(Dexter is forever photo-bombing my shots!)
Create a luxe-looking living room for less
This year, we’ve started to make big changes in the house to slowly but surely upgrade our living spaces. In the upstairs en-suite, we did a total revamp, but throughout the rest of the house we are trying to keep costs down and make small changes, that will have a big impact. As well as giving the entire house a fresh lick of paint which has worked wonders for freshening up the overall feel of the home, we’ve added new, carefully curated pieces to our collection and it’s these that have made our home look luxe for less.
The first thing to consider when making changes to your living space, is of course your end design goal. What type of vibe are you aiming for? Is it going to be a neutral haven with a focus on textures and fabrics? Or will you have a chic colour scheme that will subtly run throughout? Consider what pieces you’ll keep and what needs to be replaced and start pinning for some overall inspo to decide on what finished looks appeal to you the most.
I feel that we’ve just about reached our goal with our living room, having recently added finishing touches such as delicate ornaments and wall art from Desenio – the living room now has a luxe and yet homely vibe, and we haven’t broken the bank to achieve this look. Here are my tips so that you can do the same.
Head to the Sticks
My first suggestion for giving your living room the effect of an expensive room would be to head out of London and look in charity shops and antique stores in more remote towns. Here you’ll find a greater selection of furniture, and better quality pieces for far less money – there’s less demand here than in London where you’ll pay over the odds for a shabby chic unit on your local highstreet!
The unit underneath the wall art in the imagery above was around £80 from a charity shop in my hometown near Gloucester – a fresh lick of paint gave it an instant facelift! I’d recommend trying Annie Sloane chalk paint for a quality coating that will last well, and a beautiful selection of colours too.
Create a Feature Wall
A feature wall gives the room a focal point, and a definite wow factor. By opting for a few medium to small prints instead of investing in one big piece of art, you can be a little more experimental and really show off your personality with your choices. It’s chic, high impact, and very affordable too. I chose a neutral and pink themed collection of prints from Desenio and gold frames (this entire picture wall came to under £200) and the best part is, if I ever decide I want a change, I can add or take away as I please.
Take a look at the inspiration pages on Desenio to get some ideas on the type of feature wall that you feel would work for your room, and to make your selection even more affordable, type ‘fashionmumblr’ into the checkout between now and November 9th for an additional 25% off. (This excludes handpicked & collaboration posters and frames)
Keep It Simple
I would never want my living room to feel like a show home – I like to have personal ornaments, picture frames and other pieces that I love in my home, but equally a cluttered and over-accessorised living room can border on looking messy and disorganised. Spend an afternoon paring down your collection of ‘extras’ to those that have sentimental value, or give a luxe look – such as a statement stylish coaster (mine are from here) or luxury candle.
Mix your Textures
A thoughtful mix of materials and textures gives a luxurious look – try experimenting with mixing woods, marbles, and a variety of textiles such as velvet or faux fur cushions. Not only does it give the room a more dynamic look, but it can also create a more inviting feel to the room too. Stores such as Homesense and Matalan often have very affordable soft furnishings that can help you create this finish.
Do you have any more tips on giving your living room a luxe look for less? Please share them in the comments section below!
Thanks to Desenio for sponsoring this post
xoxo
