Luxurious homes often have plenty of room, high ceilings, opulent furnishings, and exquisite décor. From the living room design to the bathroom design and everything in between, all elements feel well thought out and custom-made. How do you create that same upscale vibe in a generic HDB or home without doing a massive house renovation in Singapore?
The good news is that it’s possible to achieve a feeling of opulence and extravagance even if the square footage of your space is limited. Little touches like a stylish chandelier can go a long way in transforming and otherwise ordinary living room into a regal saloon. A high-quality carpet makes each step delightful, and strategically placed mirrors can bring light where there is none. In this blog, we ask experts of home interior design in Singapore for some real-world furnishing tips for adding luxury to any home:
Knock down some walls
One of the most distinguishing features of luxury homes is their air of spaciousness. You can achieve the same even in a smaller house by knocking down some walls and instead using furniture to define spaces. A minimalist low sofa, for example, can separate the living room from the dining and kitchen area. It’s an elegant double-duty piece of furniture that can divide a room without blocking the line of sight, and without blocking natural light.
Add a statement chandelier
Drawn inspiration from museums and art galleries by installing a dreamy lighting fixture such as a constellation chandelier in your living room or your bedroom. It will resemble a piece of art and will become the focal point of the space. What’s more, a luxurious chandelier will encourage you and your guests to look up, appreciate the vertical space, relax, and forget about the worries of the day—and isn’t that what real luxury is truly about?
Put a beautiful mat and some artwork in your bathroom
This is a great way to make your bathroom feel a lot more luxurious without embarking on a full-scale renovation. Bring in a fancy but functional bath mat and hang some black and white pictures in gilded frames to instantly bring some opulence to the space. This little bathroom design trick is favoured by home stagers because it’s quick and easy but delivers maximum impact.
Create floor to ceiling storage
Walk into a luxury home and you will quickly notice that almost every piece of clutter is hidden behind white lacquered cabinets that span the height of the room. Floor to ceiling storage systems can make any space feel airier, elegant, and precious. They also make it a breeze to control clutter, as every little thing has a place.
If your budget doesn’t allow custom floor to ceiling cabinets, you can try to build some systems yourself. Bookshelves and kitchen cabinets can be made to look customized if you install them in such a way that the extend all the way from your floor to your ceiling. Bookshelves that span entire walls always look much more expensive than those that standalone. With some elbow grease and forward planning, you can probably tackle this project in a weekend or two.
Decorate your hallways
Luxury is all about the details. Don’t neglect your hallway and other so-called “transit” spaces. At a vase with some greenery or flowers. Maybe you can use some golden or silver wallpaper to make them feel grand. A little goes a long way.
Make your ceilings higher—even if you have to fake it
Racing your roof will mean having to embark in a massive home renovation in Singapore. If that’s not possible, don’t worry; you can create the illusion of high ceilings using curtains. Raise your window panels to give your rooms a grander feel and an illusion of height. Window treatment is often overlooked as many people don’t realize its impact on a space. You can actually add fabric to your current panels if you want an inexpensive way to do this. Find some complimentary fabric and have your local seamstress added to the end of the panel (or even at the top or bottom, if you wish).
Don’t be afraid of mirrors
Trick the ice into thinking that your home is larger than it really is with some strategic mirror placement. Bring in some large mirrors to reflect the space back and make it look twice its size. This is also a great way to make small powder rooms and bathrooms appear bigger. Many experts in kitchen design in Singapore also routinely use mirrors to glam up cooking and dining areas.
Update old and worn out fixtures
Do you have luxurious taste on a shoestring budget? One of the simplest things you can do to add elegance to your space is to update old fixtures like handles, door knobs, drawer pulls, and light switches. They are fairly inexpensive and can instantly give your space a higher-end sheen.
Add simple architectural details
It’s amazing how little bit of crown moulding can transform an otherwise ordinary home into an upscale property. Add them to the baseboard, ceiling, or chair rail to elevate any room. You don’t have to go for old school Victorian style moulding. In most cases, a simple single-depth piece will do the trick.
Choose a statement piece and play it up
If you’re bringing in an expensive element into a room, make it as prominent as possible. Make sure it becomes the focal point of the space. Think about it: There’s no point in splurging on a pricey painting only to have the competing with a showstopper fireplace. Always give your best pieces some room to shine.
Invest in luxury towels
Are you still using dingy and old bath towels? They are making your home look cheap and dirty. Toss them and buy new ones that you will be proud to display and happy to use. You can’t go wrong with fluffy, crisp, and white towels—the types you would usually find in an elegant hotel or spa. They will immediately trigger a feeling of luxury for you and your guests.
Hang art on your walls
This is another fairly easy and affordable project that you can probably do yourself. There’s no need to spend thousands of dollars on expensive art. You can simply dig up some old family photos or even paint something yourself. Go to your local craft store where you will find everything and anything you need to create your own artwork. Perhaps more important than the paintings or pictures themselves is how you hang them. There are plenty of instructional videos online showing how to properly mount a series of picture frames.
As you can see, it’s possible to create a house that looks and feels luxurious even with just a few touch-ups. We hope that these interior design and decorating ideas will add opulence and extra flair to your home. For even more furnishing tips and expert advice straight from interior design and house renovation experts in Singapore, feel free to look at our other blogs.
