How to Make Your Home Look Expensive in 11 Different Ways
Today I'm going to share with you how to make your home look expensive and the secrets to giving your home a high-end and luxurious look. From clever furniture choices to using colors effectively, these ideas will transform your home into a sophisticated haven.
First, let me say that some of these options are more budget-friendly than others, and that's okay. We all have to be glad we have a roof over our heads, and we do what we can and are grateful for what we can do. Get ready to impress your family and friends with a stunning living space that exudes elegance and charm.
Table of contents
1. Change your builder-grade light fixtures
This makes a big difference. It makes your house look custom and is a great way to show off your style and personality. Builder-grade lighting can be generic and inexpensive, but changing your lighting to some custom lighting will take your house to a new level. This includes chandeliers, pendants, and sconces.
Don't forget everything doesn't have to be matchy, just as long as it coordinates together.
2. Update your hardware
This is something that can make a drastic difference. Switching simple or basic hardware to something more elegant or on-trend will take your bathroom or kitchen space from something simple to sensational.
3. Add molding, paneling, or wall treatments
This is a fabulous way to upscale your home, but be careful you don't want to overdo it or choose a wall treatment that is too trendy. Board and batten and wainscoting are timeless options. I also believe shiplap will be around a bit longer, but I would recommend choosing a more modern version, like painting it a moody color or going vertical.
I would not recommend geo wood paneling as this is very trendy and could quickly date your home rather than make it look expensive.
4. Hang your drapes high on the wall
By hanging your drapes higher, you will give the illusion of a larger room and a grander window, which is a beautiful way to create an elevated look.
5. Update your staircase
Now this does take some work, but it makes such a huge difference. You could replace your spindles with something more on-trend, or you could also stain your banister and rails. You could even paint your banister and rails to refresh your staircase.
If your stairs are carpeted, I suggest installing hardwood flooring, which is common in larger homes. If you're worried about traction, you could add a decorative runner to the stairs, adding a very custom and luxurious look.
6. Concealing wires & cords
My design assistants know that one of my biggest pet peeves is seeing wires, especially when they're messy and bunched up together; it just looks so cluttered. Luckily there are a few clever ways to hide them.
For example, if I'm trying to hide a lamp cord in a room with a carpet, I can take that extra cord and gently push it under the carpet and under the baseboard, and it tucks in perfectly. Of course, it won't work if you have hardwood floors, but if you have carpet, it's a perfect way to hide it.
Another thing I've seen is cord holders from Amazon. They're hooked to the back of appliances in your kitchen, and you're able to wrap the extra cord around, push that appliance back against the backsplash, and it looks so much neater.
Cord holder
Another thing this is what my husband does, especially if it's in an office or in a bonus room; if there are a lot of different cords in one generalized area, he gathers them together and ties a black zip tie around them, and it makes them look so much more organized.
7. High-quality large artwork
This is another way to elevate your home and add personality to your space. I see a lot of homes where the artwork is too small and under-scaled for the space, and it is not a great look. Appropriate-sized art makes a room feel complete and intentional rather than looking temporary and aimless.
8. Down-filled pillows
I am a huge fan of down-filled pillows, whether they're on a sofa or a bed because they add a level of luxury. Down-filled pillows can be fluffed time and time again and look full and inviting, whereas other cotton pillows do not.
If you want to make your bedding look custom and high-end, you don't have to do down-filled pillows for everyone. Just choose your more prominent pillows and splurge on the down-filled pillows.
9. Wallpaper
Nothing says custom like wallpaper when done correctly. Selecting wallpaper for bathrooms, laundry rooms, and the back of built-ins or hallways gives a designed feel to the space. It can transform a simple, bland room into one of beauty and style.
I highly recommend adding wallpaper to a space that feels forgotten or overlooked to bring it to life and elevate your home.
10. Mismatched furniture
What do I mean by this? Don't purchase sofas and chairs all in the same set. Choose pieces that coordinate well together. A matching set of furniture gives a box store feel where coordinating pieces give an acquired look as if they were chosen by a designer.
Try starting with a neutral sofa and pair accent pattern chairs. This is a great way to begin to have a customized look.
11. Declutter
This is a significant way to make your house look upscale. Declutter, organize and put a system in place to keep your house clutter-free. One way I do this is by having bowls or baskets to hide things that I don't think are beautiful.
My keys have a wooden bowl, my grandkids' toys are in a chest of drawers in the living room, and I keep remotes in a basket. These are simple ways to keep visual clutter out of your eye line and keep a pristine home.
How to make your home look expensive
Those are my tips for how to make your home look expensive. What tips do you have for making your home look more expensive? Share them in the comments below.
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