Written by Catherine Seagrave

Luxury - it’s a look that never goes out of style, and manages to feel both relaxed and refined. It’s a look many of us would love in our homes, but sadly we don’t always have the luxury budget to go with it! 

Searching images of boutique hotels on Pinterest and Instagram can give some good ideas, but can also appear very costly to achieve. But here’s the good news - we have some simple design hacks to share with you, to bring some luxury styling to your humble abode, but without the luxury price tag.

It’s all about the bed

If you think about a fancy hotel room, it’s all focused on the bed. You can achieve the same luxury look with a few changes to your bedroom. Firstly add a big tall headboard in a neutral colour. A padded headboard with button detail ups the comfort factor. Then layer up lots of pillows. A top tip is to stand your pillows on their long end on top of the duvet, rather than lie them flat, to make the bed look beautifully dressed. Add mirrors behind your bedside tables, to make the room feel larger. And go for symmetry - the same bedside tables, lamps and symmetrically placed cushions in front of your pillows. Two large dark plain cushions look good with two smaller patterned cushions in front. And tie it all together with a throw draped casually over the bottom of the bed for cosy comfort.

Choose large accessories

A few well chosen large accessories have a more elegant luxury feel than several smaller ornaments. Place a big table lamp on your side table, or one large statement vase on your sideboard. Always add some black to the scheme - maybe in a lampshade or a vase. It helps anchor the whole look and adds depth and class to a neutral scheme. And choose something old too. An antique book or decorative box adds some stately luxury.

Use gold accents

Brass and gold are always synonymous with a luxurious style interior. Recent trends have been moving away from chromes and silvers and looking to these warmer tones. Use them as accents on light fittings and photo frames, or the legs of furniture.

Are you overwhelmed by the amount of decisions you need to make? We can help with our affordable online interior design packages - click here.

Upgrade your furniture handles

If your sideboard or drawers are feeling a little tired, a simple yet effective way to dramatically change their appearance is by updating the knobs or handles. This easy change can breathe new life into your Ikea drawers, and make them feel more unique and expensive.

Choose a velvety soft rug

To bring luxury to your hard floors, add the largest rug you can afford.  A deep pile rug brings softness to a room, adds another layer of texture and colour. Kicking off your shoes and enjoying the comfort a rug brings, adds to the relaxed, luxurious feel of your home.

Add flowers everywhere

Fresh flowers bring an instant feeling of luxury to a room and make the room feel finished. Think about the centerpiece of a hotel lobby, with a large display welcoming you. It can instantly lift the mood of a room, and the larger the display the better. But flowers can be expensive. So consider what else you could use - a few leafy branches from your garden can be dramatic, or some fake flowers will give value for money, and Aldi and Lidl often have some amazing value roses in store.

If you don’t know where to start, or need some inspiration, let us help you! Simply click here.

Dim the lights

One of the easiest ways to bring luxury to your home is to consider the lighting. Bright, harsh lights do not make your room feel elegant or luxurious. Dimming the lights is the way to go - it’s flattering to both me and you and your interior! Every ceiling light should have a dimmer switch to soften the feel. Then turn on your table lamps and light your candles to layer the light. Changing to dimmer switches isn’t expensive, and the change to your room will be dramatic.

Add wallpaper with a shimmer

Wallpaper can be a perfect way to add some glamour and luxury to your room. Just one roll can add a shimmer and warmth to your living room. Wallpapers that have a metallic finish or glass beads can create a contemporary feel, catching the light and elevating the feel of the room to something very special.

Roll your towels

And finally, a nice easy hack, taken straight from the luxury hotel bathroom, is to roll your towels. Create a pile of soft, coordinating towels beside the sink, rolled ready for use, to bring an elegant touch to your bathroom. And best of all it costs you nothing more than your time. If you fancy going one step further, you could fold the end of the toilet tissue into a triangle for a real boutique feel - but I’m not sure I have time for that on a Monday morning!!

So there you have some of our favourite luxury design hacks. As always, The Living House is here to help if you’re pushed for time and need some interior design advice. And you might be surprised at just how affordable our design packages are. Check out our pricing for more information, and instagram @the_living_house for inspiration and tips. We’d love to chat to you soon!