Affordable Ways to Make Your Home Look More Expensive

These days, we spend a lot of time at home. And while cosiness is key, aesthetics also play an important role in creating a living environment that you’d enjoy spending most of your time in. However, most of us simply don’t have an unlimited budget at our disposal to create a living space that oozes comfort, luxury and sophistication at the same time.

While we shouldn't pressure ourselves to live up to the impossibly high standards, it doesn't hurt to learn a few tricks of the trade to make our own homes feel a little more curated and polished. Here, we have a few handy tips to make your home look more chic and expensive without costing a fortune.

1. Go big with art

Hanging a big statement art is a trick often used by interior designers to create a more opulent, elegant feel to a home. By creating distinct focal points that double as conversation starters through art, you’ll instantly up the luxury factor in your home while also making it look well-judged and complete.

While arts vary hugely in cost, there are a few websites such as Gliss Design, Etsy, Ruma that sources inexpensive arts, but produces similar gallery-like feel to your home. For a more budget-friendly alternative, you unleash your creative side by producing your own artwork.

2. Create the illusion of higher ceilings

Many luxurious and expensive homes have high ceilings and are luckily flooded with natural light. If physically raising the ceiling height isn’t within your renovation budget, use a window treatment to create the illusion of a taller ceiling. Hang curtain rods closer to the ceiling and opt for long, flowing drapes to give the room a grander feel. This will draw the eye up and give the appearance of a loftier space.

3. Increase visual space with a mirror

Hanging tall or large mirrors is an easy way to make a room look more luxurious and expensive with little investment on your part. Mirrors not only introduce more light into your home, but it also widens the space and creates the illusion of a larger space by reflecting the room back at you.

You can also maximise this trick by hanging an assortment of mirrors in various sizes and shapes, creating an eclectic and artistic design on your walls. If you prefer a simple look, consider installing a floor-to-ceiling bronze mirror to create a polished and elegant finish on the wall.

4. Repaint your walls

Nothing gives off a personalized and high-end feel than perfectly hued walls. In fact, painting a room with a fresh coat of paint is an affordable way to make a huge impact on a room.

If you are looking for a timeless look, colours like beige, grey, white or off-white will always look fresh and on-trend throughout time. Meanwhile, deep, dark colours like black, slate-grey, green, burgundy, and navy, together with layered textures like faux fur and velvet, evoke the feeling of cosiness and make things look more upmarket. Whatever shade you go for, make sure you touch up cracks, chips and smudges in the paintwork regularly to keep things pristine.

5. Add an area rug

An area rug is a great way to create a luxurious feel to a room without costing a fortune. Not only does it bring everything together, but it also lays the foundation and really sets the stage for the rest of the room. An area rug also adds the much-needed warmth, texture, and colour, and the larger the rug, the more luxurious your room will look!

6. Transform a room with tiles

Tiling your walls or floor is an easy way to create a beautiful and luxurious feel to a room without breaking the bank. Subway tile is an affordable option for kitchen or bathroom walls, so you can keep costs low and achieve a polished look at the same time.

You can also consider pairing two tile designs in a different colour or size together to create a unique pattern or add interest to your space. The dent in your wallet is minimal, but the impact is monumental.

7. Hire an interior designer

Contrary to popular beliefs, there are instances in which working with an interior designer may offer cost-savings. Because designers pay trade pricing on materials, their clients get to enjoy these discounted prices. Their expertise also means they can show you exactly where to invest or to cut corners.

Explore: Yes, It's Possible to Renovate Your Home For Only RM50,000!

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