Like most people, you probably dream of making your home look just like what you might find in a design magazine or on a design website. For most of us, our budgets simply won’t accommodate that, however. It is still possible to make your home look elegant, luxurious and expensive without killing your budget.
If you are careful with how you arrange your items, making certain the arrangement is pleasing to the eye, it will help. You should also do a few additional and inexpensive things to achieve a real impact.
Here are some tips on how you can transform your home into a space of luxury without spending too much money.
1. Get Rid of Excess Clutter
One thing that will draw the eye from your home’s design is too much clutter. You should start by going through each room and taking an inventory. If you see pieces that do not go with the room’s theme, you may want to store or donate them instead. Then, you should work to find places to store things that tend to build up in places, such as mail or toys. Organization is key with this. You might want to add shelving in your closets for added storage and functionality.
2. Keep it Clean
At least once or twice yearly, give your home a thorough once-over with an intense cleaning. You’ll also want to make certain that you pick stuff up daily and clean up after yourself. When you are ready for the deep cleaning, pay attention to often-overlooked areas such as dirty grout, baseboards and other such areas.
If you have wood floors, you can bring the finish back to life by steam-cleaning them.
3. Add One Large Art Piece
Adding a single large piece of art in place of smaller pieces in cheap frames can give any room an interesting focal point while making it also look more expensive.
4. Focus on Lighting
With the right lighting, you can make a smaller space look larger. You can also use it to define your different spaces and rooms. In a single room, having various kinds of lighting can help to define the individual spaces. Dimmers are terrific to install, as they can help you add the mood that fits the moment. Using warmer bulbs will also add warmth in an understated manner.
5. Make Hardware Upgrades
Even if you can’t afford to renovate your kitchen or bathroom, you can help them to look more up-to-date by investing in new hardware. If you like a vintage look, head to thrift stores and search. You may be able to find hardware there that fit you and the style you want. If you do have a sufficient budget, think about installing new countertops and sinks as well.
6. Repaint
Painting your home is a simple and inexpensive way to bring it back to life. You’ll want to make sure you choose gorgeous colors when you repaint. Classic neutrals always work, with or without colorful accent walls. You can also paint doors or trim.
6. Concentrate on the Details
If your home seems boring and you’re not quite where to start, try adding pieces of decor to increase the room’s general interest. You can add beautiful frames and vases to make a boring room look more luxurious. When you do this, think about a theme around which your pieces will be arranged in order to present a unified story. You can also choose to group several different types of the same object, such as several interesting bottles of the same color. Using odd numbers of multiples may be more appealing.
By following these small tips, your home can look gorgeous before you know it. Even if your budget won’t support a major home renovation, you can still make it look beautiful with these simple steps.