18 Ways to Make Your Home Look Expensive on a Budget
There are plenty of ways to elevate the look of your room. Here are 18 ways to make your room look and feel expensive even if you’re on a budget.
Eliminate the Clutter
A room that is packed to the gills will only make the brain want to stop and process what it’s seeing. The goal is to enter a room that makes you want to relax and that feels calming to the senses. Using your pieces sparingly can add to that feeling.
Placing Accessories
Use the rule of 3’s to start. Once again, the brain will try to “close the loop” but with an odd number, it’s harder to do so. This makes the grouping more interesting to the eye.
You’ll find lots of guides in my DIY Outlet. Click here to get my 13 Rules for Accessorizing Your Home.
Skip the Ready to Assemble Items
Not only is ready to assemble or knocked down furniture a pain in the *@% to put together, but these pieces will also typically have substandard joinery and will cheapen the look of your room. If you must use them, be sure to look at a piece that’s already been assembled so you’ll know what to expect.
That said, ready-made drapery or shower curtains can be altered by adding trim or adding a coordinating fabric to give them a custom look while still maintaining your budget.
Use a Limited Number of Flooring Materials
If you are looking to add a new flooring to your home, consider the adjacent rooms. If you have real wood flooring, try to match it. Never butt a synthetic wood looking flooring up to a read wood floor. Or a synthetic stone looking material next to a real stone floor. The synthetic will look cheap next to the real deal.
Check Your Rug Sizes
Make sure your rugs look suited to the furniture or area you want to use them in. For instance, in a dining room, add at least 24-30” to every side of your table to allow for a chair to sit comfortably on it. In a living room, anchor at least the fronts of chair and sofa legs so the rug becomes part of the grouping and doesn’t just float there.
Co-ordinate Your Lighting Fixtures
The same way you would coordinate your sofa and chairs, you’ll want to coordinate your light fixtures. Study the style of each one to be sure they “speak to each other” in some way.
Table Lamps vs. Ceiling
Soft lighting in a room can go a long way for creating luxury. Turn off those overhead lights and enjoy the ambiance of your table lamps and sconces. Make sure you can dim the bulbs you use for the best affect.
Co-ordinate Your Metal Finishes
Mixing metals is all the rage but try to group the types of items so they coordinate in terms of finishes. And remember to think of metal finishes as color.
For instance, a matte black faucet is really neutral and can mix well with just about any other color finish. On the other hand, an orange/gold metal may not look right with a yellow/gold or satin nickel.
Furniture Layout
Never line the furniture up around the walls of your room. Instead, try to create groupings according to activities and bring those groups into the center of the room slightly.
Recover the Sofa in a Durable Fabric
WAIT! You may not need to send your old sofa to the dumpster. Was it originally made with a good frame? Meaning hard wood? When you reupholster a sofa or chair, keep this in mind. And using a durable fabric to recover it can add years more to the piece while saving you tons on purchasing brand new.
Note-By using neutral colors on your larger pieces of furniture, you’ll have the freedom to change the look of pillow and accessories to give your room a brand-new look.
Reuse Throw Pillow Inserts
By reusing your inserts (or stuffing) of your throw pillows, you can re-cover them according to seasons or your need to change things up. Just be sure to purchase covers with zippers. This trick will save you tons of money and a fresh look to your room can bring joy to you and your family. I do this with my porch pillows for different Holidays.
Co-ordinate Your Color Palette Throughout Your Home
If you have a room that can be seen from other rooms, be sure to coordinate the palette from one room to the other.
A good rule of thumb for a standard size home might be 2-3 colors total and variations in tint (lightness) or shade (darkness) of those 2-3 colors.
Check Your Style
Have you ever taken time to study your personal style preferences? Looking at lots of photos and trying to define in words what you like can go a long way in clarifying your home’s style.
Have you taken the style quiz yet? The results will include your style’s name, storyboards, and color palettes as well as lessons on making your style your own.
Scented Candles
Adding scent to your home can automatically make you relax, feel energized or any other emotion you want to create.
Make it stand out
Coordinated Towels and Sheets
Using towels and sheets that are uniform in color will elevate your home experience. Having tons of mis-matched items creates visual clutter and can feel like hand-me-downs. Toss your old towels and sheets in the rag pile and treat yourself to fluffy new ones.
I prefer white because they always make me feel like I’m on vacation. And speaking of vacations for your guests, here are 30 Guest Bedroom Ideas.
Matching Bath Accessories
Matching accessories for your bath and kitchen can also give your home that custom touch. They don’t need to be expensive. Try Bed Bath & Beyond or Home Goods for starters!
Use Live Plants and Trees
Live potted plants and trees will make your home feel fresh and inviting. They typically don’t take a lot of care and give back much more than they ask. =0)
