How to Make Your House Look Luxurious on a Tight Budget

Last Updated: November 15, 2022 References

We use our homes to help distinguish ourselves from others and show off our personal style. If you feel like it’s time to give your home’s interior design a makeover, but you don’t want to invest a whole lot of money, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to give your home a luxurious upgrade without a high price tag. Try some of the tips on this list to get started!

1

Mix textures.

Using different textures gives a space a polished, professional look.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Garrison Hullinger
Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 2 November 2022.} If you have a leather sofa, add some fluffy or quilted cushions or blankets to it to balance out the smoothness of the leather. If you have a wooden entertainment center, add some metal accessories and books to it to make it more interesting and textured.^{[2]
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- Try to avoid combining things with the same finishes or textures. For example, if you have a metal coffee table, put a wooden bowl on it instead of a metal bowl.

2

Put a large rug in your living room.

A rug ties all your furniture together and makes the room look bigger. Choose a rug that occupies most of the middle of the room. Lay it down in the center of the room so that at least 2 legs of your couch or chairs are on it.^{[3]
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- You can use a rug with a bold color or pattern as a statement piece in a room with lots of neutral colors and patterns.

3

Hide clutter in baskets and decorative bowls.

Luxurious homes are not known for being cluttered, so hide yours! Big up pet or kid toys and stash them in a closet or in a toy basket. Place decorative bowls in hallways to store things like keys and miscellaneous items. While you’re at it, get rid of anything you don’t need!^{[4]
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- You can make your personality shine through your storage solutions, with different pots and baskets.^{[5]
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  Expert Source
  
  Garrison Hullinger
  Interior Designer
  Expert Interview. 2 November 2022.}

4

Overstuff your throw pillows.

Overfilled pillows look like expensive hotel pillows. Fill throw pillow covers with inserts that are just slightly larger than the covers. Place the throw pillows on sofas, armchairs, beds, and anywhere else you want to make your guests feel like they’re staying at a 5-star hotel!^{[6]
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- For example, if you have some 18 in (46 cm) throw pillow covers, stuff them with 20 in (51 cm) pillow inserts.
- If you don’t have any throw pillows, buy some cases and oversized inserts separately and add them to your home to take the decor up a notch.

5

Place curtains higher up on the wall.

Higher curtains create the illusion of a higher ceiling.^{[7]
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Expert Source

Garrison Hullinger
Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 2 November 2022.} Install curtain rods close to the ceiling instead of right above windows and doors. Choose long, flowing drapes for an even grander feel.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Karen Parziale
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.}
- Standard walls are about 8 ft (2.4 m) tall, so use drapes that are 8–10 ft (2.4–3.0 m) tall if you want them to be really flowy.
- Use curtain tie-backs to create an elegant look surrounding the windows.^{[9]
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  Expert Source
  
  Garrison Hullinger
  Interior Designer
  Expert Interview. 2 November 2022.}

6

Hang up some artwork.

Inexpensive artwork can elevate the look of any room. You can find cheap art pieces at thrift stores, discount outlets, and garage sales. Choose a few big, bold pieces you like and hang them up around your house to give it a luxurious artistic appearance.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Karen Parziale
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.}
- For example, you might hang up a few colorful still life paintings of fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients in your kitchen or dining room.
- Or, you could find an old gold-framed portrait painting and hang it in your foyer to make a grand statement when people walk into your home.

7

Bring plants indoors.

This quickly revitalizes a dull room. Place vases of flowers around the house for some color, or fill decorative bowls with acorns and twigs for a more rustic natural look. If you have rooms with lots of natural light, place some planters with unique tropical plants in them.^{[11]
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- A bowl of artificial fruit in any room can be used to liven up the monotonous environment.

8

Place antiques on display.

This gives your home a “richer” look. If you don’t have any actual antiques, just display items that look like they’re old. Antique-style lamps and metallic accessories of all types are good choices.^{[12]
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- For example, if you have end tables on either side of a couch, put an antique brass lamp on 1 of the tables and an old-looking metal bowl on the other.

9

Use a neutral paint scheme.

Neutral colors let other elegant accents take center stage. Choose grays, creams, browns, and honey shades for the base paint scheme. Neutral colors are especially useful on the ground floor and in common rooms like the dining room and living room.^{[13]
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Expert Source

Karen Parziale
Home Stager & Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 21 April 2020.}
- You can add pops of paint in bold colors for more private rooms such as the bedrooms, or bathrooms.
- Neutral hues create a calm, clutter-free, and classic environment.
- Use lighter neutral colors in rooms that you want to make feel larger.

10

Paint kitchen appliances stainless steel.

Make your appliances look new and expensive without replacing them. Use a paint-on, liquid stainless steel finish and brush it onto any outdated kitchen appliances to update them. For example, cover up that old yellowed refrigerator, dishwasher, or range top.^{[14]
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- Different types of stainless steel paint are made for different appliances and applications, so make sure to read all the directions before purchasing any paint to make sure you can use it for your appliances.

11

Create a mirror wall.

Mirrors can make spaces look bigger and brighter. Hang a series of decorative mirrors for an easy and cheap way to give any room a more luxurious feeling. A unique mirror wall reflects light and creates more visual square footage.^{[15]
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- If possible, place your mirrors adjacent to windows and doors leading to the outside; this is a good way to let more light in and can even create the illusion of having more windows.

12

Refinish old cabinets or furniture.

Refinishing old wooden pieces gives them a sleek new look. Sand off all the old paint or finish from things like kitchen cabinets or wooden shelf units. Repaint or stain them in an elegant new color to match the rest of your updated decor.^{[16]
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- For example, if your kitchen cabinets have a faded natural wood color, repaint them matte black or gray for a contemporary update.

13

Switch out the hardware on your furniture.

This is a cheap and easy way to give any piece a luxurious facelift. Change the handles on drawers, cabinets, dressers, and closets. Use brushed brass or copper hardware for a warmer, classier feel in spaces like your kitchen.^{[17]
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- Or, switch hardware out for square and rectangular black or metallic handles for a sleeker, more modern look.

14

Update light fixtures.

Invest in quality lights that set up your focal point for a room. Get rid of old, basic light fixtures and replace them with modern hanging lights or chandeliers. Choose antique-looking fixtures or more industrial-style lights based on your personal preferences.^{[18]
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- It is best to install a dimmer on overhead lights to control mood lighting.
- Foyers determine the first impression of the home. A centered chandelier in your foyer can create a warm, welcoming aura in the entry area.
- Make sure the size of a fixture is proportional to room size to avoid clutter, awkwardness, and an eyesore.
- You can also update lampshades to cheaply upgrade old table lamps or floor lamps.

15

Add architectural trim.

Trim creates dimension in your house. Add chair railing and crown molding to your walls to help create a paneled look, which draws your attention to certain areas of the room. Install trim around the edges of your windows to make them more elegant, too.^{[19]
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Expert Source

Emma Oberlander
Interior Designer
Expert Interview. 7 April 2021.}
- Crown molding is like baseboards but for where your wall meets your ceiling. Chair railing is like baseboards halfway up your walls, like a hand rail but stuck to the wall.
- Molding keeps the spacing even, symmetrical, and aesthetic.
- Wide molding is better than narrow when you’re going for a more elegant, luxurious look.
- Add molding to your kitchen cabinets. Molding the top of your kitchen cabinets gives an extra level of polish to the kitchen.

16

Put subway tile on kitchen and bathroom walls.

Subway tile is an affordable way to add a splash to your walls. Purchase some white subway tile and install it on your kitchen wall behind the sink and countertops for a classic, elegant look. Or, add a colorful tile wall to your bathroom to make it look far above average.^{[20]
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- If you can afford it, consider adding multiple tiled walls of different sizes and designs for even more interest.

17

Get some velvet furniture.

Velvet looks expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Look for a velvet sofa on sale or buy one second hand and make it a statement piece in your living room or lounge. If you can’t find an affordable sofa, look for a single velvet armchair or a velvet poof instead.^{[21]
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- Colors like pink, emerald green, and blue are all great choices for an expensive-looking piece of velvet furniture.

18

Make a padded headboard.

Padded headboards make your bedroom look more expensive. Cover your existing headboard in foam or cover a piece of plywood or MDF board in foam. Staple the fabric of your choice over the foam and voila, you have an easy DIY padded headboard.^{[22]
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- Chocolate-colored silk or taupe suede are both luxurious-looking fabrics that work well for a padded headboard.

Expert Q&A

Question

What are some luxurious lighting options for my home?

Emma Oberlander
Interior Designer
Emma Oberlander is an Interior Designer and the Owner of Otis Street Design in Boston, Massachusetts. She specializes in residential remodels, boutique hospitality design, project management, and budget design. Emma holds a BA in Communication and Media Studies from Northeastern University and an MA in Interior Architecture from The New England School of Art and Design. She has a combined ten years of project management experience in the design, marketing, and non-profit industries, both nationally and internationally.

Emma Oberlander

Interior Designer

Expert Answer

Recessed lighting is definitely worth the investment—and put them on dimmers. If you don't have the budget to do recessed lights, replace the flush mounted lights in your house with a more stylish option.
Question

Would a movie poster of Pulp Fiction be ok in a luxurious living room?

Gavin Donnelly

Community Answer

A movie poster of Pulp Fiction would be OK anywhere! It's one of the greatest movies of all time, after all. If you want to make it look more luxurious, put it in a nice frame.
Question

How much money would it cost to update all of this?

Community Answer

It depends upon the brand value of the products that you'll be buying and the area of your room and furniture. If it is already painted, a retouch with another color or another texture on top won't cost too much. Likewise, if whatever is at the base is in an okay condition, adding more accent on top of them won't require as much material, and so the spending will be half the usual cost. To further cut down the cost, you can evaluate various options like wallpaper, textured paint, primer+paint, LED lights, chandelier, etc and see which ones you like for your home or space and then decide. The costs differ depending on what you choose.