Unless you have a professional interior designer navigating you toward the best, most affordable resources for home décor and furniture, furnishing your home and especially your living room can become expensive quickly. Luckily, there are a few foolproof ways you can make your living room look like you’ve shelled out the big bucks, without breaking the bank.
Hang Your Curtains Up High
Your home may not have soaring ceilings and expansive windows like some of the most luxurious homes on the market, but you can still fake it ‘til you make it. Engage in some visual trickery by hanging your drapery and hardware up high, as close to the ceiling as possible. Doing so will draw eyes upward and make your room appear much taller than it is.
Pare Down Your Possessions
A cluttered, messy home looks decidedly unsophisticated, while an interior that’s thoughtfully curated will appear Zen and chic. Pare down the accessories on your bookshelves, tabletops, and other vignettes to just a few beloved pieces for a more expensive look. If you don’t want to part with your collections, you can store favorite accessories and rotate things in and out seasonally if need be.
Upgrade Your Lampshades in the Living Room
Budget shops like HomeGoods and affordable retailers like Bed Bath and Beyond and CB2 are great for finding wallet-friendly lighting. When you’ve found a lamp base that you love, upgrade its standard stock shade and even its finial for a more personalized look. This simple swap will make any big-box find look remarkably unique.
Mix Up Your Textures
Using the same one or two textures throughout your living room is a surefire way to make a space look flat and dull. Instead, mix a variety of textures in your upholstery, decorative pillows, throws, and drapery for a more dynamic, elevated look. Use pillows of different sizes for a more dimensional look.
Display Fresh Flowers in the Living Room
You don’t need to hire a celebrity florist to give your home photo-shoot-worthy appeal. A simple $10 grocery store bouquet will provide your space with instant sophistication and create a warm, welcoming vibe. Scatter a few small arrangements, each with a single type of stem, throughout your room for an elevated look.