The first step to making a space feel more luxurious is to clear it out. While it may seem counterintuitive to remove things from a space rather than add them, clutter is a killer when trying to create a luxe décor aesthetic. Clearing off countertops, windowsills, shelves and tabletops opens up sight lines throughout the house, making it the focal point rather than knickknacks, piles of papers and abandoned crafting projects.

Keeping the interior paint palette neutral is an easy way to make a home feel more high-end, almost like a gallery. If your walls are a mishmash of trendy shades or four different variations of off-white, it’s time to head to the paint store to stock up on rollers, trays, painters tape and a few gallons of a single hue. While painting the space yourself may seem like a major undertaking, with a bit of careful planning, you’ll save yourself thousands of dollars and still get fabulous results.

What covers the windows in a room can have a major effect on the feel of the space as a whole — mismatched blinds, sun-bleached curtains and wonky rods will stick out like a sore thumb. Each room should have a unified window treatment, be it customized chintz drapes or made-to-measure roll blinds from Home Depot, what’s important is that each window has a matching cover. Also, making sure the glass is sparkling clean…dirty windows are a real downer. The more natural light in your home, the more uplifting it’ll feel.

From sprawling English manor houses to the sleek penthouses of New York, chances are you’ll spy a Persian kilim rug somewhere in there. Available in every shade, pattern and price point, picking up one of these mulitcoloured rugs adds instant cache to a cash-strapped space. Not to mention, it covers up cheaper flooring treatments or floorboard imperfections perfectly.

If the first stage was to declutter, the last step is to add in super-luxurious materials such as velvet, cashmere and faux fur — and the easiest way to do this is with throw pillows and blankets. Rather than replace your existing set of couch cushions, seek out a new set of velvet covers in a single, rich hue. A faux fur blanket draped over the edge of a worn-out couch creates a cosy vignette. Or tap into the Scandinavian aesthetic and throw sheepskins over everything from bar stools to office chairs.

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