As the central feature and the first room you and your guests see in your home, the living room really benefits from having a luxurious and elegant aesthetic. But what if your champagne style is at odds with your beer budget? Don’t despair. We’ve got some affordable tips that will show you living a life of luxury doesn’t have to cost a fortune.
Decorate with darker colours
Although most homeowners would opt to keep their living room bright and airy by opting to keep the base paint in a neutral colour, there’s something luxurious and cosy about cladding your walls in rich and dramatic shades that create a cocoon-like effect. And luckily, recreating the same effect in your home does not have to cost a fortune. Simply purchase some good-quality darker paint from your local paint shop and start painting. If you don’t want to repaint the whole room, then darker coloured wallpapers are a good alternative too.
Image credit: Diff Studio
Delight in a mix of textures
When styling your living room, a thoughtful mix of materials and textures will not only provide visual interest, but also give your space an additional luxurious layer. Consider lining your sofa with plumped up velvet cushions or adding a textural throw over the sofa or an armchair to ramp up the cosy factor. Not a fan of velvet in our hot climate? Other fabrics that add the luxe look include silk, metal, leather and linen.
Image credit: Nathan + Jac
Break out with a feature wall
A well designed feature wall is a great way to elevate an ordinary living room and make it feel more luxurious. Opt for a bold 3D geometric pattern where you can even convert the protruding panels into storage, or freestyle the placement of laminates to create a unique one-of-a-kind design. And while the wall on which the television is mounted is traditionally the one converted into a feature wall – it is after all the space where you and your guests will face when congregating over the sofa – any wall in your living room that you choose will work just as well as a feature.
Image credit: ZZ Architects
Hang large-scale art
A quick and hassle-free way to create a focal point and imbue some wow factor into your living room is by hanging an oversized piece of art on one of the walls. And there are plenty of platforms to look for art pieces at reasonable prices too, from affordable art fairs to flea markets to thrift stores. You can even get creative and make your own too! Large-scale art definitely pulls the room together, but it certainly doesn’t have to break your bank while at it.
Image credit: IQOSA
Go for lookalikes of expensive finishes
Gold and marble have long been synonymous with luxury and opulence, but not everyone can afford to incorporate real gold or marble finishes into their home. Well, the next best thing is to look for good imitations of these expensive finishes that won’t break the bank. For instance, consider cladding your coffee tabletop in laminates that look like marble, or adorning your space brushed gold decorative ornaments. But do remember that less is more when using these finishes, as overusing can result in a space that looks cheap and tacky instead.
Image credit: The Darling Detail
