The living rooms in most houses get a lot of use–by family, friends, and for entertaining. Most people want it attractive and welcoming but you don’t have to break the bank in the process. Many living room items are overpriced, unnecessary, and may be out of date in a short amount of time. Think twice before spending money on some of these things.
Seasonal Decor
The costs of seasonal decorations can get out of hand in a hurry. Christmas, Thanksgiving, Halloween, and whatever else you celebrate do not require expensive elaborate decorations. They are usually only up for a few days–a month at most–then stored away until next year. Holiday trends and styles change every year. If you feel the need to change the look of your holiday decorations, stick with inexpensive options like candles and wall hangings.
Fresh Flowers and Plants
Plants–especially flowering plants–add color and improve the feel of living rooms. Spending a lot of money on them is usually not necessary. Plants go on sale regularly.
Buying fresh flowers weekly turns into an expensive habit quickly. Opt for inexpensive plants or artificial flowers that rarely need replacing and look more real every year.
Designer Throw Blankets and Pillows
High-priced living room throw pillows and blankets usually require dry cleaning. Which just adds insult to injury. Buy inexpensive blankets and pillow covers that you can machine wash at home. It is less catastrophic if someone spills wine on them. You can buy multiple seasonal items for less money that serve as decorations that you can change on a whim.
Expensive Rugs
Living rooms are high-traffic areas. Kids, pets, and entertaining all wear on area rugs. Most high-end rugs require special cleaning care–if they can be cleaned at all. Opt for relatively inexpensive cleanable durable rugs. If they can’t be cleaned or are too badly damaged, you can replace them without hurting your pocketbook.
Expensive Art
Investing hundreds or even thousands of dollars in mass-produced reproduction art is a waste of money. It usually does not hold its value and becomes dated. One-of-a-kind expensive art may hold its value or even increase in value–or it may not.
Wall art does not have to be expensive to add color, texture, and interest to your living room. There are many places to buy good-looking inexpensive art that adds visual interest to your living room. Or use modern technology to print your own pictures and set them in a recycled frame.
Coffee Table Books
Designer coffee table books look great in design magazines. They cost a lot of money and often look snobbish in real living rooms. Buying coffee table books about subjects that interest you is less expensive at second-hand bookstores or garage sales. If it is taking up space on your coffee table, it should be more than a decoration.
