How to Achieve a High-End Designer Look For Less

If you are anything like me, you ooh and aah over picture-perfect rooms in magazine spreads and on social media and wonder how you could get such a look in your own home. But you don’t have to hire an interior designer, get rid of your existing furnishings or break the bank to achieve a high-end look. Creating a magazine-worthy design is more about strategic placement and a few simple adjustments than buying expensive pieces and plopping them down around your home.

Let’s look at eight smart, simple, and most important, affordable ways you can create a luxe look you’ll love.

Go big with artwork.

If you’ve got the wall space, choose large pieces to decorate a room. Large pieces looks pricey, create a focal point and generate a wow factor that just doesn’t exist with smaller pieces.

The most dramatic looks feature a blank wall with just one large piece, but if you find a series of pieces you love, go for it. Hit flea markets, thrift stores and end-of-season sales to find impact pieces for less. And take a look at outdoor décor!

With outdoor rooms all the rage, you can find some beautiful sculptural pieces that will look just as good inside the home as outside — and they can be surprisingly affordable! Plus, some outdoor pieces don’t look like they are meant for the outdoors, so no one will know the difference.

Hide the TV. 

One thing you won’t see in luxe magazine spreads is a television. Flat-screen TVs that hang on the wall are less obtrusive than older models that required a stand. In either case, it’s best to disguise your TV if you want to achieve a sophisticated look. Remove it from the room if you never watch TV there, hide it inside an entertainment cabinet or camouflage a wall-mounted TV by creating a gallery of artwork around it. 

Focus on simple styling.

Cluttered and over-filled rooms look messy rather than luxurious, even if those knick-knacks are high-end. For a chic, sophisticated look, keep it simple. Reduce collections and display only those items with sentimental value, rotate your displays with the seasons or relegate them to one area of focus, like a mantel or bookcase. Simplified styles like this allow the remaining pieces to shine, particularly if those pieces are carefully chosen to achieve the look and feel you desire.

Add texture.

Sophisticated room designs often feature just one or two colors. To avoid a monotone look, those colors may be displayed in a range of hues or in different patterns or textures. Don’t be afraid to try something new, different or bold with your accessories. Texture and patterns create interest, help personalize your look, and keep the theme going without making things too blah.

Choose furniture with a design element.

Instead of a basic square or rectangular layout, choose free-flowing, curved furniture, tables or accessories. These pieces serve double duty as furniture and as works of art. Unique shapes, colors, textures and silhouettes create interesting rooms and lend them an artistic look.

Give the room a facelift.

A quick trip to the hardware store and a little DIY magic can transform a room. Wainscoting, crown molding and ceiling medallions all add a little pop to a room. These finishing touches are elegant and commonly found in upscale homes. If you have even minimal DIY skills you can completely transform the look and feel of a room.

Brighten the room with fresh flowers.

Few décor items provide more bang for their buck than fresh flowers. Fresh flowers are bright, colorful and simple, giving a room an instant lift. You don’t need to spend a lot either, as a fresh bouquet from the grocery store or even cuttings from your yard will do just fine. Bigger, fuller bouquets and arrangements are impressive but even smaller arrangements will do.

Splurge on small pieces.

Small pieces can have a big impact so don’t overlook them when you’re redesigning. They are more affordable than larger pieces, but no less impressive and can provide a sense of joy when they catch your eye. It’s a trick that lifestyle blogger Camille Styles uses too.

“I love the look of high-end materials like marble and polished brass, but if you can’t afford, say, an all-marble kitchen countertop, why not bring those materials into your space by using them on smaller pieces and home accessories? I have a table lamp with a marble base that adds a very posh touch to my home office,” Styles says.

Visit HomLuv today to find inspiration and design ideas you can use to up the sophistication level of your home!