5 Updates That Gave My Living Room a Fresh New Look for Spring

After 15 years of living in our home, I have a long mental list of updates I’d love to make. But with our Malibu renovation in full swing, I’m trying to keep my focus (and my budget) on small, strategic changes—I’m approaching them as “micro” updates rather than a full overhaul.

Our living room had been living with the same furniture, same rug, and same shelf styling since our last update in 2021. It was starting to feel… a little stale. I wasn’t looking for a major makeover, but I knew a few thoughtful tweaks could shift the energy and breathe new life into our space.

So, over the past month, I got strategic about making some updates that I knew would have an outsized impact—and honestly, I’m amazed at how different the room feels. It’s proof that even a few simple changes can create a home that feels fresh, inspiring, and reflective of where you are right now.

Scroll on for a look at my refreshed living room—and some tips to inspire your own spring refresh.

Refresh Your Shelf Styling

If you have lots of open shelving like I do, it can be easy to settle on a certain shelf arrangement and then never touch it again. But refreshing your shelves can instantly energize the whole room, and you can often do it just be rearranging pieces you already own. I like to walk around my house and pull pieces from other rooms to mix it all up—it think of it as “shopping my own house.”

This time, I started with larger anchor pieces (like a ceramic bowl and a stack of books) and layered from there with smaller, meaningful objects. As you’re arranging think in terms of scale and negative space.

Tip: Once you’ve arranged your shelves, remove one or two items and see if you like the look better. A few thoughtfully placed pieces often have more impact than shelves that feel packed.

Rethink the Way You Hang Art

We’d always had one large piece of art centered above the fireplace—and while it worked, it was starting to feel a little too formulaic. So, I decided to break the “rules” with a smaller piece leaned against the wall off-center, then balanced it out with a sculptural vase and olive branch on the other side of the mantel.

I fell in love with this photo of Byron Bay in neutral tones, ordered a print, and took it into Framebridge for custom framing. The rounded corners of this ash frame really elevate and make it feel high quality (but at a much more affordable price than traditional custom framing.)

Tip: Don’t be afraid to play with asymmetry. It brings an organic, effortless feel to a space that feels more modern and lived-in.

Update Your Coffee Table Vibe

One of the bigger changes in our living room was this low lounge-y coffee table that immediately made the room feel more relaxed and inviting. Then I layered on a few of my favorite coffee table books, which is such a simple way to bring personality into a room.

Tip: Coffee table books are my favorite decor accessory because they tell a story about who you are. Stack two or three, add a small candle or decorative object on top, and there’s immediately a design POV that’s easy to change up with the seasons.

Add a New Plant to Breathe New Life Into a Room

Nothing revives a room faster than a well-placed indoor plant. Many of you have been following my black olive tree journey, and though I loved the way she looked in the space, after multiple rounds of shedding all her leaves I had to admit that she just wasn’t happy in this corner.

So, I added a new indoor tree with an airy, Asian-inspired feel that fits perfectly with the Japandi design influence throughout our home. I actually bought it locally in Austin (The Great Outdoors) and I can’t remember the name of this varietal. Does anyone know?

Tip: Choose plants that fit both the lighting needs of your space and the vibe you’re creating. (And remember: the bigger the plant, the bigger the impact.)

Lay a New Foundation With a Rug

One of the simplest ways to completely transform a space? Start from the ground up. A new rug can define the room’s color palette, bring in cozy texture, and instantly shift the mood. I went lighter this time, with a neutral, organic weave in a large size to ground the entire space.

I kept our old rug and rolled it away upstairs so I can change them out seasonally—bringing out this rug every spring will be such a fun way to give the room a lighter, brighter feel.

Tip: If you’re craving change but don’t want to replace everything, focus on one major piece—like the rug—that will set the tone for the rest of the space.

Create Cozy Spaces for How You Live

Though this area isn’t technically part of the same room, I had to show you our cozy media space that’s off the living room so you could see how the two spaces relate to each other.

This is the space where the kids hang out, Henry plays video games and builds legos, and we watch family movies. And to be honest. I’d kind of neglected it, design-wise. So, it was the perfect time to move some of the pieces that were previously in my living room (the white oak coffee table and pieces on the shelves) to breathe new life into the space without making a bunch of new purchases.

That said, we really needed a new couch in here, and I wanted something that felt aligned with my style and also was supremely comfortable. The Luxe Sofa from Homebody was exactly the piece this space needed. You can move it into “Zero Gravity Wellness Mode” (ie it secretly reclines) for ultimate movie-watching comfort.

Your Dream Home Is a Feeling

At one of my Vision Board Workshops earlier this year, a woman asked a question that stuck with me: “What if my dream home feels completely out of reach?”

It led to a conversation I think about often. Our dream home isn’t about square footage, price tags, or “perfect” design. It’s about a feeling. And the truth is, we can start creating that feeling right now—one small shift at a time.

Here are a few journal prompts we explored together. Maybe they’ll spark something for you, too:

• What does your dream home feel like?
• How does it speak to your senses—what music is playing, what scents fill the air?
• When you wake up in your bed, how do you feel?
• On your dream day, how do you spend time at home?

As you sit with these questions, remember: every tiny change—whether it’s a new rug, a re-styled shelf, or a tree reaching toward the ceiling—adds up to a home that nurtures you, inspires you, and reminds you that the life you’re creating is happening right now.