What makes a home feel luxurious?
I recently had a really interesting discussion with a friend on this very subject. And we realised that it isn’t just one obvious thing.
Sometimes, you walk into a place and it feels right – it just works. A home doesn’t have to be large or have expensive furnishings.
On the contrary, a house can be big, yet feel cavernous and cold. Or it can still look a cluttered mess, despite its size. Whereas a small space can have a luxury boutique hotel feel about it.
An interior filled with opulent furniture isn’t always a luxurious one. Sometimes, it can have the opposite effect. Have you ever walked into an ostentatiously decorated room that made you feel uncomfortable, and perhaps a little overwhelmed?
The secret is that there are several elements that can help give a home an air of luxury. And I thought I’d share with you how to make your home feel luxurious.
A feeling of spaciousness
This isn’t the same as a having a large house. Rather, it is a home where you feel you have room to breathe and move. An absence of clutter and good storage helps. As does not trying to cram too much furniture into a room. It’s about working with the scale of the room.
Light
A light filled interior instantly feels good when you walk into it. And this is in part linked to the last point: it gives a room a more spacious appearance. And if you don’t have large windows, substitute with some clever lighting. But balance is the key. It shouldn’t look too bright and stark either.
Contrast
Light and dark. Hard and soft. Rough and smooth. Natural and man-made. Ancient and modern. Contrast adds interest that arouses our senses. Think of the way light plays on a room when it filters in through a window blind. Or rich warm wood set against cool glass and steel. An all white room may feel cold if it is all one shade and similar materials. But add subtle shades, different textured fabrics. And the mood of the room is altogether different.
Balance
Closely related to contrast is balance. A riot of different colours and patterns in a space can be headache inducing. Over-using metallic home accessories and furnishings can look garish. But place a colourful patterned rug in the centre of a neutral room and it can entirely transform the interior. Introduce some subtle metallic accents, and it adds a touch of luxe.
Nature
Get inspired by nature and bring the outside in. Adding natural elements into your home will bring it to life. Think of how a plant can add vibrancy to an empty corner of a room.
Scent
Our sense of smell has a powerful impact. An aroma can effect or enhance our mood. And evoke memories that take us back to a different time and place. But alternately, they can also be an instant turn-off. Walk into a room with a stale, unpleasant odour and it might cloud your perception of the space. Even if the decor is otherwise lovely.
Enter a luxurious hotel and probably one of the first things you’ll become aware of is a beautiful fragrance in the air. And its easy to replicate the effect in your own home with a scented candle or diffuser. Once again it’s all about balance. You’re aiming for a subtle, rather than overwhelming, fragrance.
And perhaps subtlety is what links all these elements together. A luxurious home isn’t one that screams “look at me!” – because it doesn’t have to.
You just know.
What do you think makes a home feel luxurious? What would you add to the list?
Gorgeous pics. I adore the lounge with the gorgeous French style furniture contrasting against the more modern additions. Also love the ornate gold mirror in the white room – striking feature, I love all white but it can be cold, so adding gold really adds warmth as well as style. I agree its all about finding the right balance and contrast with no one element being too overbearing, but each piece working with the next, adding intrigue, texture and depth to a room.
There are some very good ideas on this page.
Thank you very much
There are very good ideas on this page and a lot to consider.