The living room is often the place where you go to relax in the evening, and also the main room where you will entertain visitors. It is important then that your living room is both comfortable and stylish, so both you and your guest can enjoy this space.

Begin by taking a look at the lighting in the room. Update tired lampshades and give all the fixtures and fittings a really good clean. You might want to install some modern directional lighting if the room has dingy corners, and also make sure curtains are the right size for the window, and that they are tied back out of the way in the day to let in as much light as possible.

Next look at window frames and skirting boards, and give them a good clean or a fresh coat of paint to brighten them up. Paint is one of the quickest and easiest ways to liven up a room, so you might also want to think about repainting the whole room, perhaps even choosing some new, vibrant colours. Bright reds, yellows and oranges can make rooms feel warm and also exciting, whereas cool whites, blues and greens can create a sense of calm and freshness.

Fireplaces can become very dated over the years, and as they are one of the main features in a living room you might want to think about replacing or updating them. There are lots of exciting new types of fireplaces you can install to really modernise a room, such as innovative gel fireplaces, which are smokeless and do not need a flue or chimney. If you want a more traditional feel to your room, and have an existing, working chimney, it can be a lovely touch to install real fireplaces or wood stoves, which as well as providing heat will give your living room a cosy, welcoming feel.

If you are on a small budget then fireplace mantels are easy to replace, and do not require any major refurbishments. If you are just replacing the mantel, make sure you also give the rest the fireplace a really good clean to spruce it up again.

Lastly have a look at the flooring. Carpet is not meant to last forever, and soon becomes faded and worn, making the whole room look tired and dated. Also hardwood can get scratched and dull, so think about having it cleaned and re-varnished, or even completely replaced if need be. You can get a fantastic range of wood laminates these days which are very reasonable, and can give your room a fresh, modern feel