Spruce Up Your Living Room With These Easy DIY Projects

If the living room façade is starting to bore you, but redecorating just takes too much work, these DIY projects might just be your answer.

Don’t worry, we’re fans of ‘easy’ and ‘cheap’.

The next time you cook pasta, save the sauce jar for this handy project that instantly adds a cosy ambience to the living room.

SOURCE: homedit.com

What you’ll need:

• A jar
• Some yarn
• Paint

Instructions:

1. Wrap a bit of yarn around the jar a few times. Feel free to overlap the yarn to create more interesting patterns.
2. Paint the jar and leave it out to dry.
3. Cut the yarn once the paint is dried completely.
4. Use with tealight or stick candles.

Great for: Intimate gatherings in the evening.

If the mere thought of water stains on your beautiful wooden coffee table sends a cold shudder down your spine, then you probably already have a ton of coasters lying around at home. Upgrade your coaster game with this project that you can do while binging on Netflix.

SOURCE: Creative Green Living

Full instructions available at Creative Green Living.

What you’ll need:

• Small, smooth river pebbles (readily available for purchase at most nurseries, if you’re not lucky enough to live near a river)
• Cork or cardboard coasters
• Permanent craft glue (choose one that dries clear)

Instructions:

1. Sort your pebbles and group them to approximate thickness. Nobody wants a wobbly coaster.
2. Once you’ve sorted a generous amount of pebbles, you can begin gluing them down to the coaster. You can arrange the pebbles on the coaster before gluing to make it easier.
3. Reserve the smaller pebbles to glue around the edges, as those are the trickiest spaces to fill.
4. Pour a drink and toast yourself to a job well done.

Great for: Drinks after a dinner party and ‘Mojito Nights’.

This DIY hack barely requires instruction. A little bit of lighting can go a long way to add some drama to your living room. Make a statement by installing uplights behind the sofa to illuminate the wall. Emphasize the effect by adding statement pieces like a painting or installation on the illuminated wall.

SOURCE: houzz.com

Great for: Evening get-togethers.

Plants will soften any room, adding a breath of fresh air and natural beauty to the interior. This concrete planter is most suited for succulents or other plants that don’t require a lot of watering, but can be modified to accommodate conventional plants by drilling holes through the bottom. It would look right at home in an industrial or minimalist interior.

SOURCE: burkatron.com

Full instructions available at Burkatron.

What you’ll need:

• Cement mix
• Sand
• Water
• 1 large plastic mixing bowl
• 1 small plastic bowl or container

Instructions:

1. Measure 2 parts cement mix to 3 parts sand and water, and mix thoroughly. For a lighter grey finish, mix equal parts of each component.
2. Fill the large plastic mixing bowl with the cement mixture. Bring any air bubbles to the surface by tapping the bowl a few times on the table (like you would a cake mix).
3. Plunge the small plastic bowl into the cement mix. You can place it off-centre (as pictured) for an asymmetrical look. If the plastic bowl floats up, weigh it down with something heavy like a hardback book.
4. Leave to dry for up to a week or more. The longer it dries, the easier it will be to remove the plastic containers.
5. Sandpaper any rough edges before transferring your plant into the planter.

Great for: Decorating the coffee table.

Looking for durable and pretty indoor plants? Read this.

Victims of saggy sofas will attest to the fact that while really comfy, they don’t make the best impressions. You’ve probably resorted to laying a blanket or using lots of throw pillows over it when guests (or *gulp* in-laws) are over.

SOURCE: funhomethings.com

If you own a fabric sofa (with removable covers) that’s slumping, this DIY project to fill the cushions will have it looking ship-shape in no-time.

Full instructions available at Hometalk.

Great for: Breathing new life into an old sofa for movie nights!

Confession time: I have an unrepentant need for space-saving storage. Living in a one-bedroom apartment does that to you.

This DIY project is bae precisely because it fulfills my need for storage. If you (or your parents) have a vintage suitcase that has been in storage since the 70s, then repurpose it as a console table with this project.

SOURCE: starsforstreetlights.com

Full instructions available at Stars for Streetlights.

Alternatively, here’s a boiled down double-hacked version.

What you’ll need:

• A hard vintage suitcase
• A LACK side table from IKEA
• Paint
• Adhesive glue (the stronger the better)

Instructions:

• Assemble the LACK side table as per instructions. Paint it in a colour that matches your suitcase.
• If you wish, you could also paint your vintage suitcase to fit the theme of your living room.
• Once the paint is completely dry, spread a layer of adhesive glue on the top of the table. Press the bottom side of the suitcase onto the glue, using books to weigh it down for a stronger hold.
• Leave it to dry completely before using.

Great for: Adding a touch of whimsy to your side table.