Overhauling Your Living Room: A Step By Step Guide To Preparing The Space
Living rooms are one of the most frequently redecorated rooms in the home. Not only are they quite easy and cost effective to redesign, but it’s also the room you’re likely to spend the most time in.
That means you’ll get sick of seeing the same wallpaper, flooring, and decor in record time! And if the time has come to give your living room a proper overhaul, we’re here to help you keep the process simple.
In short: Preparing your living room for redecoration starts with measuring the space, setting a budget, choosing a focal point, and working from the top down. Taking these steps first helps you avoid mistakes, save time, and stay within budget.
Steps to prepare your living room for redecoration:
- Measure the space accurately
- Set a clear budget
- Choose a focal point
- Declutter the room
- Work from the top down
Here’s a step by step guide to preparing your living room for redecoration.
Measure, Measure, Measure
You can measure at any point before the work begins. However, it works best as the first or second step in your living room overhaul.
Indeed, once you know the dimensions of the room, you can actually put together a floor plan for the new look with a proper idea of the scale.
Measure all 3 dimensions: height, width, and depth. Depth can be a bit harder to understand. If you already have furniture you plan to keep in your living room, this measurement becomes especially helpful.
That helps you plan a good layout from the get go, and you won’t have to go back to the drawing board too often.
And that’s not the only benefit. If you’re going to be hiring a flooring installation company to lay a new hardwood or carpet for you, you want to know the exact measurements ahead of time.
This saves time during the process. It also helps you calculate project costs and double check the quote you’ve been given.
Set Your Budget Early
Before you start buying paint, flooring, or new furniture, take some time to set a realistic budget for your living room overhaul. Having a clear spending limit helps guide your decisions and keeps the project from becoming overwhelming.
Start by listing what absolutely needs to be updated versus what would simply be nice to change. Structural updates, flooring, and paint should usually take priority over decorative pieces. This makes it easier to adjust your plans if costs start to creep up.
It’s also a good idea to leave a small buffer in your budget for unexpected expenses. Quotes can change, materials can cost more than expected, and small fixes often come up once work begins. Planning for this ahead of time helps you stay in control and avoid stress later in the process.
Find Your Focal Point
Most living rooms have them, every living room needs them! Focal points give you something to orientate your furniture toward. And even if some furniture will be facing away, you still need the outline of where everything else is focusing first.
Most people see this as the TV, as living rooms are just for lounging around in, and that’s a pretty easy place to start with this.
However, your TV also needs to be placed in an area that’s easy for things to be pointed out. This is why it’s important to identify your focal point before you move it.
Start at the Top
Always work top-down during room rehauls. Starting at the top ensures you won’t mess up any work you’ve already completed below.
If the ceiling needs a clean and a repaint, do that first. Wall lights that need to be fixed into place should come next. Scrubbing down and repainting or wallpapering the walls should follow after that.
Only after these jobs should you focus on changing things at eye height or lower, such as your furniture layout and your flooring.
Is a living room overhaul on the cards? Then let’s get it done without any hassle!
If you’re planning a living room overhaul, these common questions can help you feel more confident before getting started.
Preparing a living room for redecoration usually takes a few hours to a couple of days, depending on the size of the space and the amount of planning involved. Measuring, setting a budget, and decluttering can often be done in one day. More complex planning or contractor coordination may take longer.
Emptying a living room before redecorating is highly recommended, especially when painting, installing flooring, or making layout changes. Removing furniture protects your belongings and gives you a clear view of the space. If fully emptying the room isn’t possible, moving items to the center and covering them works as a temporary solution.
The best order to redecorate a living room is to work from top to bottom. Start with the ceiling, then move to walls, lighting, and finally flooring and furniture. This approach prevents damage to finished areas and keeps the process efficient.