If you’re planning a living room makeover in the UK, I’d allow roughly £1,150–£2,650 for budget furnishings, £3,000–£7,750 for mid-range, or £10,150–£25,200 for premium. These are planning ranges for one example shopping list. Start with how you want to use your room, which pieces are staying and what you’d like to change.
Living room furniture costs by item
The figures in the table come from our living room budget calculator. I priced the same shopping list at all three levels. The ranges are examples for that list. Your budget will depend on what you already have and what the room still needs.
| Furniture and furnishings | Budget | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sofa, 2–3 seats | £450–£900 | £1,000–£2,500 | £3,000–£7,000 |
| Armchair | £130–£350 | £450–£1,100 | £1,200–£3,000 |
| Coffee table | £60–£180 | £200–£600 | £1,000–£2,500 |
| Two side tables | £70–£200 | £240–£600 | £800–£2,000 |
| TV unit | £150–£350 | £400–£1,200 | £1,500–£3,500 |
| Floor lamp | £40–£100 | £150–£350 | £750–£2,200 |
| Two pairs of ready-made curtains | £100–£200 | £200–£420 | £500–£1,000 |
| Rug, around 160 × 230 cm | £80–£180 | £200–£500 | £900–£2,500 |
| Two framed prints | £60–£160 | £180–£360 | £500–£1,500 |
| Approximate planning range | £1,150–£2,650 | £3,000–£7,750 | £10,150–£25,200 |
What else should you budget for in a living room makeover?
If you’re keeping your sofa and the room has just been painted, you might only need to budget for better lighting, a rug and something at the windows. If you’re starting with bare floors and walls that need work, there’s more to price before you get to the furniture. Check what your room needs against the example shopping list.
Decorating and trade work. Allow for paint or wallpaper, wall preparation and a decorator if you’re hiring one. Get separate quotes for jobs such as fitting flooring, moving sockets or building a media wall. The table includes a freestanding TV unit.
Bespoke furniture and fitted storage. If your living room needs built-in shelving, alcove cupboards, a fitted media unit or a custom piece of furniture, allow for both design and construction costs. Bespoke furniture can make better use of awkward spaces and provide storage tailored to your needs, but costs will vary depending on the size, materials, finishes and complexity of the design. At Severino Studio, we can help you design bespoke furniture that complements your space, available as an additional service alongside our Full Room Design package.
Interior design help. If you're planning a complete living room makeover, you may also want to budget for professional interior design advice. An interior designer can help you make the most of your layout, choose furniture that works together and plan purchases around your budget, helping you avoid costly mistakes. At Severino Studio, our Full Room Design service brings together space planning, furniture selection, colours and finishes to create a cohesive design tailored to your home and budget.
The smaller pieces. The example includes a floor lamp and framed prints. Your room might also need a ceiling light, cushions, throws or a mirror. The ready-made curtains in the table still need a pole or track. If you want made-to-measure curtains, ask for a quote that covers fitting as well.
Getting everything into place. Check delivery and assembly charges, especially if you’re ordering from several shops. If you’re replacing a sofa, check whether the retailer will take the old one away and what they charge.
How much does budget living room furniture cost?
For the budget shopping list, allow roughly £1,150–£2,650. In this example, the sofa and armchair together cost £580–£1,250. If you watch TV most evenings, I’d try the sofa in person and give yourself more flexibility on the side tables. A simple table is fine if all you need is somewhere to put a cup.
What does mid-range living room furniture cost?
For the mid-range shopping list, allow roughly £3,000–£7,750. Just over half the cost of the items in the table goes on things other than the sofa and armchair. If you’re buying from scratch, price the rug, lighting and window treatments before you settle on the seating. That way you can see what the sofa you have your eye on leaves for the rest of the room.
How do you plan a makeover around a sofa you already own?
Put the sofa into the proposed layout first. Check whether there’s room to move past it and where the other seats could go. Then price the pieces that will make the biggest difference around it. In a room that already has comfortable seating, that might be a rug large enough to bring the chairs and sofa together, or lamps that make the room easier to use in the evening.
How much should you budget for premium living room furniture?
The premium shopping list comes to around £10,150–£25,200 for the pieces in the table. In a larger room you may need a deeper sofa, a corner configuration or a second seating area. The calculator allows up to £12,000 for a premium corner or modular sofa. Add a larger rug and another pair of chairs and you can go beyond the example range quickly.
I’d put more into the pieces you use every day and the ones that are difficult to get right at a standard size. For a sofa, look at how the frame is made, how the cushions feel and how the upholstery will wear. A designer piece or a more expensive fabric can push the price higher, so get a quote for the exact configuration you want. If the room has tall windows or a bay, price made-to-measure curtains early too. The amount of fabric alone can make a difference to what’s left for furniture.
Two living room makeovers and what we chose
Making room for a chaise in Sheffield
In Sheffield, the clients wanted a chaise, a dining table and a bookcase in one compact room. The central door limited where the furniture could go, and the route to the garden had to stay clear. I chose a compact chaise for the sitting area and a 120 cm round table that seats four. The round top made it easier to pass the table on the way to the garden.
| Selected piece | Price at the time |
|---|---|
| Miami small chaise sofa | £759 |
| Lana round coffee table | £95 |
| Venus rug | £150 |
| Kayan TV stand | £219.99 |
| Vogue Priya floor lamp | £185 |
| Subtotal for five pieces | £1,408.99 |
The ceiling light was another £99, and the canvas print was £79, bringing those seven pieces to £1,586.99. Curtains, the bookcase, dining furniture and other accessories were separate. The Sheffield project’s floor plan and shopping list show how the sitting area fits alongside the dining space.
Choosing new seating around pieces the clients loved
For Warm Living Room with Character, the clients wanted to keep their coffee table, sideboard and floor lamp. The room needed somewhere for everyday sitting and a separate spot for drinks and conversation. I chose a £3,325 modular sofa for the main seating area and paired it with lighter armchairs. The pieces the clients already owned were part of the scheme from the start.
How to set a budget for your living room
Budget is one of the first things I talk about with clients. I ask what they’re comfortable spending on the whole makeover, then we work backwards to see what that leaves for furniture. Here’s how I’d do it if you’re planning your own room.
- Set a total for the makeover. Decide what you want the room to do and list what you already own that will work in the new layout.
- Set aside money for work and fees. If you need new flooring or fitted storage, get quotes before you decide what to spend on furniture. Include any decorating costs and design fee in the overall budget.
- Price your own shopping list. Add the pieces you need to the living room budget calculator and leave the items you’re keeping at zero. Compare the three estimates against what’s left in your budget, then check the prices of the pieces you’re considering, including delivery and fitting.
I’d plan and price the whole room together. Choose the rug size and curtain fabric with the sofa in mind so you know they’ll work together and can budget for them all. You can still order in stages. It’s easier to manage the deliveries when they aren’t all arriving in the same week.
What should you check before ordering a sofa?
Mark the sofa’s footprint on the floor with masking tape. Open the doors and walk through the room. If you have to squeeze past the chaise to get to the garden, try it on the other side of the sofa or look for a shallower model.
Then measure the delivery route, especially tight turns, stairs and landings. Ask the retailer for the dimensions of the largest package. A sofa can fit the room perfectly and still be too big to get round the turn at the top of the stairs.
Plan your living room makeover
With Full Room Design, I can help bring your layout, colours, furniture and lighting together and build a shopping list around your budget.