Why is it that &ldquo;redo&rdquo; sounds somehow less expensive than &ldquo;makeover&rdquo;? Just because it&rsquo;s a shorter word? Or because it implies a touch-up rather than an overhaul? As in, &ldquo;I think I&rsquo;ll redo the living room,&rdquo; rather than, &ldquo;The living room sure could use a makeover.&rdquo; </p><p>And both terms in turn cause less price anxiety than does the very serious-sounding &ldquo;renovation.&rdquo; In fact, all are pretty much synonymous, so don&rsquo;t mislead yourself into underestimating costs by putting a reassuringly modest name on what&rsquo;s actually an ambitious project.</p><p><strong> Q. Our contemporary-style three-piece sectional sofa has given us 20 years of comfort and visual appeal. But now it&rsquo;s time to redo the living room, and we have to decide what to do about the sofa: Slipcover it? Reupholster it? Or replace it with a smaller piece and a few new chairs? What would you do?</strong></p><p><strong> A. </strong>First, I&rsquo;d determine my budget, and then I&rsquo;d make myself get specific about what the &ldquo;redo&rdquo; of the living room will actually entail. Once those pieces are in place, you can better assess the cost of the three sofa options and determine how each might mesh with the overall redesign.</p><p> Will you be adding new window coverings? How about artwork and decorative accessories? Will the lighting need to be redone? And are you going to change the color of the floor, walls or ceiling?</p><p> Your decision in regard to the sofa should be influenced by &mdash; and exert influence on &mdash; a whole series of choices involving the entire setting. You seem fond of your sofa, so do give full consideration to reupholstering it.</p><p> And in weighing the slipcover option, you may discover that a custom-made covering is necessary for the look you want to create &mdash; and that could put the price on a par with reupholstering. But either choice will cost less than buying a new sofa as well as a few chairs.</p><p> Perhaps your current sofa resembles the one shown in the photo, which could easily be 20 years old. The off-white fabric covering and the many pillows of similar color give the piece a fresh appearance. </p><p>Maybe the look of this contemporary-style interior, with its clean lines and no clutter, is similar to what you envision for your own living room. It&rsquo;s featured in &ldquo;Kelly Hoppen Style: The Golden Rules of Design,&rdquo; published by Bullfinch.</p><p> The large ottoman with tray acts here as a 21st-century version of a cocktail table. </p><p>And note how the simply curtained windows complement the light-colored walls and minimalist shelving.</p><p> &ldquo;Redo,&rdquo; &ldquo;makeover,&rdquo; &ldquo;renovation&rdquo; ... call it what you will, but you have to think it through thoroughly to achieve a successful outcome.</p><p>&copy; 2009 Tribune Media Services 11/1