A budget living room update to do in a weekend

Brush up on paint trends

What better way to signify a fresh start than with a white colour scheme? If you think that’s too meh and minimalist, Pantone crowned Cloud Dancer (a soft, warm white) as the hottest hue for 2026. It’s a neutral, timeless tone adaptable to many palettes so it lets you accessorise easily. That means you can keep your room current over the years just by switching up the decor instead of shelling out on regular colour-driven wall updates.

But which white is right? These three Dulux Most Loved Colours (there are seven in the range) are a good starting point:

• Dulux Whisper White is a close match to Cloud Dancer, offering a gentle, versatile warmth perfect for walls.
• Vivid White is crisp, bright and beautiful on trim.
• Hog Bristle Quarter strength has a beige hint and works well as an accent tone, adding texture to wall features.

These paints come in time-saving pre-tinted cans so you’ll have no trouble meeting your weekend deadline!

Top tip: Layering your whites is key to keeping things interesting. But before buying big cans of paint, check how the colours interplay with the light and decor in your room. Apply your chosen whites from sample pots onto canvas boards, allow to dry (paint always dries darker), then hold boards up against your walls, floors and furniture under different lighting conditions to assess the look. Hard decision made easy!

Don’t forget the ceiling

It’s easy to overlook the ceiling, but it’s one step you don’t want to skip. A fresh coat of paint can instantly lift the whole room and make everything else feel more finished.

While you can use the same paint as your walls, ceiling paints are designed with coverage in mind. They’re usually a little thicker, which helps reduce drips and makes painting overhead easier. Dulux Ceiling White is a popular choice and works well with most wall colours.

Make mucky walls history

Once you’ve given your walls a good wash, paint them with a durable, washable finish tailored for high-traffic areas. Dulux Wash&Wear Ready To Go Colour with Whisper White creates a soothing space where feeling and function intertwine.

To infuse energy into the room and highlight architectural details, paint the skirting and cornices in uplifting Vivid White. As well as helping the space feel tidy and clean, the brighter white trim provides a subtle visual break.

Try a furniture flip

When you enter your living room, do you feel like you’ve walked back in time? It could be your ’80s wall-to-wall timber TV unit that’s just not cutting it anymore. But if it’s solid and well made, don’t discard it – make it shine anew with Dulux Whisper White, offset with shimmery metallic hardware. Here’s how to get a fab before-and-after result in six steps:

1. Put on your safety glasses, mask and gloves.
2. Remove the doors from the unit, remove the hardware, then sand back all the timber.
3. Apply a wax and grease remover to strip out excess residue.
4. Coat the surface in Dulux 1Step Prep Primer, Sealer & Undercoat to give your top coat longevity.
5. Using a small roller brush, paint the doors and unit with a durable, non-yellowing, water-based enamel, like Dulux Aquanamel in Whisper White – the same colour as the walls.
6. Add the new brass pulls to the doors, then reinstall doors to the unit.

For more information on upcycling furniture, watch this D.I.Y. video.

Painting the unit white so it seamlessly blends into the wall provides lots of opportunities to add colour and personal touches through decor. Layer in pops of personality with displayed framed photos, precious collectibles, greenery and your TV’s ambient/art setting.

Top tip: Attach the TV to a full-motion, articulating wall bracket that extends out and swivels to reduce screen glare and offer flexible viewing angles.

Create visual intrigue

If you can’t decide what to do with that blank, windowless wall, add a touch of whimsy and a subtle focal point with this clever scalloped shelf:

• Put on your safety glasses, mask and gloves.
• Cut a circle out of an MDF panel with scalloped side face down.
• Paint all sides of circular frame in Whisper White.
• Paint a floating shelf, cut from dressed pine, in Whisper White, then wipe it down with a cloth for a whitewash effect.
• Attach the shelf to the scalloped side of the frame, slightly off centre.
• Mount onto the wall.

Top the shelf with mixed silhouettes, pairing a taller candle with a shorter one. Variation in shape creates a dynamic vibe, keeping the room from feeling static.

You can also add warmth, depth and haptic interest to negative space with tactile artwork using a beige-based white paint. Show off your stroke of genius and create the piece yourself using Dulux Hog Bristle Quarter strength paint.

Layer in loads of texture

The balanced qualities of Whisper White, Vivid White and Hog Bristle Quarter act as a scaffolding colour scheme you can build on with accessories. Dial up the warmth with cushions and throws on the sofa, and woven planters. Table and floor lamps fitted with warm-toned globes can also counteract the clinical feel of a white scheme by casting a cosy glow in the room.

And to maximise the warm glow and colours of the outdoors, hang floaty, fluid sheer curtains with a textured pattern over glass doors. They’ll also inject softness and movement. Choose machine-washable fabrics that can handle frequent use.

Weave in organic elements

Incorporating real houseplants in timber-framed stands is a quick way to liven up a living room and connect to the outdoors. Anchor everything together with an area rug in a size that suits the space. Woven sisal is a durable option for a busy room housing kids, pets and guests. Its earthy tones and natural fibres also enhance the biophilic effect.

Finish by adding an organic bespoke statement piece – use your D.I.Y. flair to create your own artisanal-style stone mosaic coffee table.

Need help updating your living room fast?

Browse our range of washable paints, and more, in store or online for a quick switch-up of your space.