In a perfect world, we’d all have access to a professional designer to help us create rooms that radiate comfort, luxury, and refinement. Unfortunately, reality sometimes bite, and our bank accounts run dry. Fortunately, there are methods to achieve a unique, expensive design without going broke. On a low budget, you can create a place that feels regal with a few easy alterations and savvy style strategies. Are you still not convinced? Continue reading below and discover some of the greatest tips we’ve picked up.
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Mix up Your Textiles
Your home will almost likely fall flat if your sofa, chair, throw cushions, and drapes are all the same fabric and texture. To easily add dimension, replace plain throw pillows with a range of textures and sizes. Even if you’re not a big fan of color, a few colors that are slightly different from the neutrals you currently have will liven up the room. If you can’t commit to a bolder palette, try a light mustard, dusty pink, or delicate lilac.
Flowers
To add elegance to your room, you don’t need a budget-busting mega-arrangement. To add refinement, a modest bouquet from the grocery store can suffice. After all, it’s all about how you arrange the flowers and the vase in which they’re placed. Separate the bouquet by stem type first, then make a few tiny arrangements to distribute throughout your home. The financial (and time) outlay is minor, but the impact on your home is enormous.
Upgrade Your Hardware
You’ve most likely heard it before, and with good reason. For pennies on the dollar, replacing your regular hardware with something more modern and elegant will instantly boost your room. To breathe fresh life into a dated environment, try it on your kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanity, or bedroom furniture.
Remove Clutter
Mess and clutter are indeed, un-chic. A liberally decorated bookshelf or mantelpiece is one thing, but too much stuff can appear cheap and chaotic. For a look that seems elevated and traditional, pare down your accessories and trim your acquired things to just a few faves (à la Marie Kondo). Set a few basic and actionable goals to store and organize your home if you’re not sure where to begin. You’ll feel better both mentally and physically as a result of it.
Fresh Paint
Perfectly hued walls exude a personalized and bespoke vibe like nothing else. To get the look for less, roll up your sleeves and dig out your paintbrush. Painting a room or a single wall in your home is a simple DIY project that will instantly transform any space. There’s nothing quite like pristine white walls or dove gray cabinets to change a space.
Thrifting
One man’s garbage is another man’s treasure, as the saying goes, and we couldn’t agree more. To find vintage and modern décor on the cheap, look to thrift stores, garage sales, flea markets, and your grandmother’s trash pile. It only takes a little elbow work to transform a dud into your new favorite item.
Give Each Area TLC
The art of surface styling is emphasized in most professionally furnished places. For an overall richer experience, give your furniture the prominence it deserves with a few simple yet expertly placed pieces. Once you’ve narrowed down your decorative items to your favorites, make sure to arrange them in an attractive way. You may organize your coffee table, mantel, and indoor benches using a few basic guidelines.
Change Your Lamp Shades
Replace the normal stock shade that came with your lamp with a different alternative for a more personalized look. This will assist to create dimension and make a light from a big-box store look distinct and interesting. There are also a plethora of budget-friendly options—cool girls are swooning over a $5 pendant shade. It’s also a terrific way to get in on a micro-trend without having to invest a lot of money.
Curtains
Many affluent and opulent homes have high ceilings and plenty of natural light. Hang your draperies and hardware as high as close to the ceiling as possible, never directly over the window frame, to fool the eye and achieve the illusion. This will draw the eye upwards, creating the illusion of a larger space. Add translucent drapes to really soften the light and fill the room with a pleasant, cozy, but luxurious feeling warmth.
Old Artwork
If you’re anything like us, you’ve acquired a stack of outdated artwork that no longer suits your aesthetic. Use paint and a few craft supplies to give these items a new lease on life. While you can get more creative with the artwork itself, an inexpensive can of spray paint will go a long way in refurbishing old frames. Try painting a simple abstract shape (you can even use painter’s tape to help) or dig out your craft tools and let your imagination run wild.
