I have never decorated, flipped or remodeled for a client(s) who has not placed a budget in play.
Same goes for the projects we do here at Places In The Home.
An extra penny here and an extra dime there adds up to budget busting dollars.
Cost is the four letter word I hear most from project start to finish.
If you believe that I’ve got a Louisiana bayou to sell you.
All kidding aside- it is a known fact that for most of us the price tag heavily factors into the decorating we do, the decorative accessories we select, and the home decor accents we purchase in the pursuit of prettying things up around the house.
When the desired outcome is the look of luxe but the moolah to advance full sticker price ahead is not in the cards, these tips for adding a luxe look for little money do the trick.
Table Lamps
I love, love, love the instant chic factor a decorative table lamp lends to the ambiance of a space.
Finding luxe look for little money table lamps is a home decor store or online retailer visit away.
I always suggest selecting a table lamp rich in classic style, one that will stand the test of time and trend.
Do not buy into the fallacy that an inexpensive item will invariably look cheap or a quality appearance can only be achieved by spending big bucks.
Optical Illusions
Installing curtain and drapery hardware at the ceiling or molding line creates a visual illusion of height.
Take the luxe look for little money concept to the next phase with inexpensive drapery trims and decorative drapery medallion holdbacks found on sale or clearance.
Wallpaper Lined Drawers, Shelves & Bookcase Backs
Okay, you’ve selected a killer designer paint color for the exterior of a fabulous 3-drawer chest, linen armoire or bookcase.
What about the drawers, shelves and bookcase backs?
Add a luxe look for little money to drawers, shelves and bookcases by lining with wallpaper.
The discounted, discontinued and closeouts section of online wallpaper sites and home decorating stores is a decoristas best friend.
I recently lucked up on a wallpaper clearance sale, and two double rolls for under $10 later a drawer lining plain to polished project produced the decorative oomph.
Lined drawers, shelves and bookcase backs offer up a stylish follow-through.
ABCs of Affordable Accessorizing:
Art & Antiques, Bric-a-Brac, Conversation Pieces
It’s not how much an accessory cost but the look it affords.
An inexpensive piece of art, antique accessory, bric-a-brac or whimsical objet d’art piece can easily offer a luxe look when dramatically displayed.
A good eye paired with decorating determination will invariably spot a diamond in the rough.
To guarantee a luxe look result, place a piece above, atop or beside an ebony console or chair.
The color black is classically timeless, adds drama to the spaces it graces, and is considered a premier foundation and/or accent color in interior decorating.
Traditional Home Southern Style Showhouse Family Room by Lance Jackson and David Ecton, Parker Kennedy
When I was in the initial buying stages for Hopefully Classic Antiques and Interiors, a local flea market dealer invited me to stop by to shop her inventory.
I did, and the first item I spotted was a small framed oil painting.
The subject of the painting slips my mind, but the frame was the diamond in the rough.
I could not believe how little the dealer was asking for the piece.
Maybe I need to add the words “or how little” to it’s not how much an accessory cost but the look it affords.
Dave the Builder panned the painting and the frame, but I knew it had the potential to be a beauty.
I scooped up the painting, and with a simple cleanup and quick application of matte spray paint proudly added it to the inventory, displaying the piece in a dramatic focal point feature.
The painting sold within one day of being at the shop.
Fresh Flowers
Fresh flowers drench a space in color, fill it with fragrance and enhance the surroundings with pervasive beauty.
Gather ye your Mason jars, dollar store containers, crystal goblets, Chinoiserie (SHēnˌwäz(ə)ˈrē) vases (since we’re talking luxe let’s pronounce it vahz, darling), watering cans, vintage crocks and antique teapots and fill them with blooms, stems, vines and/or branches from the garden, field, florist or local grocery flower department.
Sage & Co.
Adding a luxe look for little money is a high-end priority for the decorating within budget minded.
The only thing expensive is the look.
