Before and After: Autumn-Inspired Living Room

Before, this living room was awash in neutrals, but full of furnishings with good shapes. Warm colors, new carpeting, natural accents, and a fresh furniture arrangement will make this the ideal spot to spend a crisp fall day.

Warm hues give this living room a rich autumnal look. A palette of cocoa, rust, and gold evokes the spirit of the season. Accents such as plush pillows, wool throws, and an upholstered side chair give the room a cozy feel without a lot of effort. Covering the fireplace wall in a rusty red is a quick and easy way to add drama to the room. Switching out sheers for woven Roman shades and burlap curtains is another way this living room transitions into fall.

Finding artwork large enough to make an impact on this empty wall would cost a fortune. Instead, two curtain panels and large red stripes painted to fit the width of a sheer curtain panel create bold artwork on a budget. A pile of assorted solid-color pillows in various textures makes the sectional more inviting.

Budget Tip: Include a woven basket filled with wool blankets in the room's decor for a no-cost way to add fall flair.

A wooden lamp base adds a natural element to the room. Transform a lamp in seconds by adding self-adhesive ribbon from a crafts store to the shade. Place a patterned place mat under the lamp to add a quick dose of color to a side table.

Adding carpet tiles in deep hues is a quick and easy way to update the room for fall. Striped squares and rust color squares mix with the existing cream squares to add pizzazz to the floor. The leather ottoman and wooden tray add natural texture to the living room.

Give a discarded chair a new lease on life with fresh upholstery. The brown fabric with rust-color shapes fits perfectly into the room's color scheme.

Paint delivers the biggest impact in the room. For this update, the fireplace was painted a rusty red and the mantel and trim were covered in cocoa brown. Pure white accents break up the bold colors.

An easy-to-apply (and remove) decal in eye-popping white creates drama on the focal-point fireplace wall. The abstract shape mirrors the pattern in the curtain panels hanging on the adjacent wall to give the living room a cohesive theme.

Once a breakfast nook, this space was transformed into a work space perfect for homework or bill playing. When space is limited, as in this tiny nook, use a long, narrow sofa table in place of a bulky desk. Burlap adds texture to the room through window treatments and bench upholstery. A bulletin board above the table is a quick way to store papers in this makeshift home office. Orange carpet squares add spots of color to the decor and tie it to the living room.

Burlap curtain panels overlap woven Roman shades in the nook and family room. To make the no-sew panels, fold under the edges and finish them with fusible web. Use curtain clips to hang the panels.

Although typically used in the kitchen over an island, petite pendant lamps look just as great over a desk. The speckled shade adds modern flair to the room. Group them to provide ample task lighting.

Bulletin boards are practical but not very pretty. Add style to the space by adding a small gray decal over the cork and displaying the board in a chunky black frame. Group the bulletin board with smaller shadows box frames to create a wall display. The black frames pop against the golden walls.

See how cozy accents and a rich wall color add warmth and texture to this living room for winter.

For the summer makeover, this living room received a bright splash of color. A yellow and sea-foam green color scheme brightens walls and accessories using clever and affordable tricks.