20 Budget-Friendly Apartment Living Room Decor Ideas

Try Removable Wallpaper

Travis Londons/Studio London added a mix of bold colors and lively prints and patterns to this small NYC living room that makes the railroad-style layout feel more dynamic. Hanging peel-and-stick wallpaper costs less to install, and because it's removable, you can roll it up and take it with you when you move.

Hang Some Baskets

Hanging lightweight, inexpensive woven wall baskets is an easy and accessible way to add interest and warmth to your living room walls without spending a lot of money.

This sunny living room from interior designer Ashley Peterson of The Lifestyled Home has a trio of mismatched baskets that complement wood and woven accents in the neutral space.

Add Warm Metallic Accents

Desiree Burns Interiors created a link between the semi-open kitchen and living room in this bright and cheerful apartment with an all-white palette. Rose gold metallic accents on everything from the floor lamp to the bar stools and kitchen cabinet hardware makes the space look more expensive.

Decorate with Botanicals

This London apartment living room from Emilie Fournet Interiors is graced with a period fireplace that gives the room a cozy focal point. A collection of plants and simple botanical prints complements the simple white walls and boho-style Moroccan rug and pouf.

Install a Loft Bed

Sometimes the best strategy for designing a budget-friendly apartment living room is to buy less stuff.

This studio apartment living room from Fantastic Frank is Scandinavian minimalism at its best, with a clean and crisp palette of white and black, pale hardwood flooring, a few choice pieces of simple wood furniture, and plenty of natural light.

The loft bed blends into the background, allowing the small living area to feel airy and light.

Make DIY Candle Holders

In a minimalist living room, even small details can make a big impact. Simple, affordable taper candles add ambiance to any space.

Your DIY Family created stylish minimalist DIY candle holders from mini terracotta pots, black acrylic paint, and gorilla glue that add a finishing touch and soft ambient light to this living room coffee table.

Optimize Wall Space

In this Brooklyn studio apartment that blogger Annie Diamond of Most Lovely Things helped design for her daughter Madeline, a gallery wall helps make the TV disappear. Hanging simple wall shelves above the dining table in the open-plan space allows storage for everything from books to lighting to tableware.

Curtain Off the Bed

Using lightweight curtains to divide space is a simple and budget-friendly fix for an awkward layout. Create a studio apartment bedroom by hanging a pair of curtains that can be closed when you have guests over or don't want to look at the bed.

Add a Bar Cart

Adding a stylish bar cart to your apartment living room can make it feel like a destination without taking up space, and serve as a dedicated space for seasonal decor.

In this airy Oakland, CA apartment living room from Forbes + Masters, a warm metallic bar cart is ready for entertaining. A midcentury-style console on the TV wall provides stylish hidden storage.

Swap a Couch for a Daybed

Fantastic Frank traded a pricey sofa for a simple daybed in the corner of this Scandinavian apartment living room that can work as a couch or a bed. Moroccan textiles add warmth and an octagonal Moroccan tea table is paired with a Danish modern armchair for an eclectic look.

Add a Home Office

If you find yourself working from home in a small apartment, carving out a dedicated space can help you maintain work-life boundaries and keep clutter to a minimum. Travis Londons/Studio London installed a sleek corner living room desk that matches the white, black, and gold tones of this NYC apartment.

Choose Jewel Tones

Neva Interior Design chose a compact love seat in a bright jewel tone that gives this tiny Parisian living room a sense of grandeur and adds contrast with the hardwood flooring and original brick feature wall.

Layer Rugs

In this open-plan apartment living room designed by Ajai Guyot for Emily Henderson Design, an inexpensive jute rug anchors the seating area, while a patterned rug layered on top adds coziness underfoot.

Sticking to neutral tones such as white, beige, and brown will help make your living room look more pulled together.

Style the Coffee Table

While there's nothing wrong with keeping your coffee table free and clear if it's your go-to spot for meals, board games, or other projects, in an apartment this choice sliver of real estate can make an outsized impact when styled with decor objects, candles, plants, or art books, like this stylish apartment living room from Becca Interiors.

Double Space With Mirrors

Adding mirrors will extend visual space by doubling views. Desiree Burns Interiors leaned a large arched frameless floor mirror against the wall between windows of this light and airy space that reflects light and makes the apartment living room feel more spacious.

Add Vintage Accents

Thrift stores, yard sales, junk stores, or online finds can add personality and interest to an apartment living room without breaking the budget.

This apartment living room from Inspired By Charm features a weathered green-painted vintage cabinet that serves as a drinks station stocked with bottles and glassware.

Check Your Proportions

The biggest expense for any living room is usually the couch. In an apartment living room, skip the giant sofa and opt for small-scale furnishings with a light footprint like this curvy tufted sofa in a Scandinavian apartment from Fantastic Frank whose proportions look tailor-fit to the room.

Add a stylish armchair for extra seating and a small round coffee table with a tray on top to make entertaining a breeze. Or choose a coffee table with hidden storage to hide things like a remote or extra throw blanket.

Swap Art for a Wall Hanging

In this cozy boho-style apartment living room designed by Ryann Miller for Emily Henderson Design, a budget-friendly textile wall hanging over the couch adds color and pattern without the expense of a large piece of wall art.

Create book storage and display space with a wall-mounted shelving unit with a slimmer footprint than a bookcase. Or hang individual wall shelves on a smaller wall.

Accent with Paint

A DIY painted accent wall is a simple way to upgrade your apartment living room and to help define zones in an open-plan space. Brexton Cole Interiors added navy paint to the fireplace wall in this apartment's living room that helps camouflage the TV and anchors the seating area.

Focus on a Signature Piece

Creating a stylish apartment living room on a budget involves knowing where to save and when to spend. This small but upscale NYC living room from Tina Ramchandani Creative is filled with designer pieces, but it's the industrial double wall sconce that makes it feel special.

Get the look by pairing budget-friendly furniture with industrial lighting that can work in future homes. And remember that there are plenty of affordable furniture options if you don't have the means to spring for a design classic.