1. INTRODUCE NATURAL MATERIALS IN SMALL DOSES
Using natural hard materials and doing away with any synthetic hard materials is a surefire way of making your room look and feel sophisticated and high-end. Swap out vinyl, plastic laminate, and engineered wood for the real thing, using natural woods, metals and stone to really lift the space and transform it into a luxurious living room.
2. CONSIDER SHEER CURTAINS FOR AN ETHEREAL LOOK
Sheer living room curtains are quite the trend, and have a knack of looking high-end when they can be super cheap, far cheaper than thick curtains that work hard to block out the light. What's more, nothing makes a room feel more radient than some golden hour sun through a sheer window curtain, casting a golden glow onto the whole room.
3. CREATE THE ILLUSION OF A LARGE STATEMENT RUG
A living room rug is a key piece of furniture that can really exude luxury and sophistication. 'If you invest in a high-end rug you will keep it forever,' says the French textile designer, Pierre Frey. 'It's like a painting, it's an interior design accessory. A high-end rug has beauty in it in that you can travel with it, move house and it can be passed down and given to kids.'
4. REPLICATE THE CURVED SOFA LOOK
The focal point of your living room and a place for unwinding at the end of the day, your sofa is a staple piece of furniture that gets frequently used. ‘When you find a sofa you love, it creates a showstopper and the rest of the design follows,’ says interior designer, Natalia Miyar, who designed this scheme, ‘and comfort, proportions, material, and texture are all important.’ There are certain styles that give an expensive look, like a curved sofa, which really exemplifies elegance and refinement in your interiors.
5. EMBRACE THE CROWN MOLDING
Crown molding is an architectural detail that adds an element of luxury to your living room. It is the perfect example of a decorative flourish that serves no real purpose, and its nod to the history and heritage of your home really turns it from a stylish living room to an expensive-looking and elegant living room.
7. ADD AFFORDABLE ART TO THE LIVING ROOM
Considered wall art can go far to really add a feeling of opulence to your living room, and it needn't be expensive. In fact, buying something lesser-known from a car boot sale or local flea market will give the living room a priceless quality, as it is a one-off.
7. LAYER YOUR LIVING ROOM LIGHTING INSTEAD OF ONE STATEMENT FIXTURE
While a luxury living room often has a statement fixture at the center, good lighting isn't necessarily about one light source and an overly expensive chandelier in the center of the room. In fact, you can really create a cohesive, statement scheme by layering your lighting in the living room in clever ways. The result is a high-end feel in a living room that really works to add to the aesthetic of the space. It's about a combination of task, accent and central lighting, tying the space together for the kind of richness and depth associated with high-end interiors.
8. REEVALUATE THE PLACEMENT OF FURNITURE IN THE ROOM
Sometimes, it's just about where you put key items of furniture in the room that expresses this look of luxury. More often than not, your television is the center of the living room. It is a place where you come to relax and unwind, and often curl up on the sofa with a good film. But making your television the centerpiece of the living room can really cheapen the space. Instead, you want to make sure it is discreet and concealed, so it is not taking up space in an unsightly way when it is not in use.