Living Room Makeovers

This perfectly livable space was suffering from a case of the blahs.

A perfectly livable space was suffering from a case of the blahs. However, new fabrics, paint, and adjustments to the layout have turned it into a showplace.

• See the complete makeover on SouthernLiving.com.

This cramped, dead-end living room in a 1940s tract home had little light and no drama.

Now the ceiling soars. Tall glass doors replace the small windows flanking the fireplace. A striking stairway leads upstairs, and ribbed cast-concrete fireplace create an inviting gathering place.

• See the complete makeover on Sunset.com.

A white-painted fireplace of slump-block adobe made this family room seem dated.

Building up the façade to make it thicker and covering it in vibrant tomato bisque-hued plaster turned the hearth into a showpiece.

• See the complete makeover on Sunset.com.

For those of you who worry that your family room could win a drab decor award, then we have a treat for you--a super stylish room makeover that proves a little cash can go a long way.

We spent only $200 on paint, new pillows, rugs and other accessories to give this space a major style boost.• See the complete makeover on SouthernLiving.com.

A dark brick fireplace and paneling made the old kitchen/family room seem gloomy.

Removing the fireplace wall allowed the living area to extend into what had been the garage. Flanking windows flood the room with natural light.

• See the complete makeover on Sunset.com.

This nondescript living room felt dark and cramped. It had little presence of its own.

Bright red colors and opened walls made an ordinary house special.

• See the complete makeover on Sunset.com.

The goal: to update the tired existing brick fireplace surround and to transform the space into a warm family area.

By making a few quick changes to colors, fabrics and rearranging furniture you can update your living room in a weekend.

• See the complete makeover on MyHomeIdeas.com.

A hodgepodge of inherited traditional antique pieces was holding back the true style of this modern home owner.

The traditional furnishings got new life by painting the walls a warm, rich blue, and filling the room with meaningful accessories.

• See the complete makeover on MyHomeIdeas.com.

Before, the look of this 80-year-old home was comfortable but not so cozy.

Ready for a change? Washable slipcovers in lighthearted new fabrics perk up old upholstery.

• See the complete makeover on SouthernLiving.com.

This 1950s house on a down-sloping site was 14 feet wide, boxcar-like, and offered no private outdoor space.

The remodel reorganized the main floor and sandwiched it between a new front courtyard and a rear outdoor room overlooking the slope. The ceiling was given a gentle pitch over the original beams. The result resembles an airy garden pavilion.

• See the complete makeover on Sunset.com.

We painted this sitting room in three different shades to compare: cheery yellow, tangerine orange and shown here in chocolate brown.

• See the room in the other two shades as well as a complete makeover on SouthernLiving.com.

The dark mantle on this fireplace was too heavy for the small space, and the low ceilings contributed to the room's cave-like atmosphere.

A lighter hearth, new windows and a coffered ceiling add more light and brighten this room.

• See the complete makeover on MyHomeIdeas.com.

When these home owners needed a space for their office they decided on a small butler’s pantry. The underutilized space between the kitchen and dining room would have to pull double duty as a home office and kitchen storage area.

A simple, inexpensive redo transformed the 8- x 13-foot nook into a cozy library-like home office that really works.

• See the complete makeover on MyHomeIdeas.com.

Limited light and gray walls conjured the feeling of a submarine more than a sailboat in this benighted beach house.

From dark and dismal to bright and breezy, this living room seems twice as large with the addition of new doors; wider openings to neighboring rooms; and a crisp, unifying coat of white paint.

• See the complete makeover on SouthernLiving.com.

Previously, the furniture was centered on the fireplace, the focal point of the room, but the homeowner didn’t know how to accommodate a new TV in a natural way.

By rearranging furniture, eliminating clutter, and bringing in accessories from other rooms, the space was reinvented.

• See the complete makeover on MyHomeIdeas.com.