The Magic Mix: My Biggest Trick For Creating A Luxurious, Budget-Friendly Space
Do you scroll through Instagram, drooling over photos of beautiful rooms that you can see yourself living in but are afraid you can’t afford? Do you put off plans of redecorating or remodeling your home because you don’t have an unlimited budget?
Friend, I am here to help!
I work every day with clients to create unique, luxurious, and artistic spaces that fit a variety of budgets. The secret to getting what you want without breaking the bank is using what I call, “The Magic Mix” — the art of mixing high-end and low-end items to curate a look that is high on personality and low on price.
Trick #1: Plan Your Impact
There are many ways to create excitement in a space — lighting, furniture, and artwork are some of my favorites. For example, a bold overhead light fixture (like this Karrington small chandelier) may be all you need to create a lot of visual impact. A sculptural armchair or a bold painting by a local artist would also work well. Prepare for your impact item to be on the higher side of the price scale, and balance this investment with lower-priced items that help you stick to your budget.
Trick #2: Capitalize on Consignment and Thrift-Store Finds
Second-hand furniture isn’t the first thing that comes to mind for many people. This forgotten source is a treasure-trove for those looking to incorporate heirloom-quality furniture into their space. Today, homeowners of all ages are downsizing, and with that often comes new furniture scaled for a smaller floor plan. This has created a large, often untapped market of heirloom-quality items from decades past, especially for American-made furniture companies such as Drexel, Ethan Allen, and Broyhill. Not only can you find beautiful pieces in great condition, but you can also save a lot of money on quality-made, real-wood furniture that will last for years to come. Bonus points if you can use a top-notch thrift-store find as your high-impact item!
Trick #3: Utilize the “If Your Tush Touches It” Rule
I know. It sounds funny, but it’s a very important rule that hopefully, you’ll never forget. The rule refers to daily-use furniture — items that your tush will literally touch, every single day. Think dining tables and chairs, sofas, desks, and beds. These items are used heavily, day after day, and sometimes at night, too. They need to be solidly constructed and able to withstand lots of use over many years. Plan your budget to include high-quality furniture so that your return-on-investment is worth the splurge. Your tush — and your wallet — will thank you for it.
Trick #4: Find New Ways to Use Ordinary Items
Making something new from something old is one of my favorite tricks to creating a layered, curated look. Something I’ve noticed lately — especially on Zoom calls — is book collections. These aren’t just any books, though. They’re covered with luxurious paper in a variety of colors, changing the focus from titles and authors to shapes and sizes. It’s a great way to create a cohesive, structured visual display without getting distracted by dust-covers. This is such an accessible decorating trick and it’s one of my favorites.
Pro Tip: If you aren’t into DIY or don’t have time to wrap dozens of books, you can purchase pre-curated book collections like the one below at Wrapped Books By The Foot by Booth & Williams.
Trick #5: Know When To Go Low
The beauty of The Magic Mix is that it empowers you to create a very personalized, luxurious space with the resources that you have. When you know how to plan your budget and prioritize your purchases, you free up space to bring in items that are lower in price without sacrificing style. Items that fit the “low” category are usually accessories that have a designer look at a fraction of the price. My favorites include shiny, sparkly, unique decor items like this faux crystal votive candle holder by Regina Andrew.
And there you have it — The Magic Mix — my biggest designer trick revealed!
It’s easy to create a luxurious, budget-friendly space when you know the secret of combining high-end and low-end items to curate a look that is uniquely yours.
Try using The Magic Mix to plan your next living space upgrade and let me know how it works for you!
In my next post I’ll discuss how less is actually more when it comes to luxury interior design.
Until then,
Laura
You can shop all of my curated looks, including items mentioned in my blog posts by clicking the button below.
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