Living Room Before & Afters

Before, this homeowner avoided including this wall in any photographs. Now, it’s ready for its close-up!

And it only cost about $250!

The new mantel is an eye-catching upgrade.

This once-blank space is now a collector’s dream.

The after puts the “modern” in mid-century modern.

Before, the oatmeal-colored walls made the whole room feel dark despite its large windows.

“Work with the unique features of the room, and don’t be afraid to mix it up when the mood strikes,” this homeowner advises.

“This was a very risky project,” the DIYer says. “I didn't know if it would turn out cool or chunky and busy.”

And it cost a fraction of a professional custom install.

“With dark walls and so much clutter, it was hard to enjoy the real hero: the view,” this homeowner says of the space before.

“We spend way more time in here now than we did the first two years of living in the house,” says the homeowner.

Only a few steps were needed to give these IKEA shelves the look of custom built-ins.

“You don't always have to renovate a space to make it look pretty,” this homeowner says.

Now, it’s a groovy space for hosting friends.

Smart design choices and budget-savvy shopping gave this blank space a charming new look that totally fits the home’s 1941 roots.

It feels both new and old.

One highlight: a hand-painted floral pattern on the walls.

Turns out, tuning your living room into a cozy oasis doesn't require any paint.

This historic living room redo shows off the room’s best features.

This renter made big use of her small square footage.

Plus color and pattern galore!

“Be very gentle with old homes,” this designer says. But that doesn’t mean you can’t go bold with paint!

“I wanted to go bigger with this fireplace,” this homeowner says of her unique transformation.

This renter-friendly redo has a great solution for brightening up a retro wood-paneled space.

This living room redo is chock-full of tips for filling up a small space without it feeling overwhelming.

This color-loving homeowner knew the neutrals had to go.

“Our larger coffee table allows ten people to play games together (with room for cocktails or wine),” the renter says of her redesigned space.

The space has a seamless new look that’s also clutter-free.

The new space looks like a swanky lounge at your favorite fancy hotel.

The new “fireplace” gives me back almost a foot of floor space.

BILLY bookshelves are the secret ingredient in this living room makeover.

Wallpaper makes the biggest difference in giving this gray living room an inviting new look.

“I had an apartment before where I just did a rectangle on the wall, and I LOVED how it looked,” this DIYer says. “Now that I have my own house, I knew I could get a bit more extra with it.”

“From execution to completion (dry time), it only took us about 36 hours or so,” this DIYer says of this beginner-friendly project.

A low-budget IKEA product, plus a little bit of paint, were the perfect sleek solutions for an awkward spot in this house.

The biggest-impact steps: paint and cord covers.

And it’s easily reversible, too.

This tiny studio’s bedroom and living area started out dingy, but with some fresh paint and furniture it’s totally unrecognizable.

The previous homeowner put tons of work into creating a rustic-style space they loved — but when the new homeowners moved in, it didn’t quite suit them. Here’s how they made it their own.

A five-week project using IKEA IVARs and a discount fireplace totally transforms this blank white box.

When these owners purchased their caravan, it was in much worse shape than they first thought. A complete overhaul brought it back to life.

The new space is a grown-up secret clubhouse that goes all-out with bold design.

This home was part of a Sears catalog kit, and many of its original features can be seen in the living room today.

See how a blah beige living room gets a glam glow-up that’s both trendy and timeless.

Wallpaper, tile, and a new mantel take this fireplace from a blank slate to a bespoke and character-filled feature.

“I love having my books all together on the wall; it really feels like a feature in the room instead of an afterthought,” this DIYer says. This one’s for the bookworms out there!

These homeowners “wanted something moody, modern and something no one else had.”

This DIY is perfect for art lovers on a budget.