These Easy Decorating Trends Make Your Home Look Way More Expensive

Decorating your home means personalizing your space, and it can be a lot of fun. It can also be very, very expensive. And since you’ve likely already got a mortgage or rent to contend with, spending thousands on an interior designer may not be realistic.

The good news is, it’s entirely possible to make your home appear much more expensive without breaking the bank. And best of all, it doesn’t have to be complex or complicated. Incorporate a few of these easy decorating trends into your home design to give your rooms an instant “face lift.”

Stick to classic hues

Have you ever noticed that nice homes tend to stick to neutrals? Neutrals look classic and elegant, creating a calm, clutter-free atmosphere.

Next: The crowning glory.

Crown molding

Crown molding increases the value of your home, and it definitely makes it look more luxurious. Better yet, it’s easy to install yourself.

Next: Go with gold.

Gold spray paint

If you want to add some glamour to a room, just grab a can of gold spray paint. Coat your picture frames, vases, and trays, or add some gold to your mirror frames.

Next: Go big.

Large scale art

Invest in a few large, abstract paintings that span across the back of your couch or your bed. They can be inexpensive prints, but their large size will make a big impact.

Next: This expensive-looking storage space can be faked.

Fake a built-in bookcase

You don’t have to splurge on a custom-installed set of shelves to get the built-in look. You can stack four tall bookcases and secure them to your walls to get the look of library shelves.

Next: Go minimal. 

Try minimalism

You may think that having an excess of artifacts and decorative touches is necessary to make your space look expensive, but sometimes clutter has the opposite effect. Minimalist design focuses on negative space and gives your eyes a place to rest. Besides, it never goes out of style.

Next: It’s all in the finish.

Coordinate finishes

Coordinate the hardware finishes in your kitchen and bathrooms. Replacing mismatched accessories with new, coordinated pieces makes the space look more polished.

Next: First impressions matter.

Focus on the foyer

Improving your home’s entryway is a great way to make your home look more elegant. Give the area a fresh coat of paint, add an area rug, and if you have the room, accessorize with plants.

Next: Send your TV into hiding.

Camouflage your living room television

A huge TV in your living room sometimes looks out of place. You can conceal it with fancy mirrors, but if those aren’t in your budget, visually minimize its presence by creating a gallery wall around it. Although it will still be visible, it will blend in with the rest of your decor.

Next: Small details make a big difference.

Decorate with meaningful details

Do you have a collection of souvenirs and mementos that you can incorporate into your decorating? Display them — your guests will notice and ask you questions, and their attention will be there instead of the areas of your home that may need replacing or improving.

Next: Mirror, mirror, on the wall…

Hang oversized mirrors on the walls

Not only will oversized mirrors make your space look larger, but this timeless trend looks totally elegant. You can usually find great deals on large mirrors at yard sales and secondhand shops.

Next: Pump up the pillows. 

Replace your throw pillows

Throw pillows are an easy and expensive way to brighten a room. Mix and match colors and textures for best results.

Next: Light up your space. 

Play around with lighting

Proper lighting is essential to making your rooms look their best. Make sure you don’t block your windows, and add plenty of table and floor lamps to dark corners to brighten them up.

Next: Go green in the bedroom.

Place plants in your bedroom

Living plants and bouquets of flowers will enhance your bedroom space more than anything else. You can find budget blooms at your local grocery store or farmers’ markets, and secondhand stores tend to have great cheap vases.

Next: Love your lamps.

Replace your lampshades

One of the easiest things you can do to improve the look of your home is replace the lampshades. Old and faded or plain white lampshades don’t look expensive, but attractive and interesting lampshades do — and they’re usually very affordable.

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