and convenience. Wood, concrete and glass exist harmoniously here. Graphic details on the walls add interest, while cushions, a rug and a blanket soften it up.

Scandinavian. It embodies lightness and freshness, making it perfect for a small living room. White walls and ceiling create a backdrop that expands the boundaries.

In order for natural light to fill the space as much as possible, you should abandon curtains on the windows. Interesting details can be lamps of unusual shapes, paintings, bright decorative pillows.

Provence . The subtlety of French manners is combined with rustic simplicity in a romantic Provencal style. In such a living room there are lace curtains, floral patterns on a delicate background in beige, pink or peach shades. Complementing high-quality, rather massive furniture are various elegant figurines, porcelain vases and living plants.

Classic . Neutral calm shades, natural materials, glass or crystal lamps, paintings and mirrors in gold frames are the distinctive elements of this style. Modern technical innovations easily fit into the atmosphere of the classics.

Although you can usually find massive curtains on the windows in such an interior, in a small living room on the shady side it is better to make a lighter option or pick them up with elegant ribbons. The beauty and symmetry of the space is complemented by stylish clocks and paintings.

Update old things

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Recycling is more important now than ever. Do not rush to part with the furniture heritage of the Soviet era - it is better to give it a new life.

Thus, a shabby sofa can easily be turned into a trendy one if it is covered with fabric in current colors. By the way, reupholstering upholstered furniture will cost less than buying new ones. Grandma's dull chest of drawers, repainted in a bright color, will turn into the star of the interior. Moreover, all this can be done not only with the help of professional restorers, but also on your own.

For example, here is a step-by-step analysis of how to paint an old bedside table and fit it into a modern design:

And here they show you how to reupholster a chair with your own hands:

What to buy

Yellow microfiber sofa cover, 9,990 rubles →
Set of chair covers from Karna, 1,420 rubles →
White semi-matte paint for furniture, 619 rubles →

Furnishings and furniture arrangement

What could be more budget-friendly than creating a new interior by rearranging furniture? By resorting to this technique, you will also be able to get rid of things cluttering up the space. You should start with a hand-drawn floor plan. So, having sketched out several layout options, and then decided on the most successful one, you can immediately begin to implement the conceived idea.

A bookcase can easily turn into an original piece of art if you put it in order. But this needs to be done in a special way, sorting books by color, size, horizontal and vertical position. In the small spaces vacated, there will certainly be room for small vases, photographs and other decorative attributes.

Transform your walls

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Of course, painting the walls or hanging wallpaper is the best solution. But there is not always the means and time for this. An old-fashioned wallpaper pattern can be softened by hanging posters or pictures close together. Of course, this won’t make the ugly wall itself disappear, but this technique will distract attention from it and create an interesting decorative effect.

Don’t rush to hammer nails into the wall—first give a preview of the future composition. Take measurements from your paintings and attach sheets of paper of similar sizes to the wall. Think, try different options, take a photo.

This video clearly shows how to compose a composition:

And here they talk about a compositional technique that will help hang photographs, posters or paintings so that it turns out stylish and beautiful:

What to buy

Poster “It’s strange not to be strange” from Typo with frame, 690 rubles →
Painting with a kiss print from Moxon, 890 rubles →
Poster “Megapolis” from “World of Light” in a dark frame, 1,630 rubles →

Budget renovation of a two-room apartment

How to make cheap renovations in an apartment

Based on the desire to save space in such housing, we propose to carry out a budget renovation of a 2-room apartment

, placing the following emphasis:

1. Gender All options are considered a little higher, and laminate is chosen as the optimal economical floor covering. But you have the right to choose any other one.

2. Bathroom. Changing the bathroom begins with replacing the shelves with more functional, but less voluminous ones. A wall-hung toilet model (discussed a little higher) allows you to save space, water consumption and improve the appearance of the room. Usually there is a good flush system and a double button for its operation. The barrel is walled up in the wall. But if a pipe bursts (God forbid!), you can turn off the flushing mechanism - there is also such a button. And there is no need to break the wall, as many owners who fear gusts of water believe.

3. Change of lighting system. It is especially useful if the chandeliers in a 2-room apartment are already 15-20 years old. In this case, if you want to carry out budget repairs, you should choose spotlights. They are cheaper and quite reliable.

4. Replacement of furniture. If we are talking about saving space, it is better to choose double beds for children or transformers; it will not be cheap, but it will be reliable, aesthetically pleasing and practical. If you want to replace something without purchasing anything new, you can paint or cover old furniture with film. But there is also a solution that will cost about 20,000 rubles, but will highlight the readiness to implement modern solutions if they are functional and good. Considering the small size of Khrushchev apartments, there’s definitely not a lot of space in a two-room apartment. Therefore, a bulky cabinet left over from the same times (often) can simply be thrown away. And a dressing room becomes a worthy replacement. In a 2-room apartment it is not possible to allocate 1.2-1.5 meters for it. But there is a chance to create a dressing room in the corner of the room. This visually saves space, and with an equal area allows you to create a spacious storage system for clothes and shoes.

Hang the mirrors

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A mirror is a decorator’s best friend: it visually expands the space, improves illumination and adds completeness to the interior. A large mirror can simply be placed on the floor. A small one will look luxurious as part of a wall gallery. Or, instead of one large one, hang several medium-sized mirrors: they will reflect the light beautifully.

Video tip for those who want to add a mirror to their wall decor:

What to buy

Triangular mirror with shelf from Asos Supply, 2,190 rubles →
Round decorative mirror from Umbra with a diameter of 60 cm, 10,800 rubles →
Small octagonal mirror on a chain from Stradivarius, 1,799 rubles →

Budget renovation of a 1-room apartment

Budget apartment renovation

A one-room apartment requires a special approach due to its small area. It should also be taken into account that, in general, the appearance of such oversized housing is spoiled by furniture, flooring, all sorts of protruding parts, even in the bathroom, and too voluminous chandeliers and lamps.

Carrying out ordinary and inexpensive repairs in a 1-room apartment, we suggest replacing all of this:

Laminate flooring

Laminate flooring in the hallway

Why? The answer is simple: inexpensive and relatively durable. Its cost is from 300 rubles/m2 with a service life of 20 years. True, he is afraid of moisture and water, but given its price, you can bear with it. For comparison, for solid wood the cost is 9,000 rubles/m2 with a durability of 50 years, for parquet boards and cork floors the cost and duration of use are the same - from 2,000 rubles and they “live” for about half a century, natural linoleum - from 700 rubles with a duration of use of 30 years, PVC -linoleum and carpet - from 500 rubles when used for up to 5-7 years. Having looked at the comparative characteristics, the choice definitely goes towards laminate.

Changing the color and type of furniture

In the previous section there was already an indication of the changes that can be made to the apartment by “editing” the shade and visual effect of the sets and interior items.

Replacing the aesthetics of the appearance of a toilet room or bathroom

Bathroom with wall-hung toilet

Choosing a wall-hung toilet. This model allows you to hide the barrel, visually remove valves and pipes, freeing up space for heated towel rails, shelves and minimal cabinets. This is economical in all factors: from space to finance. But it looks very attractive and aesthetically pleasing.

Important! A few tips from professional Repair Masters:

the lamp power of a spotlight should not exceed 50W;
In order for light reflection to be stronger, the lighting device must have a mirror part;
It is ideal if the lamp is an LED version, especially if the ceiling is suspended.

We replace large chandeliers and lamps with small ones

Spotlights

Perhaps the space allows you to have voluminous options, but miniature and neat ones are always cheaper. Our goal is to carry out a budget renovation of a 1-room apartment. If a chandelier is replaced (from 1100 rubles/piece) then a spotlight will cost from 170 rubles/piece. And you can install at least 6 of them for the same money. And how much is needed to both save money and get fairly good lighting - see for yourself!

Don't forget the nice details

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It’s bad if all the furniture in the room is mismatched. It is difficult to give a uniform style to such a room. Accessories will come to the rescue: a new lamp, blanket or photo frames will make the interior more thoughtful. Another proven method is textiles. Update curtains, sofa cushions, tablecloths. If you want to save as much as possible, you can sew it all yourself.

This video tutorial will help a novice seamstress create cushion covers:

What to buy

Mesh lamp from Candelight, 1,390 rubles →
Bright pillow with embroidery from Ian Snow, 1,790 rubles →
Art Nouveau tablecloth from Naturel, 3,400 rubles →
Checkered plaid from Shining Star, 2,499 rubles →

How to cheaply renovate a rented apartment

Inexpensive renovation in a rented apartment

There are several pro tips that will come in handy to save even on materials of medium or high cost:

Do not order dismantling or installation of new walls. Avoid complex installation work.
Do you want parquet, but don't have the money? Choose a scraped solid and open it with varnish.
Replace porcelain tiles with tiles.
If you want to paint the walls, check the cost of the paint. When such material is expensive for you, you should take a closer look at high-quality wallpaper. They, especially the water-repellent type, will help decorate the room and not spend money on tiles in the bathroom.
If a suspended ceiling and plasterboard are expensive repair options, then can you whitewash or plaster the ceiling?
Curtains can be created from simple and natural materials. And if there are still grandma’s cuts left, remember that they are now at the peak of fashion!
Can't replace furniture? But you can change the upholstery! And this is already transforming the room!
By straightening the sagging doors of old cabinets, covering worn-out places or completely with arakal, you can successfully transform the appearance of the apartment. Such repairs will be as cost-effective as possible. A pleasant appearance of the apartment will allow you to quickly find tenants.
Cheap textiles and synthetic materials do not help modify housing. It’s better to make your own decorative pillows, hand-made items, photo frames - and the most laconic room will become more comfortable.

Replace the fittings

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Any little thing, such as furniture or door handles, can play a big role in the design of a room. Finding them is not difficult: they are sold in almost any store that sells household items.

What to buy

Set of hand-painted door handles from Ian Snow, 590 rubles →
Door handle in antique bronze style from Rucetti, 720 rubles →
Square furniture handle from Kerron, 286 rubles →

Floor finishing

A wide selection of flooring allows you to choose the appropriate option according to your budget and appearance.

Laminate. Unpretentious and easy to install, but it is better to put a soundproofing substrate under it;
Parquet. Natural and durable material that has a high cost;
Cork floor. This coating looks very unusual and stylish, but aggressive agents cannot be used to clean it;
Linoleum. This type of coating can be called one of the most popular and affordable; it is available in a wide variety of textures and colors;
Self-leveling floor. A modern type of coating that must be installed by specialists.

Green the room

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Indoor plants will help liven up your living room. A few pots of geraniums or dracaena - and the room will immediately become much more comfortable. If your gardening skills are lacking, just choose succulents: they are unpretentious, but spectacular.

What to buy

Phalaenopsis orchid, 499 rubles →
Crassula ovata, 469 rubles →
Artificial flower in a rainbow pot from Candelight, 590 rubles →

Ceiling finishing

You can choose any convenient ceiling finishing option, which is presented in several types.

Wallpapering. This is the simplest and most economical way to finish the ceiling;
Painting the ceiling. This option is fast and convenient, moreover, it is environmentally friendly and very simple to implement;
Dropped ceilings. They are presented in a rich variety, but are quite difficult to install;
Plasterboard ceilings;

The most popular type of ceiling finishing is the use of suspended ceilings made of PVC fabric.

Consider the lighting

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If you only think about your light bulbs when they burn out, it's time to change that. After all, light tone greatly affects the atmosphere in the room. If the living room is not cozy enough, simply replace the cold light lamps with warm ones. There is also the opposite effect: thanks to cold lamps, the room seems cleaner and more spacious.

What to buy

Light bulb with white daylight “Cosmos”, 680 rubles →
LED lamp with warm light from Gauss, 245 rubles →
Pack of LED lamps with warm white light, 899 rubles →

Play of light and color

The living room should not be limited to just one light source. If the room’s capabilities allow, then an additional floor lamp or sconce will be a successful continuation of the lighting composition. And having taken care of creating several lighting scenarios at once, it will be convenient to vary them depending on the time of day and mood.

The interior acquires style through conciseness. Therefore, it is important that there are no more than 1-2 flowers in the room. You will also need to exclude items that do not fit into a single stylistic direction. After such “unloading” you will definitely need things that will complete the transformation. When going shopping for them, it is important to make a list in advance, this will eliminate unnecessary expenses.

Decorating the living room with flowers

Fresh flowers in beautiful vases are the best way to decorate a room for receiving guests. If you choose a modern style, then you should choose a flower vessel of an original shape. For classics, you will need products made of crystal or porcelain.

The interior decor of the living room can also be represented by artificial flowers. They make up a variety of ornaments. Flowering plants in pots are also a current trend today.

Stucco decor: decorative design of the living room

Many lovers of the classic style prefer stucco living room decor in a modern style, which has always been very popular. Today, stucco materials can be replaced with polyurethane, which can significantly simplify the finishing process.

In addition, some modern decorative elements, such as cornices or moldings, will perfectly complement the design of the living room.

Stucco is great for those who adore classic or Victorian style. Decorating walls and ceilings with modern materials using lighting effects will give the room a special atmosphere.

Materials that imitate traditional stucco style are inexpensive, so for many this will be the right decision.