How to decorate your home to look luxe without spending a fortune

How to decorate your home to look luxe without spending a fortune | H is for Home

People often joke about having champagne taste but a lemonade budget, but isn’t that often the case? We’d love to kit out our home with designer furniture and covetable collectables but just can’t afford it. Well, by putting in a little effort and imagination, you can make your space look a million dollars when in reality you’ve not spent a great deal.

Coming up, we’ll share a few useful tips with you on how to decorate your home to look luxe without spending a fortune.

Person cutting red patterned fabric

Upcycle

If you’re fed up with your tired-looking sofa or dining table but don’t have the readily-available funds to replace them, you could give them a makeover for a fraction of the cost of buying new.

If you possess artistic flair or are good with your hands, recovering your sofa and cushion pads could be well within your capabilities. A few metres of an inexpensive fabric could really transform this piece of furniture and give you many more years of happy use.

Flea market stall

Shop second-hand

You’ve been lusting over a particular homeware item but it’s completely out of reach financially. Often, you can pick up desirable pieces at a fraction of the price if you’re willing to buy second-hand. You may need a bit of patience for just what you want to come up for sale, but as the saying goes, “good things come to those who wait”.

When you have the time, trawl your local flea markets, charity shops and car boot sales; you may not find what you want straight away, but you never know when it will be your lucky day! Set up keyword alerts on the various online auction sites so you receive an email when something becomes available.

Wall decorated with luxe wallpaper

Create a feature wall

Have you fallen in love with an extravagant wallpaper that would cost the earth to cover an entire room? Hanging it only on a feature wall would be a lot more affordable. Perhaps paper the wall behind a fireplace or, instead in a recess. A roll of wallpaper is usually a 10-metre length, however, some can be bought much more cheaply by the metre.

Gallery wall with collection of gilt framed art

Put up some art

A simple way to make your interior look opulent if you have very little time, skill or effort is to hang some art on the walls. A gallery wall of pictures or paintings can really give the wow factor to a room. Source a selection of gilt frames, or gild some second-hand ones yourself, to create the maximum luxe effect.

Black & white Berber rug

Put down a rug

If your flooring has seen better days but you can’t afford to have it relaid, consider putting down a rug. Perhaps your carpet is worn or your floorboards are stained, a rug an hide a multitude of sins. Afghan and Berber rugs are very fashionable at the moment and make an interior look and feel luxurious. Depending on your budget, you could opt for a large area rug or a simple runner.

Kimberly Duran, founder of the Swoon Worthy blog provides some more tips on how to make your home look like you won the lottery. The Lottoland website allows you to bet on the outcome of the world’s biggest and best lotto draws.It includes the EuroJackpot (EU), the SuperEnalotto (Italy) and MegaMillions (USA). There’s also the Irish Lotto, Polish Lotto, four from Australia and many, many more.

Do you have any tips or recommendations for budget-friendly ways to make your home look lavish?

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Create a stylish kitchen on a budget

Create a stylish kitchen on a budget

The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in your home. It’s certainly one of the first areas that a potential buyer will look at if they’re thinking about putting down an offer on your property. It was probably one of the rooms you focused on when you bought the house in the first place. So, what do we want from our kitchen? Well, it should be stylish, contemporary and perhaps even a tad futuristic with fun, exciting design features. So, check out some of the ways to create a stylish kitchen on a budget and without breaking the bank.

White metro wall tiles in a kitchen

Cleaning it up

Is your kitchen looking a little worse for wear? You might think it’s out of date, but it could simply be a little bit tired, and there are clever ways to clean it up without spending any money at all. For instance, your kitchen tiles might be looking a little greasy and grimy. If that’s the case, if you treat them with a powerful cleaning solution, you should find that you soon get the original colour and condition of those tiles back. Kitchen cleaning and getting your hands dirty is a great way to save a little money and make sure you don’t waste a fortune on an unnecessary renovation job. Of course, you can also think about clearing away any clutter in your kitchen.

Small induction hob inset into a white countertop

Energy-saving additions

It’s worth pointing out other additions to your kitchen that, while slightly expensive, will save you money in the long run. Modern heat induction hobs look fantastic with beautiful, vibrant light designs and save you a fortune in energy. They’ll only heart the underneath of the surface of the pan that you’re using. In addition, you can also easily heat things like glass casserole dishes on the hob too. With an upgrade like this for your kitchen, you can ensure it looks impressive and is a brilliant, practical addition to your home.

Although that’s certainly not the only tech that would be a worthy addition to your kitchen. You can also think about investing in a new smart fridge. As well as being a great little energy saver, this will improve the enjoyment you get from your kitchen. You’ll certainly find it useful if you constantly forget what you need to buy to top up your supplies when you’re at the supermarket. The smart fridge can send you a virtual list and ensure you always have enough butter, milk, eggs and veg. Plus, don’t forget to get an aerial services specialist to install a TV connection in your kitchen, that way you can watch your favourite shows while you cook.

Herbs growing in a pot on a kitchen countertop

Add a few accessories

If you want your kitchen to look more stylish and attractive, think about adding a few accessories such as a chalkboard, growing herbs in pots and colourful utensil holder. You can get other little ornaments for your kitchen too that can make it feel more homely and welcoming. The best part is that little accessories like this won’t cost that much money at all and so they could be the perfect option if you’re working to renovate your kitchen on a budget.

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5 ways to say bye-bye to beige and make your home unique

5 ways to say bye-bye to beige and make your home unique

Do you ever find yourself feeling bored and uninspired with identikit interiors straight out of the Ikea catalogue? Sometimes it can feel like you could go into any home, anywhere in the world and spot that same HEMNES chest of drawers! We all want homes which reflect our individual personalities and tastes, but if you don’t have the budget to commission custom soft furnishings and hand painted wallpapers, it can feel hard to break the mould and really do something different. But eye catching features and unique decorative touches don’t have to cost the earth.

Don’t make the mistake of trying to buy it in all at once – true stylish individuality in interiors only comes gradually over time and as your life evolves in a space. With the increase in new-build housing, with its perfect, bland beige interiors, being able to express your personality and individuality through your home feels more important to more people than ever before. Adding some impact can be done easily and in a relatively budget-friendly way if you know how. Start by making little changes and, as you discover your taste, you’ll get bolder and more experimental over time. Inject some much needed originality to your space today.

Pair of chairs upholstered in bright patterned fabric

Try some new materials

Sometimes, adding a dash of the unexpected to your home design can be as simple as switching up the materials you choose to use. Using something from left field is a great way to experiment, because you can make it as neutral or as statement as you like – the material choice alone is enough to elevate the design, before you even begin to layer in factors like colour and proportion. The materials you choose to use can enhance the look you’re going for.

Unrefined textures and raw materials can bring the great outdoors in and create either an industrial chic or quite a rustic home look, depending on how you choose to use them. Successfully incorporating unusual materials is all about creating enjoyable design contrasts –  like silk tasselling on a lampshade paired with an exposed brick wall.

Textured wallpapers are making a comeback too and are a brilliant low key way to add a subtle impact to a space. Embossed or leather effect materials can be used for headboards or feature panelling on the ways in a very effective way. Polished concrete floors can look hugely luxurious as well as being the ultimate in practicality for those with small children or family pets.

You can think outside the box and achieve amazing results – what’s to stop you using those amazing floor tiles as a wall display, or even using artificial lawn as your hallway floor covering – click here for some samples that may well give you ideas. Daring to be different here can really create the wow factor.

Natural feature pendant light in a sitting room

Go for a hybrid design

Where bold originality is required, blending disparate styles that you love can produce a startling original result. Whether you’re into vintage finds, a bit of industrial chic or bold prints, combining differing trends and finding the balance between them is a sure-fire way of creating something that doesn’t look straight out of a catalogue.

The key to a successful mash-up is in keeping the different elements in harmony. Much like successful fashion, the best looks feature a contrast – clean modernist lines clashed with overblown, chintzy florals or heritage shapes in modern materials such as the Kartell Ghost chair, which marries a Louis XIV style design with clear Perspex. Great design is all about visual contrasts, so get thinking about what elements you could combine.

Vignette of brass items in front of an indigo blue painted wall

Show your personality

Your home should be all about you and showcasing what you love, so turn a collection into a talking point by presenting it properly. Into vintage china? Use shadow box frames to create a striking display of your favourite patterned china pieces and give them the focus they deserve. Grouping similar objects together can give a room a real focal point and elevate a normal space to something that feels more high-end.

If you collect beautiful shoes, source a vintage armoire, cover the interior with patterned wallpaper and display your most gorgeous pairs. Or if you love family history, how about creating a stunning wall of framed black and white portraits of family members through the ages – a modern version of the ancestral oil paintings.

If photos aren’t your thing it could be a collection of vintage movie posters. When similar objects are grouped together, rather than scattered around your home, they begin to look far more intentional and make much more of an impact. It’s a great talking point for your home which is highly individual and injects a huge dose of personality into your space.

Beuatiful op-art tiled floor in a sitting room

Add some detail

Standing out is often a case of adding some bold and unusual detail that takes your room from run of the mill to show-stopper. A super bold patterned wallpaper can have the effect of lifting a room and adding design interest. If you have gorgeous historical features in a period property or you have something you really want to highlight, such as architraves, dado rails or cornicing, try painting them in a really bold shade like shocking cerise or cobalt blue.

This trick also works amazingly well with just the edges of door frames – bringing a subtle but intriguing burst of colour into a room in a very different way. Similarly, painting floorboards in an unexpected design or opting for patterned tile flooring can make a very big impact in a small or hard to use space and freshen up the whole look easily.

4-poster bed with led fairy lights forming a canopy

Review your lighting

Sometimes, adding personality to your home can be as simple as changing the lighting scheme. Instead of uninspired central fixtures, seek out retro lamps with patterned shades, wall mounted down-lighters or colour change LED strips that can complement the mood you’re going for in a room. A unique cascading ceiling light or striking chandelier can add intimacy and drama to an otherwise unremarkable space. Never underestimate the ability of great lighting to change up the feel of a room. Quirky light shades can also be a very easy and cost effective way to give your room a whole new look as well.

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How to decorate your home on a budget

How to decorate your home on a budget | H is for Home

If you’re looking to give your home a new lease of life, but you don’t have the budget to spend a lot on materials or furniture, then there are still many things you can do to brighten up your home. However, if you’re staring at the walls and struggling to think of any ideas, then here are a few that can help get you started.

Paint and paint brushes

Use paint creatively

Using paint to bring some colour back into your house is ideal, whether you are staying in the house or getting ready to sell. It is a popular idea to add a splash of colour to just one wall to create a feature wall. It allows you to use vivid and bright colours without going over the top. If you are feeling particularly daring, you can paint the whole room in a bright colour, though the rest of the furniture of the room should be in neutral colours to avoid clashing. Using paint can work in any area of the house, though it is particularly effective in bedrooms and living rooms. Also, don’t forget about the exterior of your home, either!

Spacious living room

Switch things around

If your budget doesn’t stretch to new furniture, then that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a new look. Think about what you already have and see if you can change things around. Maybe something that has been in the bedroom for years can find a new lease of life in the living room. It doesn’t matter what it has been used for in the past; you can create new and exciting ideas just by using it differently. You should also think about what you no longer need, as a room that is cluttered can feel untidy and cramped. If you can identify some things you no longer want, then send them to the local charity shop or sell them online. You may even raise enough money to buy something else.

Sofa, pot plant, chest of drawers and tall floor lamp

Choose your lighting

You may not think so, but lighting can have as much of an effect on a room as decorating. By adding some side table lights or a standing lamp, you can create a nice comforting mood in the room. It’s perfect for the evening when you want to sit back and relax after a hard day at work. If you already have side lamps, then think about moving them to other areas of the room, or to another room altogether. Why not use some old fabric to recover the lampshade? It will need to be fire resistant, but you can easily create a lamp that will match the décor of the room.

Grey sofa with contrasting cushions

Add some cushions

Your budget probably won’t allow you to afford a new sofa, but you can still give it a new lease on life. Try buying some cushions in a colour that matches the walls; they can be scattered on the sofas to give them a new look. Get some of different sizes and colours so that it doesn’t look too uniform. You can apply the same trick to the bedroom, buy some cushions to go on the bed during the day. It will make the room look better, and it will be great to sit up in bed reading with them around you.

Sewing workspace

Try matching fabrics

If you are handy with a sewing machine, the possibilities are endless with what you can create. Buy yourself some material that matches your colour scheme and make some curtains to go along with some cushion covers. It means you won’t have to buy new cushions and it will be cheaper than buying ready-made curtains. You can even take it a step further and buy towels in matching colours for the bathroom and kitchen. If you can get enough material, you can even make bedspreads or bed linen with one side plain to offer a contrast.

Small, circular mirror above a side table

Add size and light with mirrors

One of the quickest and easiest ways to add another dimension to your room is using mirrors. They don’t have to be new; you can find interesting ones in charity shops. By placing them on the wall, they can make the room look a lot bigger. They can also reflect any light in the room to offer a brighter look. To add a little style, you can experiment with multiple mirrors in a room; go for different sizes and designs, which will make it look special.

Using a staple gun to reupholster furniture

Recover and reuse

Apart from just moving your furniture into other rooms, you can also redesign them to make them more contemporary. An old chair might look as though it needs to go, but with some fabric to cover the chair and some paint, you can give it a whole new look. You will need to sand down the wood and remove the old coverings before you start, but it isn’t as hard as it sounds, there are guides out there that can walk you through the process. Once you have mastered the idea, you can tackle any furniture in the house in the same way.

Monochrome framed poster above two white metal trolleys

Add some artwork

To add something a little different to your room, why not think about adding some artwork? It can be something you create yourself, or perhaps some pre-framed prints that you buy from the store. You can also find some nice examples in charity shops; there are often hand painted examples that have been donated. Another idea is to find a poster that you like and buy a frame for it. It can be a new or used frame, and you can then paint it to match the décor of the room. You can create a nice feature wall by assembling pictures of various sizes and placing them all on one wall or a room. It’s also effective to have family members on the wall of the hallway as you enter the house. With a little imagination and some reworking of old furniture, you can redesign your home within even the smallest of budgets.

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