7 Affordable Ways to Give Your Home a Luxurious Feel
Just because you’re not filthy rich, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be able to have a home that you can call “luxurious.” Sure, celebrities may spend over seven figures building and designing homes that are over the top, but there are plenty of subtle ways that you can achieve a sense of opulence in your home, affordably.
1. Add Molding and Trim
One of the most effective ways to add a classy and sophisticated feel to a space the affordable way is by adding molding and trim around the room. These elements provide an esthetically appealing framework for any space, and show that every detail has been taken into consideration throughout the decorating process.
You can add trim and molding in a variety of ways, including:
Baseboards – These begin at the floor and extend around the room’s perimeter.
Crown molding – This runs along the ceiling of a room, and should roughly be about one inch thicker than the baseboards.
Casing – This is found around widows and doorways, and is usually added to provide a transitional cue from one room to the next.
Be sure to take proper measurements, and use matching paint or stain on all of your molding and trim to get a united look.
2. Layer Your Floor Coverings
To add a charming and cozy feeling to your rooms, make sure not to skimp on the floor layering. Not only will layering your floor coverings provide more comfort as you walk around the space, it also adds a sense of luxury to the room.
Start off with a basic layer – hardwood is usually your best bet when it comes to adding a rich flavor to the room. Wood – or faux wood – complements a number of colors and textures quite nicely. Then add your personal touch with area rugs. While you can add just about any color or pattern you like to suit your tastes, Oriental designs have a natural capacity to add a luxurious feel to a room.
3. Create Ambience With Lighting
The ambience of a room can often be achieved with small elements, such as light fixtures. Rather than adding only one type of lighting to a room, consider adding a variety of types of fixtures to the space.
Lighting is key to creating a classic and comfortable ambience. Mix it up with pot lights, table lamps, wall sconces and pendant lighting with bulbs that are soft and diffused. You can even mix soft colors for added effect – for instance, white and pink complement each other well to create a subtle hue. For overhead light fixtures, install dimmer switches so you can control their brightness.
4. Add an Antique Element to the Space
Nothing adds more grandiosity to a room more than antique pieces. While filling the space with such decor can be expensive, sometimes all you need is one antique piece. Adding elements like these can provide visual interest while still keeping the space modern with more conventional pieces.
Antique mirrors are a great choice, as they will add depth and weight to any room. You can even anchor the room with an armchair or armoire. Sometimes even a decorative antique vase or lamp can do the trick if you’re a little hesitant about going the antique route.
5. Add Warm Colors to the Space
All luxurious spaces have one thing in common – they offer a welcoming and cozy aura. And one of the most effective and easiest ways to achieve this feeling is with the use of warm color palettes. There’s something to be said about using the right paint color.
For decades, psychologists have studied how specific colors evoke certain feelings and emotions in people, so there’s a real science to it. To create a luxurious feel in your home, stick to warm colors like yellow, orange and red, which are typically perceived as cozy and intimate. Tan hues also serve as an excellent neutral base that can help you build brighter, bolder colors.
6. Add a Focal Point
Every room that evokes a sense of grandeur has a focal point – be it a fireplace, a great piece of art work, or even a table and chair set. With a clearly defined focal point, everyone who walks in the room will immediately be drawn to that element.
The best way to choose your room’s focal point is to highlight an existing detail. If you’ve got a gorgeous, old fireplace, for instance, use that. You can add a new mantle to revamp it and add more character to it.
If the room has an oversized window that allows a ton of natural light in, you could effectively use that as a focal point too. Simply add a decorative chair under it to emphasize its magnificence.
7. Add Plush Throw Pillows
It’s impossible to envision a luxurious home without visualizing plush, comfortable seating in the space. But rather than splurge on a completely new set of extra cushiony sofas and chairs, just adding a few plush throw pillows into the mix can be enough to achieve that feeling.
Opt for rich fabrics and gorgeous colors to maximize this effect, and use textures and patterns that will bring more depth into the space. No matter what your style is, include pillows in various sizes and colors to add depth.
Who wouldn’t want to live in a home that looks and feels like it could be featured in a magazine? The good news is, you don’t have to break the bank to achieve this look. With a few simple and creative touches, you can effectively create a luxurious feel in your home that you and your guests will adore.
