5 Ways to Make a Home look Expensive

When It’s Not!

There are plenty of ways to make a home look expensive without splashing cash all over the place. Some require a little internet shopping and researching and others a bit of DIY. All are achievable on a budget.

Here’s what we did to make our home look expensive and give it that wow factor.

Add Statement Lighting

The first way you can make a home look expensive is to add statement lighting. The bigger the better.

People often make the mistake of buying little tiny pendants that are practically invisible or settling for an off-the-shelf item from the big hardware store. There’s nothing wrong with these lights. But if you want your home to feel luxe spend some time searching for big beautiful lights that nobody else has. If you do your research they often cost not much more than the ones you get off the shelf. And they’re prettier. And better quality. I searched the internet for a long time to find the lights in our home. I had an idea of what I wanted but I was not prepared to pay through the nose to get it.

Clean Up Your Crap

So many times I’ve heard people moan that they hate their house. Most of the time what they hate is all the clutter and crap they have collected. Piles of stuff everywhere do not look expensive. It looks like you have no storage. Dirty marks on the walls do not make your home look expensive either.

Here’s a quick story: I used to be in a babysitting club when our kids were young. One night I went to a big stone mansion that looked seriously expensive . . . until I got in the door. It was dirty and there was underwear on the floor. I could not eat the supper they left because it made me feel icky being in the kitchen. Did that house give off an expensive vibe? No. Our little two-bed cottage with its floral wallpaper looked way more expensive than the interior of that mansion. That house looked like a dump.

Please. Declutter and put your stuff away. Your house will thank you.

Double Up on Curtains

Your curtains do not need to cost a fortune to look like they do. The best trick I’ve found is to buy two pairs for one window. This adds volume to the fabric and makes it look like it cost more. You can sew the hems together to make one curtain if you like but mostly nobody will ever know you have bought cheaper curtains and simply doubled up.

While I am on curtains, if you have a low ceiling, it really helps to hang the curtains as high as you can. The illusion of a high ceiling makes a home look expensive.

Add a Character Piece or Two

There is no denying antiques will make your home look expensive. They can cost the earth but they don’t have to. Shop around, find a quirky piece, and add it to your home. If you want to paint it, go ahead. But brown furniture is in vogue again and it’s easy to decorate with. It makes your home appear more expensive. Invest if you can. A vintage rug is an instant way to make your home feel more luxe.

Add Architectural Detail

If your house is a boring box or all the details have been stripped out, putting in some molding or trim, and adding paneling or cornice will make it appear more high-end. Basic houses are built with basic fixtures. That’s why they are cost-effective to purchase. Over time you can add new door knobs, and tapware, change the floors to timber, or add lovely lights. Instantly, your builder’s basic house looks super expensive. We did this with a previous house and added hundreds of thousands in value!