Fake It Till You Make It: 9 Ways to Make Your Home Look Expensive
I'm always looking for small and easy ways that I can upgrade my home on a budget. So I was really excited to come across this video by Kristen McGowan, which offers advice on achieving a luxurious look for your home without breaking the bank.
Here's the video and below I've summarised the main points and my thoughts on them:
Table of contents
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1. Sizing Up Your Space
Furniture should match the dimensions of your room. Avoid pieces that overwhelm or feel lost in the space.
This sounds obvious, but it can be tricky if you prefer a large sectional sofa but lack the space, or you move into a larger home and your existing furniture is not to scale.
I really like Kristen's suggestion of investing in adjustable furniture if you're renting or if you know you'll be moving in the near future. Plus, you can play around with the layout of furniture more easily.
One company that does this really well is Lovesac. Their sofas can be rearranged into different formations, so your options are really limitless:
4 Seats + 5 Sides in Beachwood Rained Chenille
Another piece of furniture that works well in an adjustable format is a dining table. This dining extension table on Amazon can seat up to eight people and can be adjusted with an extra leaf:
Signature Design by Ashley Moriville Farmhouse 36” x 30” Dining Extension Table, Seats up to 8
Or there's this console table that folds away into a side table, which is pretty genius:
Mobili Fiver, Easy, Extendable Console Table
Tip: remember the 3-foot rule; between your furniture pieces and with all the pathways around your space, there should be at least 3 feet of space.
2. Curtain Magic
Hanging curtains high and wide creates the illusion of larger windows. Opt for lined curtains for an added touch of luxury.
Kristen recommends pinch pleat curtains for the texture, as well as curtain rings and hooks to elevate the look, like these from Wayfair:
100% Cotton Striped Room Darkening Pinch Pleat Single Curtain Panel
AMZSEVEN 40 Pack Curtain Rings with Clips
3. Fridge Facelift
For a cleaner look, take down magnets, pictures, and notes from your fridge.
I see Kristen's point here, but I also love my travel magnets and every time I open the fridge, a different one catches my eye and brings back amazing memories. Perhaps I can find a different place for them.
Do you keep magnets, notes, or kids' artwork on your fridge? Or do you keep those mementos elsewhere? Let me know in the comments.
4. Secondhand Swagger
Kristen recommends thrift stores and Habitat for Humanity ReStores as treasure troves for high-quality, solid wood furniture at affordable prices.
I love thrifting, but I'm totally guilty of picking up little knick-knacks and pieces that catch my eye. For quality furniture, I think I'll stick to Facebook Marketplace or other online secondhand platforms. Which ones do you use?
5. Skip the Bling
Kristen says that instead of glitzy and glamorous decor, choose simpler pieces with interesting textures and natural materials.
I agree in part to this tip, as that's more my decor style anyway, but I also think it's a personal preference. I loved interior designer Rebecca Robeson's guide to what glam design is, how you can incorporate it into your home, and why you shouldn't be intimidated by over-the-top style, so it can definitely be done in a sophisticated way.
6. Design Direction
Decide on a design style for your home rather than following a theme. For example, a coastal theme.
It looks more elegant to use a coastal palette and textures, rather than kitschy nautical decor to evoke that coastal vibe.
7. Surface Story
Create visually interesting vignettes on tabletops and other surfaces throughout your home. I love this and it's so much fun to switch out pieces and make the most of the decor you have:
8. Furniture Shuffle
Experiment with rearranging your furniture to refresh the look and feel of your space.
One great example of this is bed placement. Having a bed against the wall looks odd, uncomfortable, and off-center. Having a bed in the middle of a wall is much better. See the pictures above and below for the difference.
9. Matching Hangers
Kristen points out that using matching clothes hangers throughout your home creates a more polished look.
This might be my favorite tip because it's so easy and possibly one of the cheapest ways to make your closet look cohesive. Older hangers can be donated or used in storage etc.
Kristen recommends velvet hangers because they're thin and allow for more closet space, or wood hangers because they look more elevated.
Amazon Basics Slim, Velvet, Non-Slip Suit Clothes Hangers, Ivory/Rose Gold - Pack of 100
Utopia Home Premium Wooden Hangers 20 Pack
Kristen McGowan's video on budget-friendly luxury home design is a treasure trove of tips!
Check out the full video and let us know your favorite budget-friendly decor ideas in the comments below.
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