For most of us when we hear the word “luxury” it is easy to feel it’s not obtainable without spending a ton of money, but that doesn’t have to be the case. When it comes to decorating your house or apartment, luxury is found in the small details, most of which can be achieved on even the most modest budget. Try out a few of the tips below to bring affordable luxury to your home.
1. Add little touches of high-end materials where you can
- Velvet: Velvet throw pillowsor a velvet throw: Velvet is seen throughout history on royalty and the bourgeoisbecause of its unusual softness and appearance as well as its high cost of production. Today velvet is obtainable by everyone and screams luxury and sophistication, but be careful because some velvets can potentially look cheap. You will be able to tell instantly what looks luxurious and what looks cheap.
- Fur: Try using a fur rugor faux furs throw pillows: Furs are sometimes associated with glamour and lavish spending (depending on your feelings towards fur) today you can get faux furs that very closely resemble real fur, but at a much cheaper price.
- Marble:Experts say marble isa stone that holds an elevated position among the world’s dimensional stones (natural stone orrockthat has been selected and finished to specific sizes or shapes).In decorating when people want to make a particular opulent statement, it is marble they turn to. While an entire room of marble is unobtainable on a tight budget you can have smaller pieces of marble, like a marblebowl or marble bookends, that will make a room look luxurious.
- Antique Gold: Try antique gold picture frames or side table. There is a reason castles were covered in gold decor, because it looks/isexpensive and luxurious. Before you buy anything antique gold from Amazon or any other store go to your local thrift shop. I always find a ton of gold items that people have gotten rid of because they “aren’t in style” or are “gaudy”. There are ALWAYS gold picture frames at GoodWill.
You can find any of the luxurious items listed above at a high-end furnishing store or yard sales or thrift shops. Just keep your eyes peeled because they are out there.
2. Add lamps throughout a room
Don’t just rely on overhead lighting to brighten a room. It can often feel harsh and cold. Place lamps around a room to make it feel upscale and give a welcoming ambience at the same time. 
Don’t want to buy a brand new lamp? Learn to refinish one you already own from a Mama’s Dance. Check out your local GoodWill for a plethora of lamps just dying to be refinished.
3. Add touches of metallics
One small accent piece with some pizazz can go a long way to make a space look luxurious. Buy a mirrored tray for your bedroom or entry way, add a pair of copper candlesticks or bowls to the dining room, use silver accent on the coffee table, or throw in some candles to help bounce some light around.
Personally, I just spray paint anything I want to be metallic. It is a lot cheaper than buying new metallic decorations. Home Depot has a variety of metallic spray paints. In my years of spray painting everything, I have found Rust-Oleum to be the best. I wouldn’t waste your money on the super expensive metallic spray paints you find at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Rust-Oleum does just as good if not better than the sprays at Hobby Lobby and is much cheaper.
4. Light a candle
A candle may seem insignificant, but it’s a tiny luxury that always makes whatever you’re doing feel special. The flicker of a candle and its amazing smell can make any space feel luxurious and opulent.
Candlesticks can get expensive, so I always buy mine from a thrift shop for cheap and then spray paint them the color I need them. Want to be on the safer side of things? Tryflameless candles. Amazon has them for a good price
5. Go for high contrast
Black walls (or dark gray walls) with bright white accents. If you’re on the hunt for a color that can elevate your space in an instant, look no further than black. Black walls and decor can invigorate just about any room, from a cozy nook to a spacious kitchen. High contrast can take any blah room and make it dramatic and luxurious and all for less than $100.
If you don’t want to spend the money or time painting an entire room try just painting the doors charcoal or black (even purple)to add something chic to every room.
6. Mat your photos and go large scale with art.
I love using mats on my pictures. They instantly take a picture from normal to sophisticated. Hanging a small 8×10 picture on a large wall can look out of place. Put too many small frames on the large wall and it can be overwhelming and chaotic.
You can print an 8×10 directly from your computer and buy a large mat to place it in a 10×13 or 16×20 frame to make your photo feel high-end and important. If you find a piece of art that you love, go large scale by placing it in a mat and then in a large frame.
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macys.com
8. Fresh flowers
I love fake flowers, but there is nothing like having fresh flowers brightening a room and adding a fragrance that you can’t get from Glade. They will bring a lavish feel to any space.
9. Update your windows with elegant drapery
This is an easy update to make your home feel luxurious. Switch out old window treatments with chic fabrics and textures for an instant lift. Your room will transform when you replace those cheap-looking blinds with stylish drapes. Try velvet, linen or textured curtains to reinvigorate a room.
For a dramatic, lavish feel make sure your drapes hang all the way to the ground. Look at what an amazing difference the drapes made in the room below.
Dreary window decor will make a room feel dark and dreary. Opt for lighter shades andstylish curtain rods.
- Bed, Bath and Beyond, Walmart, Home Depothave stylish and affordable curtain rods.
Bed, Bath and Beyond
Walmart
Home Depot
Luxury living is all about extravagance and detail, but that doesn’t mean it has to be expensive. Keep extravagance and detail in the back of your mind when choosing window treatments or other decor, but keep budget friendly in the front of your mind. Find cost friendly drapes that look truly high-end by focusing on little things like finding patterns with golden hues and othermetallic shades.
Can’t find the exact drapes you want for the price you want? Check out Newton Custom Interiors for tips on how to transform your store bought drapes from plain to posh!
I truly believe that any look can be recreated for cheaper as long as you are willing to put in the time looking for the right items and the effort transforming the wrong item into the right item.
Like this article check out Decorating on a Budget
Published by Kasey Turnbull
All things DIY. I believe you should be able to have your home look anyway you want without breaking the bank. Living Boujee on a BudgetView all posts by Kasey Turnbull
