When you think of white walls, do you think of boring? White walls have gotten a bad rap over the years due to their sterile feeling. However, don't worry about white walls feeling stark—you can warm them up with accessories and art.
With white walls, anything is possible! It gives you unlimited creativity because you can pick any color, style, and pattern of decor or furniture. The options are endless.
Looking for inspiration? We have gathered 11 amazing white wall living room makeovers for you to check out. We hope this motivates you for your next living room project!
1. Cluttered And Dingy To Mid-Century Modern
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We love this fresh, neutral living room makeover. Removing the shelving reduced the cluttered look with knick-knacks and has made space for a serene painting. Additionally, the shelving took up valuable real estate for extra seating. This opens up the space for a perfectly-sized couch to host friends and family.
Lighting is a big deal in how the room feels and looks. There was no overhead lighting before, causing the living room to look dark and dreary. A golden, mid-century modern light illuminates the room and draws your eye to the ceiling, making the room appear larger.
Furthermore, removing the outdated window treatments allows the sun to shine through and makes the room appear brighter. Last but not least, the neutral rug and coffee table pull it all together for a fresh and calming space.
2. Traditional And Modest To Modern And Luxurious
The before picture looks like your grandma's house. Am I right? This room needed a major update. From the decor to the furniture, everything had to go!
Many different things made this room look smaller than it is. First of all, the walls were updated from a yellow tinge to a lovely, crisp white, lightening up the room. The curtains were changed out to a silky and airy sheer. Also, the rug, coffee table, and art were out of proportion which made the room look unbalanced.
To wrap it all up, the interior designer brought in dark throw pillows and moody art which grounded the room and gave it a luxurious feel.
3. Outdated And Unfashionable To Crisp And Clean
This room got an upgrade deluxe! There were too many different styles and themes going on in this outdated room. The circle pillows and swirly rug are dated and worn-looking. The iron wall decor was from a decade ago. On top of that, there was no overhead lighting, which darkened the room.
Thankfully, the room was revived! The geometric lines on the neutral furniture pair well with the lattice rug design. The dazzling light fixture and the simple block art make a major impact.
We especially love how the golden details on the furniture, art, lamp, and light fixture pull the room together. To boot, the designer didn't leave out color. Purple flowers on the coffee table and a burst of a green plant in the corner cozies up the room.
4. Unsophisticated And Lifeless To Calm And Effortless
The one thing this old room had right was the furniture size and placement. Not much changed here. However, the room needed some help in the color department.
The orangey, green shades didn't do the room any favors. These colors were swapped out for a calming, blue-gray color for the throw pillows and wall art. Additionally, the lamps and lighting got a much-needed upgrade.
Notice how the designer styled the coffee table. Work with three or four accessories to create an attractive centerpiece. If all else fails, you can't go wrong with flowers to liven things up.
5. Builder Grade And Unpolished To Swanky And Chic
Everything about this room screamed builder grade. Everything from the outdated built-ins to the flush-mounted ceiling light left us feeling humbug.
Additionally, the leather couch overpowered the room and didn't create the best seating arrangement. To switch things up, the designer opted for three different seating options and a smaller couch.
The most drastic change was taking out the awkward washer and dryer. Because a washer and dryer have no place in a living room, it was moved to another part of the house. Then, they drywalled, painted, and added trim for a cohesive look.
We love the clear, glass coffee table because it doesn't take up space visually but is also functional. The icing on the cake for us was the new wood floors and the striped pattern on the couch armrest.
6. Intensely Red And Unrefined To Peaceful And Neutral
Just say no to red couches. No doubt it will make a bold assertion. But save your statement pieces for art or accessories, not furniture. The beige and gold chairs are a breath of fresh air, and black throw pillows have just the right amount of personality for the space.
This room was small to begin with, so the seating arrangement was right on par. However, the rectangular coffee table was replaced with a round marble one. This opens up the room and allows people to move freely without worrying about bumping into the furniture.
The fireplace tile was kept in place while the open shelving was traded out for a buffet. We are all for more storage and reducing the look of clutter, so this was a perfect addition!
7. Old-fashioned And Lowkey To Contemporary And Fresh
Hello 1990s yellow and hunter green walls and patterned couch! This room got a fresh coat of white paint for the living room and the next room over. Painting both walls the same color gave everything a stream-lined look.
The TV stand and coffee table were the wrong shape and size. Those were replaced with a glossy, black and white coffee table and an ultra-modern TV stand. Once again, remember we are always excited for more storage.
The right seating arrangement was a challenge with the dining room table in the way. With the table moved, two extra chairs and an ottoman were placed to accommodate more people.
8. Dark And Uncomfortable To Cozy And Bright
The old room looked like a long, dark hallway. There was nothing to balance out the couch on the right side of the room. To remedy this, a petite chair is placed by the window to create balance and stability for the rectangle room.
The perplexing black stripes on the wall made the room look boxlike in all the wrong ways. Thankfully, the room was painted a neutral color to match the tranquil painting. Isn't it great how the golden frame matches the gold trim on the coffee table and lamp?
Now to pull it all together. This room was in desperate need of warmth and poise. There's nothing like a soft rug underfoot to do the job. Not to mention, the curtains were placed too high which made the window look small.
9. Solemn And Formal To Minimalist And Relaxed
This formal living room had multiple issues from the furniture to the lighting and everything in between. To start, the furniture is oversized for the space.
The tall, large chairs overwhelmed the room and made it feel stuffy. They were replaced with low-back chairs in a cream color which softened the space and made it feel more comfortable.
There's no doubt about it—the lighting was an eye sore. The colossal light fixtures were repeated throughout the space three different times. It's always a good idea to mix and match your light fixtures while keeping them in the same genre. This adds variety without going overboard.
On top of that, the dark brown walls and unnecessary extra lamps further weigh the room down. Fortunately, everything in this space was lightened and brightened.
10. Stark And Undecorated To Cheerful And Tranquil
We didn't mind the blue couch, but it doesn't work best for the space. It's always preferable to have multiple seating options for guests. It doesn't make for good conversation if you are all cramped on the same couch.
The light fixtures were another thing that stuck out like a sore thumb. The pocket lights were too bright over the TV stand and illuminated just that corner of the room.
The antidote was to keep the pocket lights but also install an appropriately-sized light fixture in the middle of the room. One last tip on lighting—save reading lamps for libraries or offices, not living spaces.
It's never a good idea to install the curtain rod too far past the window. This makes your window look smaller than it is, and who wants that? This was fixed by installing new curtain rods to fit the size of the window but keeping the lovely sheers.
11. Boring And Dull Goes To Open and Breezy
This room needed some sorting out, to say the least. The fireplace had to go and was completely removed. An all-white TV stand, some minimal decorations, and a plant were put in its place to make the space more family-friendly. Besides, who needs a fireplace at the beach?
Throwing out the old green couch was a great choice. However, the designer decided to keep an ottoman to stick with the family-friendly vibes for laying out and relaxing. Additionally, putting the couch against the wall gives the living room more clearance for other items like a coffee table.
The good news is that this room didn't need any additional lighting because of how bright this room already is. The monochromatic furniture and rug give the space an airy feeling like you're floating on air. Old and boring beach house goes to fresh and breezy living space.
Wrapping It All Up
As you can see, white is anything but boring. We've talked about lighting and rugs to furniture and art. Here's a small list of tips and tricks to make your space go from drab to fab:
- Lighting: Invest in overhead lighting if your room doesn't have one. It'll make the space look brighter and draw your attention upward which makes the room look bigger.
- Rugs: Rugs are a great addition to any room. They give comfort and warmth underfoot and make the space feel more comfortable. Also, it grounds the room by defining where to put the furniture and also acts as a design element.
- Furniture: Furniture size can make or break a room. Too big and it'll overload the room. Sectionals are rarely a good idea for guests, so choose thoughtfully on couch sizes.
- Art: Wall art is the finishing touch to any room. You can tie it into the existing color theme or opt for a pop of color. Whichever you choose is up to you, just don't skip the art altogether.
Made it to the end? Check out these related articles on decorating:
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