10 Teeny, Tiny Things Apartment Therapy Editors Did to Immediately Improve Their Living Rooms
There’s never really a good to time redo your living room. It’s one of the spots in a home that gets the most use, which makes it inconvenient, at best, to overhaul. And yet, the living room tops so many of our redo wish lists, especially at this time of year, because of how many holiday parties, game nights, and guests it sees. Well, what if we told you that one teeny, tiny change in your living room could make a world of difference? Because, if our experiences as home dwellers—and home design experts—is any indicator, that’s the honest-to-goodness truth.
To back it up, I asked a handful of my coworkers to tell me one small thing they did to their living room to make it look or feel better. They delivered, and I added my own two cents, too. And the good news is you can totally pull off one or more of these things today or even this weekend, with the hopes that maybe you’ll fall just a little bit more in love with your living room.
“My entry way way is part of my living room, and I painted the inside of my front door Benjamin Moore’s Rose Bisque (2102-50). It was such a small thing and a quick project, but it makes me incredibly happy.” —Laura Schocker, Editor-in-Chief
“I bought a humidifier that’s also a diffuser and love adding lavender essential oil to it. I put it on at night, and it’s great.” —Terri Pous, Managing Editor
“My apartment has tons of funky corners. I have a large pipe that runs through the middle of my brick wall and an octagon-shaped living room area. I was able to make use of all of these awkward nooks with the help of these mini floating shelves, even turning the pipe into a makeshift bookcase.” —Rachel Otero, Social Media Editor
“We painted the wall behind our flatscreen black. Now when the TV is off, it just recedes into the wall. And when we’re watching something, there’s less of a glare.” —Danielle Blundell, Home Director
“The OttLite is my secret weapon. It replicates daylight, so the living room always feels bright when it’s on, no matter the time of day.” —Megan Baker, Home Projects Editor
“You know how people have decorative bowls in their living rooms filled with, like, papier-mâché balls or pumpkins or crystals or whatever? I have one, too, but mine is filled with my sofa skincare. I hate climbing the stairs to the bathroom but always want to take off my makeup while I’m watching TV. So I just bought a big bowl and filled it with my skincare products, so I can multitask and still keep my living room surfaces organized. ” —Taryn Williford, Lifestyle Director
“I had my eye on this lift-top West Elm coffee table for ages, but it’s pretty pricey. So I never pulled the trigger. When my sister, who is also my roommate, saw one pop up on Facebook Marketplace for $50, we jumped on it. And it’s such a great place for storing all of our living room odds and ends.” —Emma Glubiak, Social Media Manager
“We opted for a projector instead of a TV and made our own stretch canvas screen. It’s like having our own personal movie theater and saves so much space.” —Adrienne Breaux, House Tour Editor
“I have noisy neighbors, so I put a sound machine in my living room to drown them out. It really helps me relax at night.” —Mark Marino, Commerce Director
“My wood floors were a little too light, and I’m a big fan of dark brown stain. So I just stained the floors dark, and it’s made such a difference.” —Maxwell Ryan, Founder and CEO