It doesn’t take an unlimited budget to make your home look comfortably chic. Here are a few easy ways to achieve a smart and elegant interior without spending a lot of money.
- Choose a Neutral Base – Bold colors can make a personality statement, but for understated elegance stick with tones of gray, off-white, beige, cream or taupe for walls, rugs and large pieces of furniture. Then make your statement by adding pops of your favorite colors in pillows and other accessories.
- Add Crown Molding – In addition to helping a room look more appealing, crown molding adds a subtle, refined sophistication to any space, easily transforming any room from ho-hum to high-end at a relatively minimal cost.
- Hang Mirrors – Mirrors not only make a room look bigger, they also amplify light, giving any room a brighter, airy feel—and when they’re large enough, they can actually save you dollars that might otherwise be spent on expensive wall art.
- Create Fake Built-Ins – Built-in shelves are classier looking than free-standing bookshelves. Fortunately, the shelving experts at most big-box stores can help you achieve a built-in look by using free-standing components.
- Upgrade Cabinet Hardware – One of the easiest and cheapest ways to update the look of a kitchen or bath is to replace the original drawer pulls and cabinet handles with new, modern-looking hardware. Complete the look of your bath with new towel bars and towel rings and hang some stylish new towels.
- Paint Your Front Door – The look of your entryway says a lot to visitors about what to expect inside. A clean and freshly painted front door—the best quality door you can afford—sets up expectations of a graceful, well-dressed interior.
