Inexpensive ways I’m making my home look $$$
It’s not always about what you buy, but where you put it.
It’s literally my job to spend eight hours a day, five days a week looking at images of the most beautiful homes out there—and I enjoy every minute of it. There’s only one downside: All these spaces have convinced me my own should be just as magazine-worthy. And that, as I have learned from countless interviews with designers, is not an inexpensive endeavor. But I’m setting out to make my new apartment look as luxe as possible for the least amount of money, tariffs be damned. —Lydia Geisel, home editor
Seen and Saved
I’m your go-to gal for what’s new and cool at IKEA, Walmart, Costco—you name it. But I’m not going to rattle off a bunch of big-box finds for you here, because making your home look like a million bucks isn’t always about what you buy. It can also be about where you put—and how you dress up—what you already have.
I looked back through my Instagram saves and found tons of ideas for making a space appear more expensive than it really is.
The best trick in the book is one I learned early on from Leanne Ford: Paint every surface white and a room (even an attic like above!) will automatically feel fresh.
Adding to the list for my next thrift hunt: a small round table. It doesn’t matter if it’s a little dinged up because I’ll cover it with a tablecloth, top it with books and a plant, and end up with a chic setup like this.
You can’t tell me that a $5 sculpture wouldn’t look like it cost $500 if you simply displayed it on a pedestal.
I recently came to the conclusion that a striped duvet can make any bedroom look instantly put-together. To take things up a notch, tuck the pillows under the covers like designer Daniel Lonnstrom.
A good lamp totally changes the vibe of a room, even a kitchen. The large island I gained in my latest move has just enough counter space for both a fruit bowl and a portable fixture.
I scored some nice drapes from H&M for our guest bedroom, but now I’m thinking I need another set for our shower after seeing how Amber Guyton made them count in this bathroom.
Low, high, off-center, or inside a bookcase—I’ve realized that the key to spotlighting your favorite works of art is to hang them where people least expect it.
Good Buys
While I do believe “you get what you pay for” applies to most items, there are exceptions. Here’s where I get the most bang for my buck.
Solid-Colored Rugs
I recently got a brick-hued runner for a steal from Rugs USA and it defines my entryway.
Large Art
There seems to be a direct correlation between how big your art is and how sophisticated your home looks. My secret source for unique XL pieces that don’t break the bank is Artfully Walls.
Candle Sconces
You don’t need to swap out your island pendants or call in an electrician to level up the ambience.
Side Notes
IKEA’s affordable designs are blank canvases waiting to be transformed into pieces that look straight from an atelier. Here are all the hacks I’ve been loving lately.
This DIYer combined five nightstands to create a console table for behind her couch.
Chrome contact paper made this Besta unit unrecognizable.
One of Lone Fox Home’s most epic hacks is using serving bowls to build spherical legs for a coffee table.
The floating storage unit in this office looks like it was built by a carpenter, but it’s actually just a series of Lack shelves.