How to make your home look more expensive!
It is no secret that one’s home is a symbol of status. Whether it is accurate or not, we assume one’s bank account is in direct relation to one’s home. Who of us has not walked into someone’s grand or super stylish home and wondered “what do they do for a living?”. Or conversely, assumed that one was of modest means after visiting that person’s home.
For most, one’s home is one’s biggest financial investment. We are all hoping for a large payout when the time comes that we are ready to sell. Therefore, we look to do things to increase the value of our home. Whether you are looking to sell in the near future, or just want to elevate the look of your home, here are 5 things you can do to make your home look more expensive. (As a side note, I will almost never post “20 things” for anything. I am not a big fan of laundry lists. Personally, I do not want to do 20 things, no matter what the topic is. I favor tasks that feel achievable; hence, my list of 5 🙂
- Add Art to every room on your first floor (powder room included). Showcasing a gallery or a single piece of art gives the impression of a cultured and refined owner. You need not spend a fortune; Minted is one of my favorite sites that carries reasonably priced framed art. Keep the style of the art consistent throughout the house. Although it is possible to successfully mix things like photography and abstract art, it is not for the novice. For a really high end look, choose ONE piece to showcase in each room. I like to make this piece LARGE, as shown below. There can be other art in the room, but one piece should hold the spotlight.
This room is one of my favorites that illustrates this tip:
2. Add molding! This is a tip we’ve all heard. However, most times it is crown molding that is the focus. I completely agree with this; however, the base molding seems to be the ugly step sister of molding and therefore, is rarely mentioned. A truly high end home usually showcases 4″-6″ base moldings. If you want your home to look more expensive, beef up those base moldings! I also like adding an extra piece of molding at the top to create an even more custom look.
I love the way the picture below uses the extra piece of molding at the top of the base molding; it is the details that gives this a truly special appearance.
Image via Houzz – Bruce Johnson & Associates
3. Use inside mount window treatments. Inside mount window treatments are usually associated with custom treatments……cha-ching!!!!! Those of us who have installed custom window treatments know that it is easy to spend $2000 per window. (In another post, I will give you my tips for major window treatment design hacks to save you big $). Using inside mount treatments will undoubtedly give your home a more high end appearance.
The pictures below are from The Shade Store and start at $345. The Shade Store is a great resource. Their designer collaborations with Dwell, DVF, Robert Allen and Jeffery Alan Marks make it so you can get designer fabrics at a steeply discounted price. The fabric alone would cost this amount at designer showrooms.
4. Pull some furniture away from the walls. In addition to this, remove a couple pieces of furniture from each room. Floating the furniture gives the illusion that the room is larger than it is. High end homes do not have furniture crammed into a room. Quite the opposite; they usually have much less furniture than the space can hold. This also gives a more open and stylish appearance.
I love the way this room feels like there is room to breathe. The room is a good size, but looks even larger because all of the furniture is floating and not anchored to any wall.
Interior via Martha O’Hara Interior Design
5. Update your light fixtures (especially your ceiling mount fixtures, change them out to semi-flush mounts). The parallels in fashion and interior design are endless. You can elevate a dress from Banana Republic with a few nice pieces of jewelry. The same principle holds true for your home. Choose lighting that is interesting. Make a statement with crystals or laser cut metals.
Here are a few that I like from Shades of Light and Lamps Plus:
We will return to our normal programming, and continue with our paint pairings using warm colors for our next post! Hope you enjoyed this interruption! Let me know what you think, or if you can add to this topic in any way.
xo Laurie