If there is one thing we all want in life, it is a nice home. It is a place to be comfortable with our family and friends. We want our homes to reflect the hard work we have put into our lives. When someone stops over for a visit, we want them to be impressed with our homes. This is true if it is the local ladies club president or the CEO of a billion-pound industry that employs us. But how can you impress someone with your home when they earn 10-times your salary?
The fact is, there are many ways you can create a luxury look on a budget. The secrets to looking chic and timeless are often accomplished by starting with less and building around them. We have gathered tips from professional decorators who have shown us how people have done just that. Read along with us, and we will share some of this information with you.
Curb appeal
The first impression of your home is made before your guest even enters. When a guest pulls up to your house, what do they see? A luxury home will have clean lines, well-manicured grass, and neatly trimmed hedges. If there are flowerbeds, they will be well-cared for. This means only plants that grow easily in your area should be used. Unless you are a gardener who spends a lot of time in your yard, do not plant things you do not know how to grow. Unhealthy plants, planting sticks, watering cans, and other gardening tools should never be seen. If you can afford to have your front yard professionally cared for, it is worth the investment. If not, keep it green and simple.
Photo credit: Flashbuddy
Dressing your entry rooms
The best way to create the look of elegance and charm in a room is to address it as if you are dressing the room. First, you will always use classic colors. Neutrals are your base and you will add bursts of color or understated patterns. Use textures to create interest.
Compare dressing your room to dressing a woman of great elegance. Consider Princess Dianna of Wales, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. All of these women have (had) a reputation of being kind, loving, and welcoming. They each were the essence of class, grace, and charm. This is the feel we want in our rooms.
You will accomplish this by using classic, well-made furniture. Traditional styles made of rich fabrics, never go out of style. Buying one or two nice pieces of furniture and accessorizing it with good lighting and well-placed art and color can make your room look like a designer created it
Do not be afraid to look for good furniture at estate sales, moving sales, and even in thrift stores, People sell their furniture for a lot of reasons. You can find some good deals if you keep your eyes open.
Lighting
In a luxury home, people do not use overhead lighting for reading or working. Lamps and built-in lighting are used for light. Studies and dens are equipped for reading. Breakfast rooms and family rooms have big and beautiful windows that allow natural sunlight in for an “at home” feeling. Entryways, living rooms, dining rooms, and sitting rooms are usually designed with lovely chandeliers. The chandeliers of today are alive with twists, turns, shapes, and color. Some look like exploding stars and some look like dripping crystals. There are so many to choose from it may take you a while. A rich person may spend over £25,000 on a custom chandelier, but there are affordable chandeliers for the average person. Your home supply store will have plenty of options. Also, look at lighting to illuminate your artwork.
Artwork
If you are a lover of art, you may have pieces that are worthy of display. You may have the knowledge and money to find pieces that will look very rich to hang in your home But if you are not, you can get taken pretty easily. You can do some research and just go with what you learn and get what you can afford. If you are going to buy one thing, buy what you can afford, showcase it and build your collection over time. Or, visit your local arts community. Pick some work from an artist that you really like. You can help support art and get some nice work, cheap. You can mat the paintings in large frames and hang them in larger spaces if you need to. You have originals that may be worth a lot of money someday.
There are lots of ways to make your home look rich without spending a fortune. With some practice, you can fit in anywhere. Sometimes it is as simple as adding a few things and sometimes it’s as simple as undoing a few things. The end result is a home that looks as if a professional interior designer created this living space for a very special client. You are that special client.
