Have you ever wondered why high-end homes always look so great? Sure, some of it does come down to a generous budget, but that shouldn’t stop you from making your own home your haven. There are plenty of affordable changes you can make to your home that will make it feel luxurious and magazine-worthy.
Don’t believe us? We spoke to the experts to discover five fail-proof ways to make your home look its best – whatever your budget.
1. Keep it clean and tidy
Without care, your home looks unloved and unkempt. It’s a tall ask, but if possible, keep your home tidy at all times to give the impression everything is where it should be and has been carefully selected and purchased for the space. Digital content creator and our friend in home and hosting, Loui Burke, builds tidying his home into his daily routine and is always on the lookout for beautiful storage options. “Especially if you’re in an older home, like those Art Deco homes or the Victorian homes that don’t have built-ins – try and find as much chic storage as possible,” says Loui.
Loui outlines his own daily routine on The Edit podcast, sharing that having a robotic vacuum cleaner helps him stay on top of the day-to-day cleaning, along an occasional steam clean for windows and skirting boards to remove built-up grime. At the very least, invite friends over regularly so prompt a quick whip through to clean and tidy for their visit – then enjoy the rewards yourself when they’ve gone.
“Do you know when people say you are what you eat? I think it’s also you are the space that you’re in, because ultimately it is a representation of you and how you look after you.”
Loui Burke
Listen to Loui Burke on The Edit podcast:
Need some cleaning inspiration?
2. Stick to a colour palette
Once you’ve chosen your colours for decorating, stick to them. Work from a mood board and add your products, paints and purchases as you go to ensure everything works beautifully together. This will keep your look as streamlined as possible and result in a more luxurious look. Not sure where to start? According to Interior designer Claudia Lambert, the first step is finding “what you’re drawn to.” Sharing some great tips on where to get started on The Edit podcast, Claudia encourages us to collect inspiration all in one place – on platforms like Pinterest and a theme will emerge. “There will be a common thread that comes through on your feed. Your algorithm will give it to you,” Claudia states. “Is it the colour red? Is it brass? Is it old or new? What is it? What is that common thread?”
Once you’ve found it, it’s time to expand on it.
Listen to Claudia Lambert on The Edit podcast:
3. Authentic style over fast fads
A unique interior that reflects the thoughts, passions and interests of its inhabitants will always be more stylish and interesting than a home decorated according to a fleeting trend. That means boldly decorating your home with items you genuinely love, rather than things social media or even your favourite designer declares are currently in vogue. “One of my pastimes is really digging deep for vintage,” shared Briellyn Turton on The Edit podcast. “It’s almost like I just get locked in and I can spend hours, whether it’s in person, in a dusty store or online… I just really like collecting things.”
“ I just really like collecting things. I think that excites me. And that’s exactly how I approach and how I encourage people to approach their rooms and their homes is with that patience and play and layering.”
Briellyn Turton
Listen to Briellyn Turton on The Edit podcast:
Again, head to Pinterest and start saving a bunch of pictures that stand out to you. Once you’ve spent a few minutes doing that, take a look over the images and look for similarities between them. Are they all brimming with colour? Do they all feature wallpaper? Maybe all of the images feel cosy and inviting. An exercise like this will help you feel more in touch with what you like, and inspire your next home styling moves.
4. Make everything count
Make sure every item on display in your home means something to you. If something in your room is non-essential or doesn’t fill you with joy, edit, edit, edit and pare things right back. Unless, of course, your interior design taste tends towards the maximalist. “If you have a really demanding job and it’s full on and you’re surrounded by lots of furniture and art and colour every day, maybe that gives you energy and you want that in the home,” says Briellyn. “Or maybe you want to come home and have a blank slate.”
Whatever your preference, for a more expensive look, create vignettes with your belongings by styling them together in groups, rather than having things strewn around.
5. Hang art on the walls
One thing that takes an ordinary house and turns into something with personality and flair is art. While you can purchase an original or a limited edition print from an artist or gallery, there are so many affordable treasures to be found on the second-hand market or art fairs. Art doesn’t have to break the bank, either. “Just go around and find things that you love,” says Affordable Art Fair director Georgia Huestis. “Don’t rush into buying something just for the sake of it.” When selecting artwork, trust your instincts and, when in doubt, refer back to your design colour palette and mood board to keep the look of your home consistent.
“I always frame for the artwork itself. They’re like my friends – I want to frame them in the right look.”
Georgia Huestis, Affordable Art Fair Director
Listen to Georgia Huestis on The Edit podcast:
Frames can be matching or eclectic – either works just fine. “I think people can be a bit scared about framing,” says Georgia. “It’s so fun! I think if you find the right framer, or even if you just have an example of something [you like] and take it in, you can house a work quite differently.” Odd numbers work best in a row, or for larger collections, work with a grid style or create a gallery wall. Renting? No problem. Adhesive hooks have come a long way since they were first introduced and will keep even large frames securely attached the wall (just don’t make any of these common Command Hook mistakes).
Share this post