Hand-Me-Down Living Room Makeover

With a simple slipcover, a few bargain-priced fabrics, and several shades of white paint, we transformed a stash of mismatched furniture and created a bright living space brimming with casual cottage style.

With slipcovers that look this good toting reasonable price tags, there's no need to settle for the worn plaid sofa you inherited. Cover the eyesore with a basic neutral hue, then splash on some perky pillows and a plush pompon throw for a flirty fix.

It was this frame's generous size that moved us to rescue it from a recent garage sale. With a floral wallpaper remnant to conceal the dated scene beneath and antique white paint on the frame, a new masterpiece is born. Pair the piece with an empty carved frame (another garage sale find!) for easy and inexpensive layered style.

From creamy to bright, find delight in a range of whites. By painting this lamp base, table, and wainscoting, we gain more depth and visual interest for just a few bucks. And don't forget that little bit of whimsy -- our pelican does the trick here.

White paint comes to the rescue once again, this time coating a lime-green bench. When topped with a new blue feather-filled cushion, the perch is too pretty to pass by.

Let your personality take flight with small decorative details such as this reproduction ceramic bird.

Easy-sew linen cushions hide damaged weaves in the wicker chair; the spa-blue hue refreshes a traditional Baroque pattern.

Seashells become attractive accents that fill a vintage dish and sit on ledges, providing touches of tactile texture.

Aunt Fran's new dining table upgrade left us with a coffee table -- we simply cut her old please-take-this-off-my-hands walnut veneer table down to size and painted it fresh white. With a vintage fabric remnant on top and a clearance shag rug underneath, the grouping only looks like we shelled out a pretty penny for it.

For a no-fuss bouquet, arrange basic, accessible blooms, such as roses and tulips, in a low-slung vessel or tureen.

Though the style of boxy plywood entertainment cabinets from college days leaves much to be desired, their storage factor and sturdiness are qualities worth redeeming. Paint, a few wood moldings, and a linen curtain to hide the TV create a presentable piece, especially when accessorized with scavenged mirrors, pretty bins, and boxes.

Though meant for a dining room, this armchair met our seating needs in the living room. Since its shape and size differed drastically from its wide wicker counterpart, we simply used common paint and fabric to meld the mismatched pair.

Bargain baubles with contrasting shape and color boost bland surfaces. Mix natural materials with metal, wood, and ceramics for a delightful display.