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Elegant furniture, bespoke lighting and designer touches – when it comes to interiors, some things just scream (or rather whisper) ‘money’. But you don’t need to spend huge sums to create a sumptuous look. Follow my advice for creating home that looks high-end, as well as the cheapening pitfalls to avoid.
Supersize your rugs
Few things look sadder – or cheaper – than a too-tiny, lost-looking rug floating around, island-like, in the middle of the floor. ‘Bigger is better when trying to achieve a look of luxury in any room – going large creates an air of lavish style,’ advises interior designer Olivia Wilkins, from Decorbuddi.com.
‘An oversized rug becomes a feature, anchoring the scheme and grouping furniture visually. For example, a living room rug should be large enough for at least the front feet of your sofa or armchairs to sit on it.’
This year, the fanciest homes are embracing natural materials such as wool, jute and sisal, in warm neutrals and earthy tones, so try high street retailers like Dunelm, LaRedoute.co.uk and Rugvista.co.uk for affordable on-trend oversized floor fillers.
High street: Elements wave natural border wool rug, £139, Dunelm.com
High end: Scallop rug in ivory, £3,024, Salvesengraham.com
Upgrade handles and switches
There’s a reason you’ll never see white plastic light switches in the homes of the super-rich.
‘Swapping ordinary sockets, switches and door handles for metal – such as bronze, antique brass or brushed nickel – is far classier,’ says Olivia. Designers often head to Corston.com for beautiful switches and sockets, but you can get a similar look for cheaper at RSElectricalsupplies.co.uk or Soholighting.com.
Equally, changing the knobs and handles on kitchen furniture will give it an instant, fancy-looking facelift.
For a good selection, try Plankhardware.com, Poshhardwareshop.com or Knobblesandbobbles.com.
High street: Designer Levers beehive doorknob, £16.49 (per pair), Screwfix.com
High end: Berenice door knob in polished brass waxed, £522.21 (per pair), Josephgiles.com
Layer your lighting
A favourite trick of interior designers, ‘layering’ your lighting – including several lighting types in one room – is one of the most effective ways to elevate your décor.
‘Combining spots, pendants, wall lights, shelf lighting, floor lamps and table lamps allows you to zone your space by switching certain areas on and off according to the mood or time of day, creating a luxurious ambience that exudes high–end design,’ says Olivia. ‘You don’t even need to rewire, as it’s now possible to get inexpensive rechargeable wall lights, table lamps and LED strip lighting for shelving, no electrician required, from places such as Pooky.com, Dunelm and even Amazon.’
High street: Bobble ceramic table lamp, £65, Habitat.co.uk
High end: Husk lamp in plaster white, £1,283, PortaRomana.com
Elevate the ordinary
Upcycling or ‘hacking’ high street furnishings can give them an infinitely more expensive air.
‘As well as replacing knobs or handles with more aesthetically–pleasing ones, you can also change the legs on furniture, sew trim onto cushions or blinds, add decorative moulding and textured panels to doors, or fix panels to the top and bottom of wardrobes to make them appear built-in,’ says Olivia.
For replacement legs, visit Prettypegs.com, Heritagecomponents.co.uk or Etsy.co.uk. You can find beading at moulding at Oracdecor.com, B&Q (DIY.com) and Theenglishpanellingcompany.co.uk, while VVRouleaux.com, Dunelm and Hobbycraft sell lovely trims and tassels.
High street: Berntorp brass handle pull, £13, Poshhardwareshop.com
High end: Sparkbrook cabinet handle in satin brass lacquered, £147, ArmacMartin.co.uk
Give plastic the push
Natural is definitely the way to go when aiming for champagne décor on a lemonade budget.
‘Opting for feather cushion inners rather than foam (try Dunelm and John Lewis); buying real plants rather than artificial ones; decanting bargain liquid soaps into stylish reusable glass dispensers; and generally removing anything plastic or synthetic will make your home look more luxe,’ says Olivia.
Savvy interior stylists shop for chic yet cheap glass and ceramic storage in H&M Home (www2.hm.) and at IKEA.
High street: Ribbed glass soap dispenser, £3, BMstores.co.uk
High end: The Everything bottle, £67, Maisonbalzac.com
Look for details
When shopping for your home, keep an eye out for details.
‘Furniture and furnishings with a little something ‘extra’ can make a scheme seem less off–the–shelf and more bespoke,’ reveals Olivia. ‘It could be as simple as a carved edge to a wooden sideboard, a fleck of a different colour within a fabric, or detailed fringing on a cushion.’ Want to appear in-the-know trend-wise? Arches, waves and scallop shapes continue to be top of the style charts this year, along with stripes and checkered patterns.
High street: Block stripe cushion in pistachio, £25, John Lewis
High end: Cocktail cushion in mint cream & zest skinny stripe, £125 (148.95 euros), Colours of Arley
Get touchy–feely
The secret to an expensive–looking scheme? ‘Texture and layers, layers, layers,’ says Olivia. ‘Whether you’re adding 3-D art to a textured wall, piling cushions and cosy throws onto your sofa, or adding a supersoft rug to warm-toned wood flooring, layers are the key to suggesting sophistication. Don’t be afraid to go bold either, with complementary colours, different–sized patterns, and mixing tactile materials such as velvet or boucle.’
Next, Dunelm and Made.com are all good places to hunt for designer dupe furniture and accessories in luxe-to-the-touch fabrics.
High street: Rizado white faux sheepskin boucle armchair, £495, Oliver Bonas
High end: Arctander chair with armrests in sheepskin, £6,134, Skandium
And finally…
Clear the clutter
The simplest way to elevate the look of your home doesn’t cost a penny.
‘Clutter makes rooms appear smaller and uncared for; whereas a tidy, organised room will instantly seem more spacious and curated, no matter how much your furniture cost,’ explains Olivia. So, have a thorough sort-out, try to keep floors clear, and bin, donate or sell anything you don’t need on eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Olioapp.com or Vinted.
You could even use the proceeds to buy a chic oversized cushion or two…!
