Decorating a small home can be challenging, especially when you have to stick to a low budget. Still, there are numerous small home decor fixes that can make your house look lavish without breaking the bank.
Careful decor choices, such as a thoughtful selection of materials, are critical to making your home look expensive, whatever its size. When carefully executed, the result is a refined space that’s pleasing to the eye and a sense of touch.
We’ve gone far and beyond to look for the best small home decor fixes to help give your limited space a high-end look without the need for a costly and extensive remodel.
Take a look!
1. Add a Mirror
Let me share a cool trick with you: mirrors can make a small space look larger than it is! A well-placed mirror reflects the room back, creating the illusion of a larger space.
For the best result, go for a large mirror that also doubles as art. Place the mirror in a spot where it can reflect light for an airy feel.
2. Swap Out Hardware
Tiny details such as hardware go a long way in giving small kitchens and small bathrooms a sparkly new look. Replace the handles, faucets, or knobs on your cabinets, sinks, and doors with new coordinating pieces.
A while back, I upgraded my kitchen with new matte black hardware, which instantly made my cook space look luxurious and polished. Surprisingly, it was a very affordable update, but I’ll never tire of the sleek, on-trend look that emerged.
3. Go for Tile
Tile is a small home decor fix that creates a gorgeous, classic surface on a limited budget. Install affordable subway tiles to your bathroom and kitchen for a stunning look.
If your budget allows, add interest with a second tile design in a different hue and size.
4. Choose a Neutral Color Scheme
I remodeled a client’s home once, whereby they demanded an expensive look despite the limited space they had. The first thing that sprung to my mind was starting with a neutral scheme. Neutral colors are very effective in creating an airy feel and bringing high style.
A full-on remodel might be expensive, so consider updating things such as upholstery, fixtures, and floors while introducing bold colors and textures through accessories—a neutral base helps colorful accents stand out.
5. Invest in Artwork
Whether it’s DIY art, family photos, or store-bought artwork, framed works make a space feel luxurious, and your house feel like a home. Before mounting your artwork, consider the size and scale of the wall you want to decorate.
Also, don’t feel the need to fill up every empty wall with your art since this will make your space feel more cluttered. For a budget-friendly option, procure art pieces from online platforms, flea markets, or thrift stores.
6. Update Lighting
Lighting can easily become the focal point of a room, adding style and elegance.
Swap out an old light fixture for a contemporary chandelier that doubles as a striking art piece. The best thing is that there are numerous affordable options to shop
7. Consider a Large Vase
I’m sure you’ve walked into a restaurant or hotel and noticed a giant vase that immediately catches the eye. You can also use this concept to bring a luxurious feel to your small home.
Pro Tip: Use an imposing floral arrangement with fresh flowers, dried blooms, faux greenery, or even foraged branches; either way, your space will be dazzling.
8. Make Your Space Clutter-Free
The “less is more” mantra is very crucial in interior design. Clutter doesn’t only make your space unattractive but also smaller, which is even more perilous if you already have limited space in your home.
Declutter everything, from shoes filling the entryway and kitchen appliances taking up countertop space to coffee table books and junk mail, to increase the luxe factor in your small home. By showing off fewer items, you can avoid the mental exhaustion that comes with clutter.
9. Add Molding
Small homes usually have low ceilings. However, instead of being antagonized by this fact, embrace the lowness with crown moldings or shallow rough hewn beams to give you space a sense of lineage.
Molding can also elevate your plain walls, with treatments like beadboard, wainscoting, and picture-frame molding imparting a symmetrical, eye-pleasing look that draws attention to certain areas of the room.
10. Make it Grand with Wallpaper
Wallpaper is one of my favorite small home decor fixes to create an upscale feel, thanks to the vast designs available on the market. And the treatment doesn’t have to be pricey!
Budget-friendly options like textured grasscloth removable wallpaper and peel-and-stick wallpaper will add major style in a way that’s not too overpowering for a small space, not to mention they’re relatively easy to apply.
11. Layer Lighting
Areas such as bedrooms may not be suitable for grand chandeliers, but lighting choices like wall sconces provide an easy way to create a luxurious feeling and make a significant impact on an empty wall.
You’ll find numerous battery-operated and plug-in wall sconces on the market that you can install on your own without the need for an electrician.
12. Go for Area Rugs
Area rugs are small home decor fixes that help define your space, add pattern, color, warmth, and provide a soft landing for your feet—on top of making a room look more luxurious.
13. Bring In Texture
One small home decor fix I love to make a room feel expensive and upscale is introducing various textures.
Anything you’d instinctively want to touch—cashmere throw blankets, fluffy rugs (even faux ones), velvet pillows, and leather upholstery—I’ll throw it in there.
14. Make Use of Drapery
High ceilings are usually associated with luxurious homes, but physically raising the ceiling of your small home may take your remodeling budget to soaring heights. An excellent alternative is using floor-to-ceiling curtains to create the illusion of a taller ceiling and give your room a grander feel.
Opt for Roman shades in places where drapery isn’t suitable at floor level, such as kitchens or bathrooms, to keep the floor area clear and create a spacious feel.
15. Add Contrast with the Kitchen Island
One way I love sparking interest in the kitchen is through the kitchen island.
Cabinets and hardware are typically the go-to elements when you want to create contrast, but painting your island a contrasting hue will take your design to a whole new level.
16. Remember the Exterior
Small home decor fixes shouldn’t be limited to the interior; after all, the front porch is the first place guests interact with when they visit your home. Take this opportunity to make your entryway look expensive and provide a sneak peek of what lies ahead inside your home.
Furthermore, this will help to massively boost curb appeal, which is integral when looking for potential homebuyers.
17. Consider Furniture Placement
I know we have the primal urge to fill up empty spaces in our homes, but this might not turn out well in tight spaces.
Pulling furniture off the wall is an excellent small home decor fix to layer in spatial depth in small spaces, making your rooms feel more spacious and effortlessly luxurious.
18. Let the Ceiling Take Center Stage
Architectural details are some of the most reliable home decor fixes to make a home look expensive. Turn your ceiling into a focal point with gypsum installations.
You can decide whether to cover the whole ceiling or part of it, as well as the desired hue. Add bright LED lights that are out of view to make your installation even more luxurious.
19. Focus on Interior Doors
A quick, small home decor fix idea to make your interior doors less solid and more interesting is painting them in contrasting colors.
For a more grand feel, consider sliding barn doors or space-saving pocket doors to create separation within open floor plans and elevate a room’s style.
20. Change Towels
Swap out your old dingy bath towels that make your space look cheap and dirty with more crisp white or cream fluffy towels.
This will create the feeling of a luxurious hotel or spa in your home and evoke a more positive feeling in anyone who enters the room. Ensure you use creative storage ideas to save on more space.
21. Paint Your Trimwork
Adding trim to your home helps draw attention to features such as windows, walls, staircases, etc. Consider painting your trim work an updated color for a high-end look to add more definition to these elements.
A coat of white paint will revitalize dated-looking woodwork, but you can take a bolder route with a contrasting trim color like black for an ostensibly contemporary effect.
22. Include Accessories in Your Bookshelves
A bookshelf filled with books only may look like a stuffy library.
Consider adding a few accessories, such as framed photos, plants, and figurines, to make your bookshelf more interesting.
23. Embrace Nature with a Houseplant
Bringing the outdoors in with a statement houseplant is a cost-friendly way to create a luxurious environment.
Whether real or faux, a plant in an elegant pot will elevate any space in your home while creating a natural focal point. Consider a tall plant to add some height and depth to your space.
24. Make Smart Furniture Choices
One common small home decor fix that gets thrown around is using one big sectional as the only seating in the living room. The idea of multiple seats may sound atypical in small spaces, but this isn’t the case.
A large sectional is ideal if the room is very small, such that the seat defines the space’s periphery, and in massive rooms where they float elegantly. Other than that, the impression of everyone sitting in one place facing the TV or elsewhere doesn’t sound too “expensive”, so to speak.
25. Install Smart Home Devices
Smart home devices such as Apple’s HomeKit, Google Nest, and Amazon’s Alexa have drastically changed how we go about our daily lives, from automating simple things like lighting and temperature to handling more complex functions like security.
These devices make your home feel a little bit fancy, and you can purchase them for as low as $50.
