20 Things That Make a Home Feel Expensive
There’s a big difference between a home that’s “decorated” and a home that feels expensive. I don’t mean expensive, like “I took out a second mortgage for this sofa” expensive. I mean that well-designed, curated, designer look that feels intentional and layered the second you walk in. In my experience, that high-end feeling almost always comes down to the details. The little things that aren’t flashy, but they show someone really thought this through. For fun, here are 20 things I think make a home feel expensive… whether you’re doing a full renovation or you just want to upgrade and restyle your space, consider including some of these!
If you’re trying to design a cohesive home that flows from room to room, these would be perfect for repetition and cohesion. Here are 20 that made my list… all of which, I think make a home feel expensive (using examples from my own).
1. Tailored Drapery Panels
If I could only pick one thing that instantly makes a home feel expensive, it’s tailored drapery panels. They add softness, height, and that finished layer every room needs. Even a simple space looks more polished when the windows are dressed properly. I’m talking real fabric, installed high & wide, proper length, and hardware that feels intentional. Nothing makes me spiral faster than skimpy panels hanging halfway down a window. Well dressed windows make a huge difference. Here are the best budget curtains that look custom…
2. Upgraded Switch Plate Covers
I know this feels like the least exciting thing, but hear me out. Cheap builder grade switch plates have a way of making an otherwise beautiful room feel unfinished. Swapping them for something a bit more elevated is one of those little upgrades that makes the whole wall feel designed, not just painted. This is also the kind of detail you begin to notice in repetition, and you can unsee it. Check out my designer tips for making outlets and light switch plates look better.
3. Collected Art & Decor
The most expensive looking homes I’ve ever been in aren’t the ones with perfect matching everything. They’re the homes where you can tell the owner has a point of view… meaningful art, antiques, and pieces with history. Things that feel collected over time always make a vignette feel more interesting and layered. Here are my favorite traditional neutral gallery wall picks (including the diptych pictured in my basement bedroom, above).
4. Fresh Flowers or Oversized Branches
I’m convinced a vase of fresh flowers is the quickest way to make your house feel like a grown up lives there. Live plants, florals, and greenery really do add life, texture, and color to a space, making it feel put together… even if you’re in leggings for the third day in a row. Oversized branches are one of the best designer tricks because they’re dramatic and sculptural without being fussy. One big moment in a vase on a console table can do more than a dozen tiny little accessories.
5. A Subtle, But Memorable Fragrance
The best homes don’t just look beautiful, they feel and smell beautiful. A subtle home fragrance is one of those sensory details that instantly changes the mood. Nothing overpowering, just something clean and consistent that people remember when they leave… this one is my current favorite. This works especially well in entryways, powder bathrooms, and guest rooms. Small spaces with a big impact.
6. Colored, Patterned, or Pleated Light Shades
Let’s retire the default plain white drum shade, ok? A colored, patterned, woven, or pleated lampshade is an easy way to add dimension, color, and personality. It reads custom, layered, and “she knows what she’s doing.” Even better if the shade echoes something in the room- like your drapery color, a wallpaper tone, or a trim detail. Here’s how to choose a clip on sconce or chandelier shade!
7. Wood Inlay Furniture
Wood inlay always looks expensive. Always. It’s one of those details that feels old world and artisan made, whether it’s a subtle banding detail or a full statement pattern. I especially love wood inlay when the rest of the room is calmer because it becomes a focal point without screaming for attention. Here are 5 ways to score quality, high-end furniture on a budget (like my coffee table).
8. Classic Marble Countertops
Marble is classic for a reason. It has movement, softness, contrast, and depth that’s hard to replicate. It immediately elevates a kitchen or bath, and only gets better with patina as it ages. It’s timeless in a way that feels collected and architectural. Definitely give this post a read on how to choose a marble slab for your renovation!
9. Classic Stripes
Classic stripes are like a perfect white button down. They’re just timeless. Whether it’s wallpaper, paint, upholstery, bedding, or textiles, stripes add structure and a playful pattern to any vignette. They also read traditional in the best way- even when the rest of the space leans modern. Bonus points if you go a little unexpected with color or scale, like a chunky cabana stripe.
10. Lots of Books
Books instantly add depth to a room. Styled on built ins, mixed with objects, stacked on coffee tables, layered on shelves… they bring warmth and interest to your home. Oversized books are perfect for tables or surfaces because they feel substantial and set a foundation for styling. Here’s how to thrift books like a designer!
11. Natural Woven Rugs
Natural woven rugs feel high end because they’re textural and grounding without being loud. You can even layer them under a vintage rug. They give that classic aesthetic while remaining highly functional. These are the best natural fiber area rugs, if you’re on the hunt for a new one… and they come in custom sizes (and stair runners).
12. Warm, Consistent Lighting Temperature
This one is non negotiable for me. If the lighting temperature is mismatched, the whole house feels chaotic. I always prefer warm lighting, and 2400K is the sweet spot for that cozy, glowy, expensive look. It makes everything feel softer, inviting and more intentional. Lighting is one of the fastest ways to make a home feel high end.
13. Details on Upholstery and Textiles
Trim is the unsung hero of expensive interiors. A welted edge. A contrast flange. A little tape detail. A subtle appliqué. Those tiny finishing touches take a pillow, a chair, or a bench from fine to custom. If you want your home to feel elevated, stop buying the plain version of everything. The details are where the magic lives… and if you’re working on a DIY, add them yourself! Here’s how to reupholster antique chairs, featuring the one pictured above.
14. Doors With An Architrave
Doors are such a missed opportunity. Adding an architrave or giving your doors a more substantial trim profile makes your whole home feel more architectural. It’s the kind of upgrade that looks custom and classic, even in a basic builder house (it doesn’t have to be huge). This is one of those “you don’t notice it until you do” details. Here’s how to order and replace an interior door, if yours could use an upgrade.
15. Antique Furniture with Patina
Patina is expensive. Not because antiques are always pricey, but because they add age, depth, and history that new furniture can’t fake. A worn edge, an imperfect finish, a piece that looks like it’s lived a few lives. Antiques also break up the “everything is new” look, which can feel a little too mass produced these days. Here’s how to find and shop home estate sales.
16. Gallery Lights
If you want something to look expensive, highlight it like it belongs in a gallery. A little picture light over art adds the perfect emphasis. This also works well on built-ins or cabinetry. It creates focus, highlights architecture, and makes a vignette feel intentional. This is one of those details that reads custom, even when the rest of the room is not. Here’s how to choose the best gallery light for your artwork.
17. Bolster Lumbars
I love a good lumbar pillow, but bolsters feel like their elevated cousin. They add dimension, softness, and a sculptural energy. These work especially well on beds or deep sofas. They also help a bed feel layered without needing a million pillows. Less styling and clutter… with a more tailored look. If you’re considering updating your bed, definitely check out the best affordable bedding for a designer looking bed.
18. Sculptural or Dimensional Art
Flat art is perfect for the walls, but dimensional art is a whole different level. Vintage busts, sculptural pieces, framed relief work, anything that adds depth and shadow is a high-end win in my book. It adds that museum aesthetic in a way that feels thoughtful and collected. I also love using a pedestal in a corner that feels awkward. It’s such a designer fix for negative space. Here’s how to build a decorative pedestal.
19. A Home Bar
I’m not sure what it is about a home bar that feels like a flex, but I love seeing a bar cart, styled sideboard, or designated home bar hutch. It’s not hiding behind closed storage, and it’s at the ready for entertaining and cocktails at a moment’s notice… it just feels fun, designerly, and adds that expensive detail to an otherwise boring corner or basement kitchen. Find my stylish home bar essentials and designer inspiration, here!
20. Animal Print
Animal print is back… honestly, it never went out of style! I use these patterns as a neutral. A little leopard, a subtle zebra, even a tiny moment on a pillow or a bench. It adds energy and personality and that collected aesthetic without being too precious. The key is keeping it classic and using it as the perfect accent!
A Few Finishing Touches That Make Everything Feel Intentional
If you take nothing else from this post, take this: expensive homes feel expensive because they feel finished. That’s the difference between a room that’s well-styled and a room that’s not. Here’s the quick checklist I run through when a room feels like it’s not quite there yet…
- Are the windows dressed properly?
- Is the lighting warm and consistent- and do I have enough fixtures?
- Do the details look intentional up close?
- Is there a good mix of old and new?
- Does it feel collected, not matchy?
- How does the space make me feel?
- What am I missing- or what can I edit?
Questions?
Absolutely. Switch plates are tiny but visually loud when they’re cheap and plastic. Upgrading them is an easy way to elevate the whole room. Here are my designer tips for making outlets & light switch plates look better.
I actually shared a post on exactly that- here are 25 new furniture finds that could pass as antique!
The obvious answer is to collect. I know it sounds silly, but mix meaningful art, antiques, books, and personal pieces you’ve picked up over the years. A collected look comes from layering items with story, and remembering not everything has to match.
Related Posts
Looking for more posts with designer tips and recommendations? I’m going to link some of my favorites for you below…
- The Designer Guide to Styling Built Ins
- How I Designed a Classic Kitchen That Still Feels Timeless
- How to Layer Lighting Like a Designer
- The Best Amazon Vases, Vessels & Pottery for Classic Styling
- Common Home Decor Mistakes That Make Your Home Look Dated
- How to Design a Cohesive Home That Flows Room to Room
- 20 Things Every Bedroom Should Have (According to Designers)
- Designer Guide to Mixing Metals by Room
- Flush Mount vs Semi Flush Lighting: When to Use Each
- Stair Rods: The Finishing Touch for Your Stair Runner
At the end of the day, making a home feel expensive is not about chasing perfection or buying the most expensive version of everything. It’s about editing, layering, and choosing details that feel intentional. If you want to upgrade your home in a way that actually shows, start with the things you touch every day, the lighting you live under every night, and the layers that make a room feel finished. Those are the choices that always pay off!
Amazing tips!! You just convinced me to pull the trigger on the switch plate covers I’ve simultaneously been ogling & second guessing. Should switch plate covers match light fixture finish? Or does it matter? This is my reminder to also narrow down art choices for the front room. Everything you mentioned here is such a great reminder. Thanks for sharing Sarah; I hope you had a great weekend!
We’re having our interiors painted so I’m finally working on a lot of finishing touches. Updating the switches and outlets to white from beige plus new switchplates will have the biggest impact. I’ve been collecting ideas in “decorating plan” documents for every room – that’s been a big help for trying out options as well as remembering all the big & little details. We’ve collected a lot of furniture and art in 35 years of marriage and I’m having fun pulling it all together and rearranging things in our new home.