Million Dollar Rooms on a Shoestring Budget

Money doesn’t buy style the old adage goes, but style sure can make a place look much more expensive than your budget allows.

Good news is, like most of us, you don’t have millions of dollars in the bank but want to make your interiors look and feel seriously elegant and sophisticated.

Simple styling hacks and small, thoughtful touches can make all the difference to how luxe your home looks and feels — whether you’re a first-time buyer, renovating with a family in mind, or wanting to breathe new life in to your forever home.Here, six quick and easy ways to transform your living space and add a little luxury for less.

1. GET YOUR LIGHTING RIGHT

Look for functional lighting with a flourish to provide a focal point. Not only is lighting a functional necessity, but it also plays a key role in setting the tone of the home. Establish the focal points in your living room and place a lamp in each — a statement lampshade will instantly up your home’s style factor.
If you really want to impress, consider installing a ceiling pendant or unique light. Whether its an old-charm chandelier, Japanese-inspired lantern or a minimalist, metallic style, there are options to suit every budget.
Maximise your natural lighting by ensuring curtains or blinds aren’t blocking any sunlight. Side-sweeping curtains can often box in windows, making the area feel smaller. Instead, opt for ceiling-hanging curtains and keep clutter off window sills.
2. UPDATE YOUR FLOORS

Ditch your old carpet and go for a more elegant flooring style. Wooden flooring will modernise your home and give each room a sophisticated polish. Rather than investing in the real-deal, opt for laminate flooring and enjoy the effect, without spending a fortune.
Quick-Step’s range of laminate flooring is available in an extensive colour palette and includes a scratch-resistant top layer. Easy to maintain and very true-to-nature, there’s a hue for every home. With a 25-year warranty, laminate flooring affords rooms a timeless style that will evolve with your home in the years to come.

3. ADD A LITTLE GREENERY

House plants are a cost-effective way to instantly transform a tired space. Not only do they add colour and texture to an all-neutral colour scheme, but they also bring added health benefits.
Just ask NASA. The American Space Agency conducted a study in to the best air-purifying plants; they found 18 species — including the Peace Lilly and the Spider Plant — worth adding to your basket at the nursery.
Different types of plant work for different rooms. Opt for sleep-enhancing Aloe Vera in the bedroom, kitchen-friendly English Ivy to banish air pollutants like mold and the easy-to-care-for Broadleaf Lady Plant in a shady yet sunny living room nook. Just be sure to check the label first, some house plants — like English Ivy — can be toxic to pets.

4. INJECT ARTY TOUCHES

You don’t need a Warhol hanging on your wall to make an artful impact: Shop prints online, scour art fairs for affordable pieces from young artists or develop photos and seek-out vintage frames — mixing frame size, colour and texture can add a new dimension to an otherwise bland space.
Work with what you have, too. Reupholstering old furniture in a new fabric to match your colour scheme, switching up where you hang existing artwork, or bunching together beloved items like postcards, shells and books on free-hanging wooden shelves or a coffee table to create stylish vignettes is a sure-fire way to make a room look much more expensive.
Comfort and luxury go hand in hand in this living room. Quick-Step’s Marble Vinyl combines the look of real marble with the soft and warm touch of vinyl to create a sensuous, stylish finish.

5. GO MINIMALIST

Freeing up space instantly makes your home look more expensive, but before you cull that dining table and chairs or large rug, ask yourself honestly what purpose those pieces serve. If you regularly entertain guests then they’ll need somewhere to sit. If your home is on the chilly side, that rug has an important job.
Once you’ve taken stock, ditch or downsize the pieces you no longer need. Either sell online or put them out in council clean-up. Apart from taking less time to clean, a simplified space will really allow your remaining elements to shine.
TIP: For added interest and elegance, invest in molding on bare walls or ceilings. Narrow molding will give your room an extra dimension — for an eye-pleasing look, ensure you keep the spacing even and the edges aligned.

6. SPLURGE WHERE IT COUNTS

When it comes to key pieces, paying a little more now will save you money further down the track. While it may seem excessive to drop a few thousand on a sofa or a freestanding bath, opting for a quality-made style will last you much longer.
The key is to go for timeless pieces that will work with different interior styles and palettes. As the years pass by, your sofa or bath and sink will be able to adapt with the rest of your home. Save your pennies on accents and trend-based additions that won’t last the distance.

 

Source: homestolove.com.au