You can achieve a luxurious and custom look in your home at affordable prices.
The products and sources listed below offer ways to give a luxurious feeling to your home. Some are simple. Some require an investment. But no one, in the long run, ever regrets the expense of something of quality. The beauty lasts almost forever.
Artwork and Accessories
Very few are able to buy an original master painting. But even one oil or watercolor painting in a place of prominence brings a high level of quality to a room. Shop for original art pieces rather than copies or reproductions. Oil paintings, sculptures, and etchings have a look that posters, prints, or cheap collectible pieces do not.
Flooring
Did you know that you can buy reclaimed flooring from a French monastery? Get out the checkbook! If this quality is out of your budget, you can still achieve a luxurious look with wool carpets, hardwood floors, and stone tile.
Fabrics
Silk, linen, wool, and other natural fibers are chosen most often by designers for decorating the finest homes. The look and feel of these fabrics is usually superior to that of synthetic fibers. Though synthetic fabrics can closely duplicate the look of natural fibers, nothing has the luster or holds the depth of color as silk does. Cotton, one of the most available fibers and therefore more economical, weaves into a variety of fabric and is manufactured from a simple muslin up to the most luxurious bed linens.
Linens
To start off your quest for items of luxury in your home, you might start with personal bed linens. After all, you do spend 1/3 of your life in bed! Begin with a pair of pillow cases or splurge on a whole set of bed linens from Frette,Yves Delorme, or Pratesi. Once you've slept a night lying on 600 thread count sheets you'll never want to go back to the bargain world of 200 thread count cotton sheets.
Luxury Bath Fixtures
Do you long for a glass or hand-painted sink in your bathroom? What about a set of gold- or platinum-plated faucets? You might want custom-designed ceramic tile. There are lots of "over-the-top" items available for an "over-the-top" luxurious bath.
Furniture
Unless you've inherited some wonderful antiques, you'll have to attend auctions or visit antique shops and pay a fortune for wonderful, old furniture. If these pieces are too pricey, look for reproduction pieces manufactured by quality furniture makers such as Baker Furniture or Century Furniture. Other brands are available through designers, decorators, and architects.
A Luxury Kitchen
Few people are remodeling their kitchen without including some luxury appliances, cabinetry, and countertops. You can see many new styles in kitchen showrooms and designer showhouses, and learn how to make them the centerpiece in your own kitchen renovation project. You'll find that granite has become the top choice for countertops and offers durability and practicality along with a luxe look. With kitchen remodels, the sky's the limit!