Luxury, by definition, means “a state of great comfort or elegance, especially involving great expense”. Now, I’m going to let you in on a secret. You can absolutely achieve this great comfort and elegance without having to involve this so-called “great expense”.

Today I want to talk about this luxury “state” that, let’s face it, we all strive to achieve in the design of our homes. I’m going to focus on the Living Room for this post as it’s one of the most popular rooms in the house. It is one of the first rooms you walk into for many, and it’s where all the family come to relax after a long day.

It’s a tall order to not only improve the design of a room but to achieve a luxurious feel to the space too. This can be even more challenging with a tight budget. I totally get it – I’ve been there! Dreaming of having a luxurious Living Room doesn’t need to stay as just an ambition.

Read on to hear about my top four ways for making your Living Room look and feel more luxurious without having to spend a fortune…

Eliminate Clutter and Simplify

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First of all, we need to make sure that you’re not holding on to anything that’s adding clutter to your Living Room. Those magazines that you collect, or the countless amounts of books you’re holding on to that have already been read are just examples of areas you can start to clear clutter away.

The next part of the process is thinking about the furniture and accessories that you currently have in the Living Room. Is the furniture functional for what you predominantly use the room for? Have you got too many pieces of furniture that’s overcrowding the space? And do you have too many accessories that can come across like additional clutter?

These are the questions I always ask not only myself of my home, but also family, friends and clients. Sometimes all a room needs is striping back and simplifying what is already there. It’s a really good and cost effective exercise that I recommend only too regularly.

Textures

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One of the first aspects to creating luxury is comfort. It’s the textures we surround ourselves in, and these in turn create an “at home” feeling.

With your Living Room accessories (cushions, throws and sofa / armchair fabric) try to mix the textures you opt for. For example, a lovely wool/cotton blend sofa fabric would be perfectly paired with a faux fur throw and velvet or linen cushions. Mixing textures like this can be easily implemented a little over the top for smaller spaces, so try picking only two key textures.

Of course mixing the wrong textures that are less luxurious can make a Living Room feel corse or uncomfortable. The most luxurious finishes to use in this room is velvet, silk and linen. All of these textures can come with expense attached to them, but this only adds to the luxury of them.

The Colour Palette

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The colour palette you select for your Living Room is an important element to adding luxury to your space. Although the trends change as often as the seasons, it’s important to choose a timeless and luxurious colour palette for your Living Room.

A timeless colour palette is one that you will never get bored of in years to come, and that you won’t immediately regret or question entirely. The most luxurious of Living Rooms are generally painted in lighter tones, such as off-white, beige or light grey. This keeps the room feeling light and airy, particularly for smaller rooms. If you’re lucky enough to have a large Living Room, you may want to consider painting the walls in a darker more opulent colour.

If you’re on a tight budget, a fresh coat of paint on the walls can make a huge difference to the cleanliness and richness of the space. Often lightly painted Living Rooms with rich and textured furniture and accessories fill the space with a sense of opulence and practicality of everyday life.

Artwork and Mirrors

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Aside from the obvious finishing touches to the Living Room that have been mentioned above, adding interest to the walls lifts the ambience completely. Not only that, it adds to the grandeur and luxury feel of the space. If paintings are a stretch for your budget, try a collection of well curated posters that are personal to you and your family.

For almost any room in the house, a mirror truly finishes it off. They can be classical, modern, quirky – whatever takes your fancy. One thing is for sure, reflective surfaces are known to add a real “woah” factor to Living Rooms and make any space feel much larger than it really is – win win!

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I hope this post has given you some practical ideas on how you can make your Living Room feel more luxurious, even on a budget! How do you add a sense of luxury to your home? Share it with us in the comments below!

Speak soon,

Jessica xo

 

References:

Intro, Freshome – https://freshome.com/2014/09/16/why-our-brains-love-luxurious-interiors/

Eliminate Clutter & Simplify, Th2 Designs – http://www.th2designs.co.uk/residential-interiors/

Textures, Th2 Designs – http://www.th2designs.co.uk/

The Colour Palette, Achica – http://www.achica.com/blog/2016/08/townhouse-1508-london/

Artwork and Mirrors, Unknown