I have a serious addiction to Pinterest! I can easily spend hours at a time scrolling through photos of amazing homes and houses that I could never afford! Through all of my Pinning, I have managed to narrow down some simple steps to give your home that high-end, expensive look – but on a budget. So here are some quick and easy upgrades you can make throughout your home to make it look more expensive and well finished.
Upgrade your cushions
Nothing screams luxury more than some lovely, plump cushions on your sofa or bed. A simple and super cost-effective trick is to switch tired, flat micro-fibre cushion pads for some lovely squishy feather inners. Measure your cushion cover and opt for a pad that is around 2 inches bigger. This wee trick will make the cushion look fuller, comfier and more luxurious. It also stops any baggy bits or empty corners!
Add some wall panelling
A huge trend in interiors right now is wall panelling. It’s amazing how something so simple can really upgrade your home. For those of us who are not blessed with original period features in our homes, wall panelling is something you can add yourself for instant sophistication! Panelling adds character, texture and interest to your walls. It’s an upgrade that you can do yourself too – and all for the price of some moulding and wood glue.
There are lots of different styles, so think carefully about what will best suit your house. While older homes will suit a more traditional style of panelling, modern houses or new build properties may be better suited to a simpler style, like in the image above.
There are plenty of tutorials out there for DIY panelling, but Chelsea from The House That Black Built has made it so simple with plenty of photos and easy instructions in this blog post.
Clear Away The Clutter
Another simple step to make your home look more expensive is to clear away clutter. Start by editing what you have on display. Think about what you have out on your surfaces – be it shelves, coffee tables or windowsills. Place items with intention, and group accessories together for a more curated look. I like to go for groups of three items with varying heights. If you have lots of ‘stuff’ that you love, don’t be afraid to put some things away in a cupboard and swap it out at a later date. I love to do this – you get an instant refresh and it’s like going shopping but without spending any money!
Hang some art
Upgrade those empty walls! Hanging art on your wall is such an easy way to add colour and personality to your home. It’s something that can really help to finish off your room. Try to find something that brings in your colour scheme for the room. For impact, you can go for one big piece or several smaller pieces grouped together. When you’re hanging your art, try to get the centre of the painting or print at eye level, and don’t go too high – especially if it’s over furniture! Desenio is great for finding prints, and they’re really affordable too!
Dress your windows
Dressing your windows with curtains or blinds can make a huge difference to your room and will frame your windows for a well-finished look. Hanging a pair of long curtains at your window will make your room look more sophisticated and expensive. Short curtains can feel a bit like you have skimped on fabric, while long curtains always look more luxurious. Hang your curtains higher and wider than your window to make it look bigger and brighter. Ideally, the curtains should just skim the floor too. You can download our measuring and fitting guide for more tips!
I recently did a round-up of my favourite readymade curtains which all come in long lengths and are affordable.
Size-up your rug
One last simple trick to upgrade your home is to replace a teeny rug with a large one. Having a large rug can help to ground your furniture and pull your room together. They can also help to ‘zone’ areas of an open plan room. Rugs are also a great way to add texture to your home, which helps make your room feel cosier and look more luxurious. Ideally, your rug should be big enough to fit under all of your furniture. If you’re not sure about how to place your rug in your room, have a look at our handy rug placement guide for some extra tips!
So there you have my top six easy tips for upgrading your home. Trust me, these tips are simple but so effective. Your home will look more expensive and well-finished in no time. Know of any other tips? Let me know in the comments below!