When we renovated the family room, it was on a tight deadline. I liked it- we liked it- but after living with it for a year, a few things cropped up that I wanted to change. It's hard to describe, but I wanted it to feel a bit different, cozy yet bright maybe? I talked about brightening it up with a rug in this post, but let's take a look at the other easy ways I completely changed the look of this room. If your room needs a refresh, start here!

First, swap the rug. Depending on the size of your room, this is an easy and affordable way to change the look. If the rug I'm replacing is in good condition, I sometimes sell it to offset the cost of the new rug. And something I do often (and is free) is move rugs around. Our dining room rug has been in several other rooms at some point. I love how cozy this rug makes the room feel. It's incredibly soft and perfect for my rambunctious kids to roll around on. 

throw blanket  |  striped pillow  |  olive fringe pillow  |  black "Dahlia" pillow

Secondly, swap or add throw pillows. I love Xasmin Interiors and Jasmine (the owner and a friend) was so kind to help me choose beautiful pillows that would compliment the new rug. Highly recommend her shop! 

Lastly, change the art. The old art was beautiful but always felt a bit serious for the room. I swapped it with this beach art- Shallow by Lauren Neilson- which is perfect for our beach-loving family. The room already had some coastal elements in it so this art fit in perfectly.

Another thing to consider is changing your shelf decor- Sometimes, I'll change shelves by shopping my home and rearranging things without spending a dime. Small furnishings are also a great way to give a space a fresh look. In our case, our coffee table had broken (An assembly error on my part- I loved the old table and recommend it) so I grabbed this generously sized coffee table. It's real wood, under $350, and quick ship. Can I get an amen? 

By changing these few things the room looks brand new. This is also a great way to work around a large furniture item you're not yet ready to replace like a sofa, dining table, or bed. In fact, I talked about refreshing a dining room inexpensively here.

What do you think? Do you prefer the new more neutral family room or the old one with the moody art and colorful rug?

If I missed anything, comment below! You might also like these posts:

A Fun Family Room Loft That We'll Want to Hang Out In

How We Added Storage and Style to Our Neglected Family Room