How to Make Your Home Feel More Luxurious for Less

It's a perennial question for those of us on tight budgets: how do we make life feel more luxurious without spending too much money? Whether you're more interested in fashion, food, travel, or interior design (or all of the above), there are always clever tricks and recommendations out there to enable you to live the most expensive-looking life on the least possible amount of money. When it comes to interiors, try and identify the small things you use every day – the linens, the drinking glasses, the hand soap, the stationery – and give them a small upgrade. Every time you come back to one of these things, it will bring you a little joy.

Focus on the Things You Touch

When interior designers advise on where to spend and where to save at home, a frequent tip is that you should splurge on the things you touch. For example, in a bathroom or kitchen, the taps and handles should be your focus. You might not be able to afford high-end kitchen cabinets or bathroom sanitaryware, but a solid, well-made tap or cupboard handle will bring you a little sense of luxury every time you touch it. In a living room or bedroom, make sure the fabrics you come into contact with feel good. And remember you don't have to spend a lot of money here provided you choose your materials carefully.

Try a Trim

In the main bedroom of her London house, designer Rita Konig trimmed bed curtains in 'Lovelust Linen' with a gold from S Harris. Employing a trim will make the entire thing feel more luxurious. Buying inexpensive fabrics such as linen and ticking, but trimming them with something beautiful, is a regular interior designer trick, and is certain to bring you joy whenever you notice it. You can also use it to line the edges of your walls, which makes even a simple painted wall look much more expensive. Our favourite high-end sources include Samuel & Sons and Houlès, but if you're prepared to do some scouring, you can also find some brilliant trims on Etsy for a fraction of the price.

Stick to Organic Materials

There's a particular conception of luxury that revolves around silks, damasks and velvets, but textiles do not have to be ultra-expensive to feel good. Always check the composition of the fabrics you're buying: pure cotton and linen for your bedding, for example, are very affordable materials, but they look and feel wonderful on your skin. We're huge fans of H&M Home.