To ask what makes a home look luxurious/posh/modern?

[minniemummy0]

No matter how hard I try I can’t seem to get our home looking as nice as some of my friends. There’s just something I can’t put my finger on. So far I’ve worked out some common things - such as new, clean, plush carpets, or candles burning. For some reason they all seem to have an L shaped sofa. What makes you really feel “wowed” by someone’s home??

The atmosphere that's created by the people in it....?

It depends on your taste though. For example I don't like carpets, especially plush ones, and would find them the opposite of luxurious/posh. Real wood floors with tasteful rugs look much better imo.

It doesn't matter what you're friends houses look like , enjoy YOUR life , have your house how YOU want it and above all realise life isn't about things it's about the people you love

Clean
Good quality furniture and furnishings.
No patterns all over one wall in every room.
Well laid out rooms
Good lighting
Not crowded with furniture

No children and no husbands making a mess I suspect, but do you want a home or a show house? (I do have friend with a show house, her husband is a control freak, shes a neurotic mess, and the poor kids just looks at the disinterested father and drunk of a mother and hide in their bedrooms)

One that has individuality and not the same blanket high street style as everyone else.

I think they are probably spending more money than you to be honest :) Can you give us an example of how much you're spending

Agree with real wood flooring and a nice rug, light furnishings, light walls, splashes of colour like plants, cushions, reed diffusers, nice lighting, no clutter

Clean , uncluttered , good quality furniture , good quality flooring I think wooden and clean white walls and overall good tatste in decor .

Minimalist, no clutter, modern lighting, quality wooden furniture, either real wood floors or nice carpets, modern colour scheme for the walls (not magnolia)

Add a photo and maybe we can make suggestions?

I do agree that buying solid quality furniture helps.

If money is short then some cheaper pieces mixed in with a couple of good quality things, can create an expensive look.

newcupcake very true. I shouldn’t be so envious it’s an ugly trait. I have a lovely, lovely family and I wouldn’t swap a gorgeous house for them. I’d still quite like both though 😳

NotSuchASmugMarried I am on maternity leave so at the moment I’m spending between £50-£100 only a month a we have a whole house to do :( It barely gets anything. I go back to work in July though and will have a lot more money than.

Definitely white. Not cream. Go towards grey neutrals rather than brown ones. Declutter. Avoid matching pairs - you don’t want to look a Next catalogue. Not too many patterns. There’s a trend for pink/green/Gold/dark but it’s hard to pull off. Gold is a Neutral has a good IG.

I think it's tones of colour.

Not all neutrals are the same, not all pinks, blues, greens.

I've seen some beautiful rooms that have lots of 'clashing' colours and patterns but they still look fab because the undertones and the saturations are in harmony.
Then I've seen other Neutral rooms which look awful, cheap and student housey (my own) because the neutrals don't harmonise.
Also - textured.

I bet they'd be flattered to be asked to help you

Never group things in even numbers. You need three or five together etc.

What condition are the walls/skirting boards/doors in?

You'll never get that expensive finished look if you've got chips in the plaster or three layers of emulsion on the skirting boards.

Find a style you like and stick to it instead of a hodge podge of different styles . I have white walls wooden floors and a bit of a mid century modern theme running through with my furniture .

Wooden floors, decent rugs, white walls and artwork which doesn't have to be expensive. No oversized bulky furniture in small spaces. I hate TVs on the wall. I also love fireplaces in marble or limestone.

I don't think luxurious/posh/modern makes me feel "wowed". For me the wow factor comes from the feeling that this is a place where the family have lived happily for years, rather than a show piece that they are inhabiting until they move to the next show piece.

Good quality furniture, get decent 2nd hand rather than cheap Ikea/argos/dfs shite. Try not to have everything too matchy matchy and use colour.

Buy the best quality flooring you can afford, no lino or laminate.

Don't get stressed about other people's homes they are probably much more relaxed in your home than in theirs if truth be known.

Quality not quantity , part of my work is dressing houses to look as you describe , less is always more , no nick nacks , no photos , candles etc etc - just quality pieces of furniture and soft furnishings , try looking around some good quality home stores for ideas
The trouble is they are actually show homes but once you add people they usually need tat like TVs , photos and such clutter that gets untidy easily

Nice artwork on the walls. A theme in each room but not so matchy matchy. Space.