Having an elegant and sophisticated home is the dream of many. Luxury makes us feel good and comfortable, and can even give us a boost of confidence when our own homes look like they should be in interior design magazines. Of course, such ambitions usually cost a lot of money. More often than not, the only luxury homes you'll see will be just the ones from the design magazines. Does that mean that the average person can only dream of having an expensive-looking home? Not at all. The trick is to pay attention to the details.
Real luxury is easy to recognize. When something is made of solid wood or marble, you can be sure that it's built to look good and last a long while. Even the tiniest of details can look grandiose when you recognize that it's made of high-quality material.
The handles on your cabinets might not seem like important elements, but they instantly become attention grabbers once they're made of brass or silver. If you intend to get yourself a jewellery chest, don't even consider buying one unless it's solid wood. Consider topping it with marble as well.
A mirror doesn't have to be hung on top of a rusty nail with some basic string. Instead, consider hanging it from a metal chain that matches the mirror's frame. It's a small detail that will go a long way for anyone that looks at the mirror.
A single, medium-sized framed painting won't leave much of an impression on anyone. It's going to look like an average piece of wall décor. A lot of people opt to hang a bunch of smaller pieces of art, but this leaves their walls looking like they're messy and cluttered. The best way to make an art piece look impactful is to spread it across a large surface.
A very large framed painting won't go unnoticed in any house or apartment. You can be sure that a piece that is several feet across will look grandiose no matter what is actually pictured in the art. Going big with art isn't even that difficult or expensive. You can Google something that you like in high resolution and simply print it out for a larger frame.
The biggest cost you have to consider is the frame, but you don't have to splurge on that either. If you're aiming for something of a contemporary style, you won't need an extravagant and lush frame. Instead, something to simply hold the piece is quite enough and you can let the art speak for itself.
Your drapes, pillows, and chairs should have a bit of variety to them. When they're made of similar materials, you're going to get a room that looks bland and boring. Instead, try aiming for a little variety in their texture. This will prevent your space from falling flat and it will give your room some personality and dimension.
Their palette is just as important as the texture. Consider the main colours of your room and aim to make these textile elements a slightly different hue, while still adhering to the same colours. Slight variations are good, especially if your room is generally full of neutral colours. Breaking up the monotony will give contrast and make your rooms look professionally decorated.
When you're ready to call it a day, there's nothing better than laying your head on a soft and comfortable bed. Whether it's a warm summer day or a cold winter night, you're going to want to cover yourself with some equally soft bedroom sheets.
There are a couple of things that determine how good your sheets are. The quality of the material determines how well it will insulate you. Covers aren't just for keeping warm on a cold day, either. Even during a sweltering summer day, a cotton bedroom sheet is necessary to keep you cool and comfortable through your nap.
Thread count is another thing to look at when browsing for sheets. The higher the thread count, the better the sheet. Once you reach sheets with at least a thousand thread count, you're covering yourself with pure luxury, and noticeably so. These sheets are more comfortable to the touch and they're pretty tough, providing you with longevity and a wonderfully comfortable sight to behold.
Lighting can make or break your room's décor. The effect of lighting on many of your rooms shouldn't be underestimated. Something as simple as a lamp can turn a part of your room into a quaint little getaway. Most regular lights work in a binary fashion: either they're on or they aren't. This won't give you a lot of variation when you need a specific kind of lighting. You have to rely on several light sources to increase or decrease visibility. It also doesn't stand out in any particular way.
Adjustable lights, on the other hand, make your room seem more elegant and sophisticated. You can set the lights on low, put on some jazz music, and end up with a café atmosphere within seconds. You can play around with the light levels and come up with new ideas for the décor. Not to mention, it would also positively affect your quality time, as you can create a movie-watching atmosphere that isn't completely pitch black, or make reading easy in your living room.
Well-positioned lights on the ceiling can give your room a fancy vibe, acting as a spotlight for whatever is underneath them. Dinner turns into a movie restaurant experience when you can switch up the amount of light in the room.
When it comes to making your home look more expensive, everything is in the details. These easy touchups will bring your home to a whole new level without requiring any major renovations. You don't have to invest a lot, but you'll end up creating something amazing. When all the details and small pieces of decor are tied together, they create an impression of luxury and elegance that no renovation could replicate.
Mia Johnson is a writer with a ten-year long career in journalism. She has written extensively about health, fitness, and lifestyle. A native to Melbourne, she now lives in Sydney with her 3 dogs where she spends her days writing and taking care of her 900 square feet garden.