9 Cheap Furniture Items That Make Your House Look Rich
If you’re looking to make your house look luxurious while on a budget, you’ve come to the right place. You don’t have to splurge on high-end designer pieces to give your home a facelift. There are plenty of inexpensive pieces of furniture that can really elevate your home.
Here are some affordable essentials experts say can really take your place from drab to fab.
Accent Chairs
- Estimated price: $100-$300
Lina DaSilva, owner of Toronto Shine Cleaning, said a proper accent chair can make a room look incredibly polished and put together, even if there isn’t a lot of other furniture in the room. “They are not just functional but add a touch of elegance. Look for pieces with unique designs and fabrics that complement your space,” she said.
If you’re looking for a specific recommendation, Pazit Reuven, founder of Shawlovers, said a chaise longue adds a vibe of being in the upper echelon without having to hand over sacks of gold. This long, cushioned chair provides seating with style and grace. “It has the prestige of royal homes, as we often see it in high-end designed rooms. Some chaise longue designs look like they’re taken straight from a palace, easily adding a rich style to your home,” Reuven said.
Large Paintings
- Estimated price: $120-$400
Reuven said you can make your living room more upscale by increasing the scale of your artwork. “A big painting draws attention and becomes the main focus of the room.”
Reuven added that displaying such grand pieces of art give off a vibe of worldliness. “It not only makes the space look well-designed but also gives the impression that you have a deep understanding of art and are willing to invest in it. This can make people think you have expensive taste and contribute to the overall feeling of a luxurious home.”
Stone Sculpture
- Estimated price: $40-$200
A piece of three-dimensional art can really give a classic feel to your home. Stores like H&M and Urban Outfitters often sell stone sculptures that can be purchased for relatively low prices, but make your home seem very high class.
Golden Framed Grand Mirror
- Estimated price: $80-$400
Every time you look at yourself, you could be seeing two pieces of art. Mirrors can be an excellent way to upgrade the design of a room. The gold color alone makes the piece seem expensive.
Reuven said a well-placed mirror can also make the room seem bigger. “Beyond making a room appear larger, a strategically placed mirror can brighten the space, and add depth and an impressive styling.”
Area Rugs
- Estimated price: $50-$200
If rugs are an afterthought to you, you might want to change your perspective. DaSilva said a good area rug can change the entire feeling of a room. “An exquisite area rug can anchor a room, add warmth, and tie all the decorative elements together.”
DaSilva added that the key is to focus on the quality of the material and the complexity of the design. The less common-looking a rug is, the more it can offer to the room.
Lighting Fixtures
- Estimated price: $50-$200
TikTok has deemed the famous “boob light” fixture completely out of fashion. Unfortunately, that is a common fixture in a lot of apartments and homes.
DaSilva said replacing it can add a bit of taste and artfulness to your living space. “The magic is often in the lighting. Elegant fixtures can create a luxurious ambiance.” DaSilva added that you can play with different levels of lighting using dimmers to create even more of a mood and atmosphere.
Carol Wilson, writer for YouComfort, swears by pendant lighting when she’s looking to elevate a room’s light fixtures. “I recently incorporated a modern orb pendant light in a dining area, transforming the entire ambiance of the room. The warm glow it emitted and its unique design made the space feel cozy and luxurious. It was a total steal from Amazon, priced under $100!”
Bookshelves
- Estimated price: $100-$400
Your book storage can be a huge eyecatcher if you get the right set of shelves. “Nothing speaks sophistication like a well-styled bookshelf,” DaSilva said.
She added that you don’t just have to just keep books there: other pieces of decor, photos and artwork can make it more of a focal point in any room.
‘Built-In’ Shelving
- Estimated price: $300-$500
If your home doesn’t come with built-in shelves, you can certainly add them. IKEA is a great place to find shelves like this that you can put in your closet to make it seem as though your home came with custom shelving.
End Tables
- Estimated price: $50-$200
Are you stacking boxes and books next to your couch to hold stuff? Still using TV trays? You need an upgrade.
Scott Lieberman, founder of Touchdown Money, said an elegant end table can class up a room in seconds. “End and accent tables make an excellent, affordable addition to any house or apartment primarily because they look beautiful on their own, and also do double duty by offering a place for your keys, purse, books, coffee mugs, or even your collection of plants.”
Lieberman recommends c-shaped tables for small spaces. “They can tuck behind a chair or couch, giving you an area to put your things on without taking up valuable floor space.”
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