Living Room Makeover Ideas

The unexpected paint job gives the vintage living room a completely new look.

The space features glimpses of the original brick, which runs three layers deep.

The original Craftsman details sold this DIYer on her home, but they needed some major restoration work.

The after is full of sunshine (even when it's cloudy).

It's an eyesore no more.

This redo is proof that just changing up a paint color can do a lot to change the look and feel of a space.

The color helps liven up this 138-year-old living room.

These intrepid DIYers looked past the shag carpet to see the beauty beneath.

The room was fine before, but a bit boring. A few BILLY shelves and a bit of DIY changed that.

The homeowners wanted somewhere that was comfy enough to hang out all the time, but still elegant.

These homeowners saved literal thousands (!!!) with this IKEA dupe for built-ins.

It's become the ultimate lounge spot.

There's no paint on the cabinets — but there is paint in another unexpected space.

This renter's vision for her new pad was "Barbie's 19th-Century Holiday Dream House," and this renter-friendly fireplace wall fits the theme perfectly.

It took 12 days and a couple of redos, but this living room now has a stylish and show-stopping wall of built-in cabinets and shelves.

This DIYer was quoted nearly $2,500 for built-ins but was able to create something she loved for a fraction of that.

It's a simple project with a big wow factor.

The fireplace redo will make you do a double-take.

Here's your inspiration to let your hobbies guide your home design.

Reuse, repurpose, re-style.

The space looks bigger and brighter, and it's way more functional, too.

A little DIY and some smart shopping totally transforms this living area.

This might inspire you to choose an electric color for your next set of built-ins.

A smart paint job takes this once-boring fireplace front-and-center.

And it's still filled with vintage charm.

Colonial-style houses come with many gifts, like great windows, symmetry, and tall ceilings. But like any place built over 100 years ago, homeowner Katrina’s 1900 Colonial Revival house needed some updating — especially in the living room. While it had large windows, the space felt dark and uninviting because of the old gray carpeting, dark valances, clunky ceiling fan, and striped beige ’70s-era wallpaper.

Let this inspire you to give the weird and underused spaces in your home a new life.

This redo proves the power of color.

The "after" will make you gasp.

With built-ins and board-and-batten!

One major difference? Uncovering the original hardwood floors beneath that carpet.

Many of this year’s living room before and afters were sparked by the previous space not being used to its fullest potential. With a little bit of love and rearranging (and a fresh coat of paint), these transformations prove that a living room redo is within reach—and possibly cheaper than you thought.

One word: fireplace!

A good indication that a room needs a redo is the realization that you're not using it to its full potential.

Cozy season is here, which means it's the perfect time to refresh living spaces—and that goes double when there's a fireplace involved.

This project brings the sunshine inside.

A smart design trick helps this living room look even bigger, without changing size.

It's completely unrecognizable from the dingy before.

Simple stock wood, a nail gun, and some paint took this living room to the next level!

The 12-foot-by-15-foot room didn't even change size.

Here's proof that just a few hours of work can yield a seriously big return.

"We had to get creative with our finishes to get the look we wanted but for less," the homeowner says.

This DIY redo makes the whole living room shine—but the fireplace is a real standout.

Here's proof that you don't have to bust down a wall to brighten up a dark space.

You'll want to steal the high-contrast color scheme for your own space.

This renter left no detail undone.

The secret to how it's done? Paint, of course!

A book lover's dream: cozy, warm, inviting, and with TONS of storage.