How to make your home look expensive (on a budget)

How many of us swoon over the grandeur of celebrity homes? I love binge-watching Architectural Digests' ‘Open Door’ series. Let’s be honest, we love to sit watch these videos to not only admire celebrity homes but criticise them. Reading comments on Kim and Kanye’s all-white minimalist home was particularly entertaining to me as there was a flood of criticism from very ordinary people disliking the ‘emptiness’ of their multi-million mansion. Made me think of the ‘those who can’t do, teach’ phrase. I won’t lie, sometimes I am one of those people. Watching those videos are free and so is analysing and criticising the interior taste of the multi-millionaires.

Whilst we can’t all afford Maria Sharapova’s basement bowling alley, there are some simple things you can do it give your small home that elegant touch. Heck, I won’t sugarcoat it. Here is how to make your home look expensive on a budget.

PICK YOUR STYLE

Before designing or even redesigning, decide what sort of interior style is your favourite:

Minimalist vs Maximalist

Retro vs Futuristic

Vintage vs Modern

Traditional vs Contemporary

Abstract vs Coherence

Picking your style can also be inspired by culture, your favourite place, or personal interests. The golden rule in making your home look expensive is to remember to be purposeful. The reason why so many celeb homes featured on Architectural Digest are so interesting to watch is because everything seems to have a meaning. Every placement of any or all artefacts is deeply rooted in the interests of the resident. An all IKEA furniture home may not look 'expensive’ not because IKEA is bad, it’s because it doesn’t tell a personal story. Instead, the room reads like an IKEA catalogue. And, it’s very easy to change that. The following images are used on IKEA’s website, yet it doesn’t feel like your usual ‘budget IKEA home’. IKEA’s brilliant marketing team has picked a clear theme and style and then chosen pieces that fit the narrative. It’s not all about how much each piece costs but how everything fits together. So, ask yourself: what is your style?

Source: IKEA UK

GO FOR FEWER BUT BIGGER THINGS

This is a simple yet very effective tip. When decorating, it's better to declutter and keep it simple. Rather than busying your space with unnecessary trend pieces that go out of fashion. Choose quality. The following image illustrates my point really well. A large mirror, oversized pot and a grand rug give the room an elegant touch. It is clear that the owner has thought about their space, and how to maximise it.

CREATE AN ONGOING MOOD BOARD

I have a Pinterest mood boarding addiction when it comes to interior design. One big lesson I have learned over the years is that one mood board is never enough. And, one mood board made in ‘one time’ is even worse. Your mood boards should be dynamic, and something you add to continuously. What you like now is likely to change over time, and so should your planning and research.

I was really into aztec prints a couple of years ago. And, now? I can’t think of anything worse. I really thought the ’marble look’ was the one for me, but when I pinned my favourite images together I realised that I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would.

Moodboarding is essential in knowing and understanding how your pieces will fit together and help to differentiate between individual trend pieces and classy interior ensembles.

This way you save money and not spend on items that you will get bored of within months. It's better to really know what you will love, wait, save money and invest.

My home moodboard that I add to constantly and consistently

A lot of the ideas on my board look expensive and probably are. But I can make simple choices like the colour of tiles or artwork I pick up in a boot sale to mirror the images above.

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MONOTONED AND MINIMALIST

Monotoned vs Minimalist. These are two very different concepts.

Monotoned in fashion and interiors means simple to create an ensemble of the same/similar colour palette

Minimalist in fashion and interiors implies simplicity, necessity, and living with what you absolutely need

Neither is better or worse than the other. Some of you may say that I like neither, I would argue that even the most eclectic person has some sort of scheme and a core idea that they follow. If you are that person then I would say that some of the core rules of a ‘monotoned style’ will apply to you.

How to do 'monotoned' right:

A monotoned style and scheme can be a game-changer when wanting to make your home look expensive. It can cut a lot of the confusion out. In order to do 'monotoned' right, firstly debunk the myth that implies we should be picking the same colours and matching everything.

Montone means being consistent. Let's take something simple: white. If you like the white colour scheme and theme, pick pieces of furniture, decor pieces and functional items that are within that scheme but is not the same. White lies on a large spectrum, so mix and match.

The rule is the same for those who love an eclectic look. Pick 2-3 complementary colours or even pick your favourite colour and 2/3 neighbouring colours on the colour wheel.

With the monotoned colour scheme, you can mix up textures, and contrast with big, bold art pieces that create that wow factor. Here are some examples:

How to do 'minimalist' right:

Minimalist isn't boring. I used to think so, and I was so wrong. Minimalist interiors can often be the ones that look and feel the most expensive (incl. Kim and Kanye's mansion). Minimalist done right can be beautiful and sleek.

Culturally speaking, many popular interior trends such as Japandi, Scandinavian, and post-modern architectures are deeply rooted in minimalism. To put it into other words, minimalism doesn't have to mean empty or lack of. In fact, for most people minimalism can mean that they have few but very high-quality pieces that naturally give that expensive look. Here are some examples:

Pick your style, go for fewer but bigger pieces, create ongoing mood boards, and understand the difference between minimalist and monotoned. These tips will help you to create a home that's uniquely you, well thought out and looks... expensive.