Decorate with easy luxe updates
Elevating a room doesn’t have to mean spending big – as these expert tips reveal… Light fantastic
‘Lighting is key to setting the tone in your home and is a great way to introduce a touch of luxury as well as create ambience,’ says Lucy St George of Rockett St George. ‘At the moment, I’m inspired by vintage-style lighting and art deco influences – the 1920s were glamorous and sexy like never before, and lighting inspired by this era introduces playful opulence. Although original antiques are unique and beautiful, they can be expensive – a modern light that has a design with a vintage feel is a wonderful way to achieve that luxe, antique look. Take note from luxury hotels and install simple wall lights or pendants either side of your bed. Another really simple way is to position a beautiful antique-style table light next to your sofa. Or hang a pendant light low over your dining table to add an extra dose of drama and luxury to everyday dining. To finish, complement your vintageinspired lighting with a hint of romantic candlelight.’
‘Aside from their obvious function as storage, shelves like these are a great way to make a room look stylish plus, to give a room a whole new look and feel, all you need to do is rearrange/restyle them with what you already have – instant gratification without spending a penny!’ says Medina Grillo of grillodesigns.com. ‘These long, tall shelves [below] with boxy compartments (argos.co.uk) are made to look like they are built into the wall, and the compartments give structure to the objects on display. I painted the backing of the bookcases the same colour as my wall, which creates a lovely contrasting backdrop for the styled items on the shelf. Stack books on top of each other to create height, or turn them around if you are particular with your home colour scheme. Introduce a touch of greenery by including a trailing plant (or two) to the top shelves. Frame art – but be unconventional with your interpretation of what art is; use magazine or newspaper clippings, old tea towels, wallpaper scraps, or paint your own abstract art using leftover paint samples. I have framed a bag of flour, just for a little something to look back at and laugh about in years to come.’
‘To give love and luxe to a forgotten corner of a home, or make a room feel truly special, play with colour because using it in an unexpected way can elevate a room,’ says Rachel Chudley of Rachel Chudley Interiors. ‘Here [left], instead of painting the basement white, we embraced its cosiness with a deep, darker blue/grey/violet shade and we continued the colour on to the wooden floor to give the illusion of depth and space to a room with a lower ceiling. Using a different colour for just one space in your home instantly adds flair – in another home, we painted most of the rooms with light variations of white but, in contrast, used a strong colour in the small entrance. Start with a sample pot and paint a metre squared of the colour you like into the corner of the room and you will get a good idea of how it will turn out.’