When you first get your place, it is as exciting as it is terrifying. What should you start with? Is it the paint or the furniture? Do you get an interior designer and a contractor to take care of things for you, or should you do it yourself? So many questions will be roaming through your head, but there’s one point you need to focus on: How to make your home look as elegant as possible on a minimal budget. It is not easy, but with a little planning and a few tips and tricks, you can make your home look high-end even with a tight budget.

Pay attention to the finer details

There’s a saying: “the devil’s in the details,” and this applies to your home more than anything else. The thing about elegant homes is the fact that their owners pay attention to the finer details, and they invest in making them stand out, which people notice when they first step into one. So, you should do the same. For instance, crown molding is a minute piece of your décor that makes a lot of difference in how your place will look. It makes a room look complete, and it shows you put in the effort. The best thing about crown molding? It’s pretty cheap, and you can get some decent kinds with excellent designs very affordable.

Less is more

A lot of people make the mistake of assuming that they need to add a lot of details and pieces to make a place look elegant, which couldn’t be further from the truth. You can actually create a chic, high-end-looking home with minimal pieces. We live in an age where minimalism is a trend, and less is more when it comes to everything—even more so when it comes to decorating your home. The catch is in choosing the pieces that fit and adding the details that matter. It’s a basic expression of quality versus quantity, really.

It’s all about the colors

Paint is one of the most important details of any home, and it really can be the difference between an elegant house and a cheap-looking one. The thing is, paint is not really expensive, but it’s your choice of colors that makes the difference. So, you need to be really careful when you choose the color of every room, and always keep furniture in mind, because you need a color palette that would work with whatever furniture pieces you’ll be bringing in. Choosing a room’s color may be difficult at first, but you can visit the No Triangle Studio website to realistically display the colors and arrangements you have in mind before proceeding with major projects. Sure, you can break that rule and get pieces that don’t necessarily work with the walls and finishing, but you need to first learn the rules before you can break them, as the saying goes.

Choose your furniture wisely

When it comes to designing a house that looks elegant, nothing is as important as your choice of furniture. It’s one of the first things people notice, but it’s the one that leaves an everlasting impression. If you want to stick to a budget, you can’t just go to a thrift store and buy any couch. You have to be very careful with what pieces you add to your home. The family behind BigSave says that it’s important to choose high-quality materials that would complement the design of your house. That way, you can ensure that the furniture you get will make your house look tasteful without breaking the bank.

Pillows and towels

You might ask yourself why exactly pillows and towels would matter when you’re talking about the elegance of a house, but they actually are quite relevant. Pillows does not only add comfort to the couches and chairs––which your guests would love you for––but they also significantly boost the ambience of a place. It’s a finer touch that shows style and class, and if chosen properly, they’d really give your living room a unique touch. Towels, on the other hand, are something most guests notice, and adding chic towels in the bathrooms won’t cost you much, it will even elevate your place and make it look much more sophisticated than if you use those stained white towels.

Window treatment

What do you call a house without a window treatment? Incomplete. Window treatments make a huge difference in how your place will end up looking, and they add a lot to the place, showing your sense of style. The good news is the fact that there are plenty of different options, but that’s also the bad news because you might feel a bit stuck. In any case, while most treatment options are affordable, some are cheaper-looking than others, and you may want to steer clear from those. If you’re going for draperies, you can never go wrong with linen/cotton, and if you want shutters, wood is always a good option that wouldn’t cost you much.

Accessories

Adding accessories to the place always amps up the style and elegance, not to mention a personal touch that takes your décor to the next level. The great thing is it also doesn’t cost you much. Whether it’s some paintings you can get from your neighborhood antique store or your favorite movie posters and childhood action figures, a personal flair goes a long way toward making a place look exquisite without costing much.

Lighting

You can’t talk elegance in homes without bringing up lighting, and it’s a deal breaker in many cases. Sure, you can spend a lot of money on designer lamps and light fixtures, but there’s another way around it. This is when you need to go to your local antique and thrift stores, as well as flea markets, and you’ll find some awesome pieces that will make your place look really unique, and for excellent prices.

There are definitely a million ways to make your house look elegant without having to spend a lot of money. The key is being patient and not going for the first option you stumble upon. Take your time and look around, and you’ll come up with some great ideas that will get you the results you need.