Budget living room ideas for first-time buyers

Home Inspiration November 07, 2022

Just bought your first house?Huge kudos.

Just bought your first house?

Huge kudos.

In the current economic chaos, that's no easy feat.

Getting your own pad is an exciting milestone in life – and an incredibly expensive one. The sting of an eye-watering deposit? Combined with stupidly high solicitor fees? No matter how many takeaways and holidays you've sacrificed, there won't be many pennies left over to kit the place out.

No fear though. The trick is to start with the most important room.

The lounge.

It's the hub of the home. The space you get to show off to visitors. The room that you'll spend every weekend playing hostess – prosecco and good vibes on tap. It's important you get it right – and mercifully, creating a stylish space doesn't mean sliding into your overdraft.

Just choose affordable furniture that delivers, and use our budget living room ideas.

Style your lounge without being spenny

1. Sofas on finance

Our no.1 piece of advice?

Regardless of how tight your budget may be, don't compromise on the sofa – or resort to deckchairs! Yes, they're costly, but they're also the centrepiece of your lounge. The pièce de résistance.

And who said you have to pay the full price upfront anyway?

Here at Sofa Club, it's a ‘bank holiday' every day. We don't want you to miss out on your dream corner sofa or U-shape because your cash flow is a bit limited right now. Which is why, not only are our prices insanely low – considering the quality of our couches – but we also offer sofas on finance.

This is the perfect option for a first-timer.

Simply pick your fave style from the line-up, pay a 10% deposit and spread the cost (with 0% interest) over the next 12 months. Or longer if you need to! For those worried about funding their Deliveroo habit, pay monthly sofas are also available over 24-48 months (with 9.9% APR).

Just spend a minimum of £600 and ensure both your bum and bills are comfortable.

2. Pre-loved furniture

Pre-loved is the future of fashion – including fashion for the home.

So why not take a little look and see what steals you can find online?

From eBay and Gumtree to Facebook Marketplace, there are many resellers listing bargain furniture. And not only will it save you a wad of cash, it's an easy way to reduce your carbon footprint.

Coffee tables. TV units. Shelves. Drawers. All available for great prices. Leave them in their OG style or embrace your inner Sarah Moore (aka. the upcycling lady from Money for Nothing) and have a go at zhuzhing them up. Just because it's a new house, doesn't mean everything has to be new.

3. Use paint

Forget about wallpaper. ‘Paint and panelling' is your winning low-cost duo. And it's DIY friendly! No bubbles, no accidental rips, no mismatched patterns. Just stress-free house decorating for a first-time decorator.

The panels themselves are super easy to make using cheap strips of timber. Simply stick them on with a bit of glue and you're ready to start slapping on the paint.

This year's trending colours can be found in our previous blog. But our advice? For a lounge that could be plucked straight from an interior design mag, either keep things neutral – white, beige, light grey – or go for something deep and bold, such as royal blue or forest green.

Budget living room idea

4. Introduce texture

This is a super cheap living room idea that will ramp up the cosiness and give it a luxe feel.

We're talking rugs.

Rather than investing in a plush carpet at a premium, why not sand down the wooden floorboards, give them a fresh lick of paint and add a couple of shag piles? Place one or two in front of your new sofa and, to anchor the room together, pile on cushions and throws in the same colour.

They may be low-ticket items – costing less than a round of drinks on your next night out – but if you choose wisely, they can make a massive difference to the aesthetic of your lounge.

5. Add a hint of decoration

IOHO the best living rooms are under-dressed.

Simple, minimalistic, understated – designed to let the sofa make its statement. So when it comes to accessories and decoration, less is more. Perfect for those on a limited budget!

Just three items are essential. A split leaf plant (real or fake, we're not here to judge). A floor lamp, tactfully positioned to illuminate the star of the show (i.e. your Sofa Club couch). And a couple of scented candles or diffusers. All of which can be picked up at affordable homeware stores.

Or – if you really need to save the pennies – natural grasses or dried stems can also work as a fantastic cheap living room idea. Especially if you take them from your own back garden!

Sofa available on finance at Sofa Club

Shop our pay monthly sofas today

For anyone cash-strapped sofa shopping, this is the only club you need.

Our sofas on finance are the savviest option for those on a strict budget.

Whether you've just bought your first home, are feeling the burn of the cost of living, or just like to have cash in your back pocket (for holidays, new clothes, gin…the important things in life!) – browse our full online collection and don't be put off by a silly thing like the price tag.

No matter how meagre your bank balance may be, thanks to our interest-free and long-term finance plans, you can choose a piece of fashion for your home – without having to compromise.

For further budget living room ideas and lounge inspo, be sure to #JOINTHECLUB and follow us on Insta. Or if you have any questions about our pay monthly sofas, you're welcome to contact us at any time. Either message us on WhatsApp or send an email to customersupport@sofaclub.co.uk and we'll get back to you.

We are Sofa Club. Our sofas are aspirational yet attainable – and we're always happy to help.

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