Decorating a living room on a budget might sound challenging, but with some creativity and a bit of resourcefulness, you can create a space that feels uniquely yours.
When I moved into my first apartment, I wanted my living room to feel cozy and inviting, but I was working with a pretty limited budget. Along the way, I discovered so many clever, affordable ways to make the space feel personal, stylish, and comfortable—without emptying my wallet.
From thrift-store finds to simple DIYs and smart decor hacks, I’m excited to share the ideas that worked for me (and some I wish I’d tried sooner!).
Whether you’re furnishing your first place or just looking to refresh your current setup, these tips will help you create a living room that feels like home, even on a budget.
1. DIY Wall Art
Making your own wall art is an easy DIY that adds personality. String up painted canvas shoes, framed scrapbook paper, or canvas prints of your favorite photos. The options are endless!
2. Thrift Store Finds
Scope out thrift stores in wealthy neighborhoods – you can discover amazing home goods treasures for dirt cheap! I found an antique mirror for $15 that looks way more expensive.
3. Gallery Wall
Gallery walls instantly make bare walls look curated. Use a mix of frames in various sizes and finishes for an eclectic look. Bonus points if you DIY the art!
4. Repurpose Furniture
Give tired furniture new life with a coat of paint, change of hardware, or by repurposing it into something else. I turned an old dresser into a TV console.
5. Indoor Plants
Plants bring life into any space without much effort. Go for low-maintenance varieties like succulents, snake plants, or pothos so they survive your green-thumb-less days.
6. Accent Pillows
Fun accent pillows easily spice up a neutral sofa or bed for an instant transformation. Check stores like HomeGoods, TJMaxx, and Marshall’s for tons of options at low costs.
7. Curtain Panels
Installing nice curtain panels makes windows look so much more finished and put-together. Hang them high and wide to make the room feel bigger.
8. Area Rug
An area rug ties the whole room together and makes it feel homey. Check Ruggable or Wayfair for washable and affordable options.
9. DIY Bookshelf
Making a basic bookshelf is an easy woodworking project for functional and custom storage. Stain or paint it to match your style.
10. String Lights
Twinkle lights instantly create a cozy, whimsical ambiance. Drape them along a wall, behind furniture, on the mantle, or across the ceiling.
11. Throw Blankets
Throw blankets provide a pop of color and extra coziness for lounging and movie nights. I stocked up at Target’s dollar section for a bargain.
12. Mirror Gallery
Cover a wall in inexpensive, mismatched mirrors and frames from thrift stores to create stunning dimension and light. So chic!
13. DIY Coffee Table
Making a coffee table is an easy beginner DIY. Stain wood planks or paint an old door placed on top of stackable crates or concrete blocks.
14. Floating Shelves
Floating shelves create vertical storage and display space on any empty wall. They look much more expensive than they are to install.
15. Themed Decor
Give a room character with pockets of themed accents, like an organic nature theme with wood slices, plants, woven textures, and rattan.
16. Removable Wallpaper
Temporary wallpaper like contact paper or washi tape allow you to change up wall decor easily. Use it to transform cabinets, furniture, the entryway, and more!
17. DIY Window Treatments
Customize inexpensive curtains and blinds with trim details, tassel fringe, exposed rod brackets, or spray paint. So many ways to DIY!
18. Upcycled Decor
Breath new life into worn items destined for the landfill. Sand down old wood furniture, tin cans become pencil holders, old crates become side tables…get creative!
19. Accent Wall
Paint or wallpaper one wall to create a focal point without redoing the whole room. Use painter’s tape to create cool geometric designs.
20. DIY Wall Shelves
Wall shelves provide decoration and storage for small spaces. You can buy brackets or DIY floating shelves with easy no-drill methods.
21. Vintage Finds
I love searching Etsy, Facebook Marketplace, thrift stores, antique shops, estate sales, etc. for secondhand vintage goods full of character at bargain prices.
22. Swap with Friends
Host a home decor swap party! Everyone brings lightly used decor they want to get rid of for a fun evening trading goods and bonding over wine.
23. Window Boxes
Add charming greenery right outside your window with wall-mounted or railing planters. Herbs and succulents also do well in low light.
24. DIY Throw Pillows
Jazz up boring pillows using iron-on vinyl, stenciling designs, painting patterns, sewing on patches, adding trims, buttons, pom poms…the options are endless!
25. Chalkboard Wall
Designate a wall as a chalkboard to leave messages, to-dos, art, and more. Use chalkboard paint or stick on chalkboard panels.
26. IKEA Hacks
The possibilities are endless when repurposing and hacking IKEA furniture. Pinterest has about a million budget-friendly inspo ideas!
27. Washi Tape Decor
I’m currently obsessed with using this decorative paper tape everywhere – vases, frames, planters, walls, and MORE for an instant color change.
28. Photo Collage
Fill empty space by arranging favorite photos in mismatching frames on a wall, tabletop, or cabinet fronts for personal flair.
29. DIY Ottoman
Ottomans provide seating, surfaces for trays, and hidden storage. Make one on the cheap by using sleeping bags for a soft top or beadboard plywood for structured sides.
30. Macrame Wall Hanging
Bohemian style knotted wall hangings are very on trend right now and look way more impressive than they are challenging to make.
31. Framed Fabric
Pick out favorite samples of wrapping paper, scrapbooking paper, or swatches of unique fabric and frame them in identical inexpensive frames for easy art.
32. DIY Planters
Upcycle basic planters with a makeover using spray paint, craft paper, decoupage, plastic gems, or other things you already have at home.
33. Candle Display
Arrange candles of varying shapes, sizes, and colors together on plates, trays, and pedestals for a pretty decorative accent that smells heavenly!
34. DIY Lampshade
Make a paper lampshade for instant whimsical light filtering. Or refresh an old lampshade with iron-on vinyl, fabric, or wallpaper.
35. Travel Souvenirs
Display special mementos, postcards, maps, tiny flags and more collected from trips in shadow boxes, frames, or on a memory board. Great conversation starters!
36. Fabric Headboard
Upholster an old headboard or make a tailored one with foam core boards wrapped in stapled Fabric for luxe vibes.
37. DIY Wall Clock
Customizable clocks (with the right hours marked) make great accent walls to infuse personal style into a room.
38. Mood Lighting
Set the mood with adjustable color changing string lights or smart bulbs to make ordinary moments extraordinary through custom colored ambiance.
39. Rope Decor
Nautical rope in natural fibers like jute or twisted seagrass woven into wall hangings, wrapped vases or table legs bring organic texture.
40. DIY Coasters
Make custom cork, ceramic tile, or resin coasters yourself using materials from the craft store to protect surfaces from cup rings.
41. Map Art
Hang a map of a favorite travel locale or city showing memories of good times. Bonus if you decoupage meaningful mementos on it.
42. Fabric Banners
Stitch together fabric scraps, old scarves, napkins or T-shirts into a vibrant patchwork banner perfect for dressing up blank walls.
43. Painted Furniture
Give worn furniture new colorful life with a fresh coat of paint using fun techniques like ombre, stripes, gradients, patterns and more.
44. DIY Room Divider
Section off spaces using an easy tension rod with fabric clipped on, standing panels wrapped in wallpaper, or hanging bead curtains.
For additional ideas, you can also search on YouTube for DIY room divider tutorials and creative partition inspirations.
45. Yarn Wall Hanging
Make floppy cute pom pom garlands or sculptural woven wall art pieces out of yarn in your favorite colors.
46. Gallery Ledge
Mount a ledge several inches below the ceiling to display treasured pieces above eye level. Paint it a bright contrasting color.
47. Chalkboard Door
Make doors functional and cute with chalkboard paint. Leave messages, art, lists, or menu options. So many possibilities!
48. Tassel Garland
Dress up curtains, bed frames, fireplaces, mirrors etc by lining the edges with fun dangling tassels for instant jazz.
49. DIY Faux Fur Stool
Glue leftover luxury faux fur fabric remnants to an ordinary stool for a quick no-sew makeover into the boujee seat of your dreams.
50. Scrapbook Wall
Cover a space in peel and stick wallpaper or bulletin boards to create an interactive display.
Tack up meaningful pages from magazines, cards, tickets stubs, photos, and mementos collected through the years.
As you can see, with some effort and imagination, there are endless cheap ideas for revamping your living room! No need to break the bank to create a stylish, inviting oasis you love coming home to.
I hope these ideas sparked inspiration for easy ways to infuse more personality into your first apartment on a budget. Let me know in the comments below which ideas you’re excited to try!