Luxe Living On A Budget
Image Credit - Home Designing
Do you have Champagne tastes but live on a beer budget? In an ideal world, we would all have a world-class designer at our disposal to make our spaces exude comfort, luxury, and sophistication. But living a life of luxury doesn’t have to cost a fortune. Even on a budget, you can create a home that looks straight out of a magazine. You don’t have to splash the cash to give your rooms the sort of luxurious touches that suggest an elegant and upmarket house. Rich materials, bold art, statement making Persian rugs, striking architecture, and well thought out design have a way of grabbing our attention — and keeping it. So why not channel an opulent spirit in your own home? With a few simple adjustments and strategic styling techniques, you can create a space that feels regal on a shoestring. From striking wallpaper and wow lighting to a touch of velvet and even a simple arrangement of flowers, these easy ideas will help you bring in the bling while sticking to your budget.
PLAY WITH VINTAGE MIRRORS
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest, V Interior
Creating an illusion of light and space is an all-important ingredient for a luxurious home. If your house isn’t naturally gifted, cheat with some oversized mirrors - big or small, these essential accessories always make a room look more glamorous, light, and upmarket; ideally, every room should feature at least one. Ornate, gilded and glamorous all come to mind when we think of the must-have mirrors for 2020. But mirrors vary hugely in cost, so our best tip is to look for these pieces in antique shops or flea markets — the grander, the better.
STANDOUT RUG
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest
Ground your furniture with a statement-making rug; think of it as artwork for your floor. Not only will a rug bring everything together, but it also lays the foundation and really sets the stage for the rest of the room. A Persian or Oriental area rug adds much-needed warmth, texture, and colour, and the larger the rug the more luxurious it will look. Even if you have a rental apartment with carpeting, adding a rug on top will help define different spaces injecting life and personality into the space. They don’t have to cost the earth, but they can give a room a designer feel that it may be otherwise lacking.
Featured Rugs (left to right) - DALIT, BAZ, HARLEY
FRESH FLOWERS HAVE POWER
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest
Freshly cut flowers are perhaps the easiest way to elevate your living spaces. Any fresh flowers, no matter how simple, will add warmth to your home and make it feel that little bit more special. Place flowers in unexpected places – and change the water regularly to keep them fresh for longer. Pop a single stem in a small vase, It’s sure to make you smile even when completing the most mundane chores.
IMPACTFUL WALLPAPER
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest
Hanging textured wallpaper is a trick often used by boutique hotels to create a more opulent, intimate feel. Choosing an iconic wallpaper lends instant cachet to a room - go for darker colours for a more expensive feel that mimics that five-star look. Powder rooms are an economical way to show off an instantly recognisable high-end wallpaper, not to mention a favourite Autumn 2020 trend. You could also create just one statement wall if you can’t stretch to papering them all.
INVESTMENT LIGHTING
Image Credit (left to right) - Pinterest
Invest in a piece that makes a serious statement. Adding a designer pendant or chandelier to a kitchen is a foolproof way to increase its style quotient. There are plenty of affordable look-at-me lights around on the high street at the moment, especially if you shop in the sales. If you rely solely on overhead lighting, a room can feel harsh and sterile. Spread out lamps around a room to make it feel upscale. I love keeping a lamp on our foyer chest to give the space a welcoming ambience, especially during the darker months in fall and winter. In general, don’t be afraid to go large and choose something glittery, spangly, or decorative for that designer feel.
What tricks have you tried that help you save you cash, but keep the flash?
