Tips From Home Stylist, Elle Uy to Achieve a Luxe Look

Want to give your home an upscale look without breaking your budget? Luckily, with a few simple adjustments and strategic styling techniques, you can achieve a luxurious look – on the cheap! Not convinced? We asked decorator and home stylist Elle Uy to share some of her quick, budget-friendly, and tried-and-tested decorating tips that will easily transform your space into something luxurious.

1. Upgrade your hardware and fixtures

Did you know that just by changing your cabinet handles, knobs, and faucets, you can update the whole look of your space? According to Elle, your hardware is like your home's jewelry. So before you start changing your furniture, replace old or outdated hardware first. Pick out something in gold, silver, or black, especially for cabinet doors and drawer handles.

2. Add mood lighting

Elle also swears by this decorating hack. Adding a good ambient light, like lamps in varying heights, will elevate the whole vibe of your space. Put table lamps and floor lamps in different areas of your room to instantly give it a cozy feel.

3. Put some long drapes

Long drapes also give an illusion of a higher ceiling. Elle recommends putting in floor to ceiling curtains for that instant elegant look.

4. Add a mirror wall to make a room look larger

Strategically placed mirrors can make small spaces appear bigger. Not to mention they also make interesting and visually appealing decorative pieces. If you live in a small apartment or condo with very few windows, having a mirror can break up wall space and add dimension to a tiny space. You can also add a large mirror in your bathroom, or bring in more reflective light to your bedroom by putting a mirror near the windows.

5. Repaint the walls or upgrade the wallpaper

The right color of walls can really upgrade the look and vibe of a space. So if you have plain and boring walls, do a paint upgrade. Choose colors that will still go with your existing furniture to bring a visual balance. But if you want to have a massive change in your home’s overall look, you can opt for trendier colors like olive green, pale pink, and even turquoise.

If repainting is not an option, upgrade your walls with wallpaper. Choose bold patterns to make a statement, or go for something muted and classic, depending on the space and your personality!

6. Apply a fresh coat of paint on your outdated cabinets

Rather than buying a new set of modular cabinets or having them custom-made, you can just apply a fresh coat of paint on your existing ones. It will instantly transform the look of your bedroom or your kitchen.

Choose lighter colors to make a cramped kitchen look and feel bigger. So, yes, white is a good decision if you want a more open and more spacious feel to your room.

7. Add plants and flowers

Did you know that having plants in your home can reduce the toxins in the air, as well as provide many aromatherapy benefits? It also brings a lot of aesthetic value to a space regardless of its size.

Since plants come in different colors, textures, and sizes, you can use them as versatile decor accessories. You can put them on top of your work desk, on open shelves, on the kitchen window, or on the floor.

When you can’t decide what to do with a bare or open space, fill it up with fresh and vibrant plants instead of new appliances or pieces of furniture. More often than not, some plants and flowers are all you need to add freshness to a tired-looking space!

Pro tip: For small apartments and condo units, you can add floor plants that are two to three feet tall. If you have high ceilings, you can go for taller ones.

8. Get rid of clutter

We’re all guilty of holding on to stuff, mostly for sentimental reasons. But clutter has a way of sneaking up on you. And before you know it, you’ve got clutter in all parts of your house and not a lot of usable space.

To get rid of clutter, remove all unnecessary items. If something is prone to collecting dust, remove it. Put essentials and valuables in aesthetic and easily accessible storage boxes. More importantly, make sure to tidy your space up every day.

Achieving your dream interior doesn’t have to mean spending your life savings. It’s just a matter of knowing where to spend and where to save. Thankfully, there are easy and effective ways to spruce up your home on a budget.

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Get a chance to win a dream home makeover in RCBC Bankard’s Home Makeover Raffle Promo!

A minimum single-receipt purchase of ₱1,000 using an RCBC Bankard can be your key to winning a free home makeover package worth up to ₱300,000 with a free home styling consultation with decorator and home stylist Elle Uy.

And just before you make that trip to the hardware or furniture store, make sure to get your RCBC Bankard credit card and start raking up those e-raffle entries!

No RCBC Bankard yet? Apply now and you’ll instantly get one (1) e-raffle entry if you’re approved for a Classic or Gold card. Get two (2) e-raffle entries when you get approved for a Premium card.

The promo will run until October 26, 2021, and the lucky winners will be drawn on November 9, 2021.