Sophisticated Living Room Makeover

Before: Plain boring, this living room had been neglected for years and, although the period details, such as the fireplace, coving and woodwork were still intact, the plain white walls and pink carpet made the room feel both dated and unloved.

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Next Makeover :Cottage Living Room Makeover

Before

After

A fantastic feature has been made of the fireplace with a paint job and new wallpaper framing it

After: The new room was unrecognisable from the old - here's how they did it.

Create A Focal Point

The fire surround was replaced with a smaller one that didn't dominate the room as much. The fireplace wall was wallpapered with a large print floral wallpaper to add extra interest and to draw attention to the room’s best period feature. To find out more about creating focal points, see our feature.

Put Together A Contrasting Colour Scheme

The room’s predominantly pale beige colour scheme was enlivened with a vast lime-yellow modular sofa and accessories, which also help give the space a more contemporary edge. See our colour schemes pages for more.

Buff Up Old Flooring

The old carpet was removed and the floorboards beneath restored to reveal a warm, honey coloured wood that could be varnished for a practical yet attractive finish. A large modern rug pulls the scheme together, uniting the various colours of the room within its abstract pattern.

Add Lots Of Storage

Useful storage units were built into the alcoves, with open shelves above for both display and DVD housing. The storage was painted the same colour as the walls behind to help it blend neatly into the scheme. For more ideas, see our living room storage ideas feature.

Invest In Glam Lighting

Lighting is provided by both wall lights on dimmable switches and a small but very glam chandelier that looks just as good unlit as lit.

More Living Room Design & Planning Help
- More Living Room Design Ideas
- Real Life Living Room Makeovers
- Living Room Planning Advice
- How To Decorate

Pictures: Colin Poole