23 Basic Things To Upgrade Your Living Room

It's all in the details.

1. A super-useful caddy so your remotes have somewhere to live that doesn't block the TV 😩. I mean, your coffee table was destined for more than holding a few remotes.

amazon.com

Promising review: "I bought this for the sole purpose of keeping all our remotes in one place. (Let's face it; has a universal remote EVER worked?) So, we now have the remotes each in their own pocket and can grab the one we want right away. Nothing gets lost, the table doesn't get scratched from tossing the remote on the table, and due to the color you barely notice it's over the arm of the couch. This is well made of sturdy fabric, and long enough to tuck under the couch cushion." —Kathy

Get it from Amazon for $14.44+ (available in four sizes and 26 colors).

2. A set of jungle-themed plant hangers just to add something fun and interesting to your living room plants.

amazon.com

Promising review: "These are seriously the cutest things on the planet. I adore them and am obsessed with them on my plants!" —courtney schubert

Get a pack of six from Amazon for $13.99.

3. A mid-century modern plant stand so you can give your plant more sun exposure *and* make your living room appear more spacious.

declutterd

I hate that plant stands are so pricey. So, when I found some for $30, I purchased three. Now I own five because they look great and have never given me any problems. I like that they expand to grow with my plants. Declutterd ships very fast and the customer service is great, too. I recommend these stands to anyone who wants to dress up their plants a bit.

Promising review: "Love that these are adjustable and take the guesswork out of trying to find the right size stand. I bought them in a pair and will be getting another pair soon. Super simple straight out of the box, and I love the light wood coloring too. Big fan of minimalism and the idea of decluttering, and was able to buy these used, which makes me extra happy." —Stephanie D. Shaw

Declutterd is a small, Asian-owned business founded in 2018. They sell quality plant accessories such as pot and stands at affordable prices.

Get it from Declutterd for $29 (available in two sizes and four colors).

4. A youthful pom-pom blanket that Alexandra Gater probably already owns (and she has great taste 😉). Everyone with Cancer or Taurus placements knows you can never have too many blankets.

Amazon

Promising review: "My husband, dog, and I all really love this blanket. The color is as pictured and as soft as described. The pom-poms are sewn on really well and I don't think they will fall off. I have already washed this a couple of times and it has come out good as new. The material does not mat in the wash and drier and quality is outstanding." —ShortcakeBun

Get it from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in 16 colors and four sizes).

5. A mold- and mildew-stain remover spray so you can erase the questionable yet unexplainable stains that have been on your rug since the first month you got it.

amazon.com

Promising review: "There is absolutely no comparison to this product, which is superior in every way. I could hardly believe my eyes! I thought, spray a little bit and just see how it does. So I sprayed 25% of the worst of the mold-stained areas on the marble floor. The results were like magic! Before my eyes in less than 30 seconds nearly all of the stain had disappeared. The remainder took another one to two minutes." —Dennis Polley

Get it from Amazon for $16.99+ (available in five quantities).

6. A wood finisher to avoid spending $$$ to restore your wood floors and furniture back to their original glory. This baby works magic for under $20. People will legit think you got new stuff.

amazon.com

Promising review: "Love this stuff after one use! We bought our house two years ago and over the course of two years, our hardwood floors have taken a beating. We have had two dogs through potty training, our nephew, and just regular wear and tear. We were exploring having the floors refinished but that's when I found this stuff! ITS AMAZING!!! Even the scratches from the dogs came right out. The shine is back and they feel so much more smooth. I even got the Restor-A-Finish for some larger areas where the former residents must have moved furniture a lot. No need to refinish the floors; this will now be something I do every few months. I did about 1,000 square feet with only one-third of the bottle. Works best if you wash floors first, use the Restor-A-Finish on bad areas, and then use this on everything." —MrsW

Get it from Amazon for $8.98.

7. A velvet pillow sham because styling your couch could make a world of difference. These pillows will add color and texture to your living room for maximum coziness.

amazon.com

Promising review: "If you have ordered pillow covers through Amazon before, you know that most often what you see is not what you get. I’m happy to say these are the exception. The velvet fabric is sooooo soft! And equally important, they are very well made. Each was perfectly sewn with a nice-size zipper opening. One of my pet peeves is a cover that is too small for the pillow width. It’s downright maddening to try to stuff a 16" pillow through an 8" opening! I ordered them in the 'velvet champagne' color, which is like a pale greige. They’re absolutely lovely and the perfect addition to my fall bedding." —Florida Gal

Get it from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in eight sizes and 37 colors).

8. A floating picture frame for pictures of your favorite memories to add a warm, personal touch to your space. Avoid spending $$$ on custom frames by displaying your vintage magazines, postcards, and other things with wacky dimensions here.

Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes, Target

I have collectible magazines and getting custom frames was completely out of budget. I ordered these floating frames and I was impressed by how nice they looked. These are simply stunning. After reading the instructions, I had no problem putting the magazine in the frame. Everything snaps into place. So far, nothing has fallen or even slipped and I didn't need glue. These would be great for a gallery wall, but I keep these on my shelves.

Promising review: "I love these frames. I printed my engagement pictures and hung them up. They are so simple yet beautiful and allow the pictures to really be noticed. Thinking of buying another for my office!" —Addiemae

Get it from Target for $16.

9. A steel, geometric TV stand to elegantly display books, your TV, sound system, photo albums, and more. With its timeless design, it'll look wonderful in the living room or entryway.

AllModern

Promising review: "I like it. It looks as pictured on the site and arrived when expected. My son and my sister put it together but it didn’t look like a struggle for them. I’m happy with this purchase." —Anonymous

Get it from AllModern for $220+ (available in five colors).

10. A Wi-Fi extender to upgrade your movie-watching experience. With this, your favorite show shouldn't freeze mid-finale.

Amazon

It's compatible with any router, so all you need to do is set it up and plug it in. Connect up to 10 devices within 800 square feet and watch the magic happen!

Promising review: "Oh man, I am over the moon about this product. My bedroom is the basement of the house, so the Wi-Fi just barely reached, and has a very weak signal. This extender is a lifesaver. It took maybe two minutes to set up, the hardest part was getting it out of the box! It amplifies the signal perfectly, and I find that it actually makes my Wi-Fi faster, as fewer people are using it! HouseWifi is my normal Wi-Fi signal in my room and the HouseWifi_EXT is the extenders Wi-Fi signal in my room. Look at the difference! I will be convincing my family to buy these for the farther parts of the house. In love!" —Erin Costello

Get it from Amazon for $14.99.

11. A set of dope Black playing cards ♣️♥️♦️♠️ for inspiring meaningful coffee-table conversations and fun game nights in the living room.

Buzzfeed / Elise Fuller

Each set includes 18 cards in a tin card holder. Every card showcases amazing Black people your history teacher may have "forgotten" to tell you about.

This Brooklyn-based, small business is owned by Fatimah Barrie. She is a history teacher and organizer who is passionate about social justice.

Get it from Fatimah Barrie on BigCartel for $35.

12. An Amazon Echo Dot so helpful, it can control your smart devices like TV, lights, AC, and more.

Amazon

Promising review: "I have a few Dots around the house. One decided to have an attitude and she had to be replaced. Problem with voice recognition. I still pay the bills around here so she is not here any more!! Haha!! I replaced her with the new Echo Dot 4th Gen in blue. How pretty! It matches my home furnishings. Love the ball design. Very different but really kool. Sound is beautiful. I love playing music and the tone is great. I'll update if I run into a problem but so far I'm really pleased with this new design, color, and sound. Highly recommend." —Shesinstpete33710

Get it from Amazon for $34.99 (available in three colors).

13. A tunnel cat scratcher because your cat furniture doesn't have to *look* like cat furniture. This looks like reclaimed art 👩🏾‍🎨.

Target

Promising review: "I have five cats, yes, five! They ALL love this tunnel scratcher and it is rare that all of my cats will love something. Some of them will only scratch the inner sisal scratcher and the others will scratch both the cardboard and sisal. They also love climbing on top of the scratcher and playing in the tunnel with toys. They range in size from 10 lbs to 18 lbs and all of them except the 18-lb cat go through the tunnel. However, all of them are able to scratch the sisal in the tunnel. This thing has taken a beating from them and it still looks great. I don't have to pick up cardboard everywhere and the sisal is still intact. I'm so glad I purchased this and for such a reasonable price!" —Mlmartin

Get it from Target for $24.49.

14. A TV mount that's easier to install than you think, trust me. Not only does mounting save floor space, it draws the eye up for a better viewing experience.

Christine Forbes / BuzzFeed

I've had the mount for about a year and I'm very pleased! This mount has never given me any problems. It was easy for my TaskRabbit to assemble, disassemble, and remount after I moved. For reference, my TV is 55" and I have the 37"–70" mount.

Promising review: "This wall mount is extremely strong and able to support my new Samsung 55" flat screen. I was able to screw the mount into two wall studs, top and bottom, ensuring this is mounted to the wall safely and w/o any concern of it coming loose. You'll want to use a 'real' level and not the 1" bubble level that comes with the wall mount. Installing it was very easy. All of the screws, washers, connectors came in the package, so no need to have to run out to the hardware store due to missing parts. Instructions were written very well and easy to follow." —Gary Sherman

Get it from Amazon for $25.19.

15. A gallon of white paint because there's nothing like starting with a clean canvas. White walls make the smallest rooms feel larger and they never go out of style.

Home Depot

Promising review: "We redecorated a basement paneling nightmare of a guest room this past weekend and used 1-gal Ultra Pure White Eggshell Premium. I am super sensitive to odors, and this had no odor unless you were standing with your nose up to the wall. This dried so fast, it was impressive. This was able to cover paneling with a helpful application of Killz Premium primer. We won't use anything else!" —Samara

Get a gallon from Home Depot for $28.98.

16. A cleaner and deodorizer to restore your carpet to its glory days, you know, before it acquired that unsettling aroma. Why pay 💰💰💰 to get the thing shampooed ONCE when you can get this long-lasting product for under $20?

amazon.com

JSYK, this cleaner can only be used with carpet-cleaning machines like this one.

Promising reviews: "I was very skeptical. I just have to say the ratings are accurate! I had a room that had housed some pets while we were away at work and over many years accidents happened. When you’re not there to clean it up right away the carpet gets stained. I had used carpet cleaners with all kinds of recommended cleaners. But it just didn’t have an impact. After using up the last of another cleaner I had I finally opened this one." —KristenK

Get it from Amazon for $19.97.

17. A gorgeous tufted ottoman with storage because it's the adult way to store linens, board games and toys and add seating to the room. Super versatile, this'll look great in entryways, living rooms, or bedrooms.

Amazon

Promising review: "This storage unit is very stylish as well as being a great place to put blankets, sheets, and extra towels in our guest room. It arrived in perfect condition, was simple to assemble, and the teal-green color looks great in the great and white room. We certainly recommend this storage unit." —purchasingdiva

Get it from Amazon for $199.99.

18. A renter-friendly privacy window film so you can stop giving your neighbors a free peep show. It's easy to install and UV-resistant ☀️.

amazon.com, amazon.com

Read more about why we love this rainbow window film.

Promising review: "We are right in front of the washer and dryers at our apartment complex and everyone always looks inside when we are trying to get some natural light. This is amazing. It was super easy to install with my husband’s help. No glue or anything. Even at night you can’t see my husband sitting in front of the window. The first picture is from the inside during the day and the last ones are from the outside while we had our living room light on." —Mrs. Harris

Get it from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in nine sizes).

19. A dog bed because everyone knows they can be a bit of an eyesore. This one comes in on-trend patterns to complement your home decor.

Laylo Pets

You'll love the machine-washable (read: accident-resistant) knitted cover.

Promising review: "This dog bed came quickly and is incredibly durable. We got this for our older large dog and have two puppies (nonstop chewers) in the house. This bed has held up so well to the pups teething on everything and the ability to clean the cover is priceless, in addition to the sleek, classy design. It has a nonslip bottom unlike any other bed I've seen, again incredibly durable. Looking forward to purchasing more for the smaller dogs soon." —malletangel2003

Laylo is a small, woman-founded company that believes form is just as important as function. They update designs every few months, in keeping with global trends. Laylo is based in Brooklyn, New York.

Get it from Laylo Pets on Etsy for $75+ (available in eight styles and three fabrics).

20. A glittering amethyst geode to usher positive energy and inspiration into the living room. It's great for anyone in need of healing, inspiration, and peaceful energy. Even if you don't believe in crystal healing, this stone is still undeniably beautiful.

Deep Purple Project

The Deep Purple Project is a small, woman-owned business that sources natural amethyst directly from Uruguay. The region is said to have the best crystals in the world.

Get it from Deep Purple Project on Etsy for $44+ (available in three sizes).

21. An unbelievably picturesque LG OLED Smart TV with four times more pixels than a high-definition TV — and it looks gorgeous from all angles. It made me feel like I was experiencing television for the first time all over again.

Buzzfeed / Christine Forbes

I didn't watch much TV until quarantine. Needless to say, I'm not too picky about screens. However, I was considering buying a new TV for my living room and I wanted it to last. I knew I wanted a 4K OLED TV because the picture is amazing from all angles. I won't bore you with the nitty-gritty details, but this TV is so advanced. It won't be outdated anytime soon. If you want to invest in a high-quality 4K TV, I highly recommend this one. It was simple to set up and even has audio guidance for visually impaired people. The base is sleek yet sturdy despite requiring no more than seven screws. I love that the remote can be pointed directly at the screen like a Wii remote. The TV itself is ridiculously thin, i.e., fragile. So I needed help from a friend to hoist this onto our media center. But once we got it up there, it was mesmerizing. I watched Fantasia 2000, MTV Cribs, Teen Titans, and the color is breathtaking. The blacks are incredibly deep and the lines are crisp. I saw details I'd never noticed before on my Sceptre or Vizio TVs. Additionally, I found it very simple to connect my Bose Soundbar 300 and Amazon Fire Stick to it. Honestly haven't used the full functionality of this TV yet, but I like that there is so much to be discovered and I can grow with it. My only advice is that you should probably mount it for a better viewing experience.

Promising review: "This TV is amazing. The difference in picture quality between regular LED and organic LED TVs is unreal. I never thought it would honestly be that different but it is. Also, the processor in this TV and a 120-Hz refresh rate is incredibly fast. When playing Call of Duty on my PS5 on this TV, the refresh rate has improved my skills tenfold. I had no idea it made that big of a difference. I will never buy another TV under 120 Hz from now on. It’s also the thinnest TV I’ve ever seen in person." —Derek Garvin

Get it from Amazon for $1,296.99+ (available in four sizes).

22. An industrial-style bookshelf for everyone who hates heavy, clunky shelves. Now you can display books, plants, candles, and pictures without sacrificing floor space.

amazon.com, Amazon

Promising review: "I love love love this shelf unit! I have been wanting to finish my kitchen and was told that I cannot put cabinetry above the butcher block countertop area because behind that wall on the right side is the fuse box. I was bummed out for a while and was looking for the types of shelves that would hang from the ceiling and found them to be incredibly expensive and they didn't hang down low enough from my 10-ft ceilings to be practical. My husband and I put it together the moment it arrived and it was as easy as can be. From the moment I stood it up on the counter and felt how sturdy it was, I was certain that the two screws holding it onto the wall would finally add some interest on that side of my kitchen. My suggestion is to put a tablecloth on a big table and balance it out by doing the top shelf and then the bottom one. Oh, and use an electric screwdriver with a hex bit — for the love of God. Easy Peezy! The instructions are incredibly easy and almost fun read to put together. You really do get a lot of bang for your buck with this one." —Mark Hutner

Get it from Amazon for $129.99+ (available in four sizes and 16 colors/finishes).

23. A reusable Ambrosia candle befitting of a Greek god. If you're into sophisticated, woodsy candles with slight citrus notes this is a match made in Olympus. Plus, you'll be supporting a great cause.

Boy Smells

When I light this candle, "Summer Breeze" by the Isley Brothers immediately comes to mind. Boy Smells candles may be expensive, but you don't need a big one to fill your space. I lit this in my living room and it burned low and slow all day. The mandarin notes coincide perfectly with the warm weather without being too cheesy.

Boy Smells is a small business based in California, founded by Matthew Herman and David Kien. They are a queer-owned brand that creates genderless products for everyone — including underwear and (obviously) candles. They are donating 10% of the sales price of each Pride candle to The Trevor Project, which supports at-risk LGBTQ youth.

Get it from Boy Smells or Nordstrom for $39.

Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.