Recently I have been featured amongst others in an article by Ryan Castillo, on Redfin, US based company in real estate and providing interior design tips for home buyers. My humble contribution in relation to handmade ceramics can be found under paragraph 19. I am grateful to Ryan for reaching out to me and thrilled to provide my tiny contribution to this interesting article!
Enjoy the read!
20 Transformative Tips to Make Your Home Feel More Elegant
- Published on January 18, 2023
- by Ryan Castillo
Bringing in a sense of elegance into your home can be a difficult task. From curating the perfect design to adding personalized touches, there are plenty of details to take into consideration to achieve the high-end look you’ve always dreamed of. While it may seem out of reach, there are many simple ways to bring in sophistication that will transform your space. To help you get started, we reached out to design experts from across the country, from Bridgeport, CT to Anaheim, CA to give us their best tips for creating an elegant home. From simple suggestions like adding a candle to home improvement projects like installing a bar, keep reading to see what they had to say.
1. Add a candle … or three
Candles are an easy way to bring a touch of elegance into your home, both through sight and smell.
Ritual Candle Company, an eco-friendly candle company, shares, “Elegance is about substance as much as beauty, and adding a candle to your home can enhance the ambiance and mood of any space. The crackling wooden wicks, decadent Coco Apricot Crème wax, and subtle shimmer of a candle will elevate any space and welcome you home.”
“Accenting your home with candles is a simple way to effortlessly elevate any space. Candles can both invigorate the senses and serve as an artistic focal point,” adds soy wax company Lost and Found Candle Co.
2. Curate decor that’s unique to you
Skylab Architecture, an interdisciplinary design studio, recommends, “Diversifying where you’re shopping so that it feels like a curated collection and not a page out of a catalog. Showcase a personal collection of anything from plants to Legos.”
3. Pick a wall color that stands out
Wall colors are an opportunity to show off your personality while bringing sophistication into your home.
“Pick a wall color that stands out,” suggests hardware company Farm & Home Hardware. “Then choose a piece of art or a mirror for your focal point, and finish the space with an accent chair that pulls it all together.”
4. Opt for wallpaper
Wallpaper is a singular accent that can go a long way to differentiate your home from others, as well as a conversation starter that will ensure that everyone remembers your unique home.
Boutique wallpaper and fabric company Witch and Watchman says, “I would suggest using a bold wallpaper in small rooms like a bathroom or powder room, as you can show a lot of personality instantly. If the bathroom fixtures are not to your liking, bold wallpaper will easily draw all the attention.”
Surface coverings and homewares company Thatcher Studio recommends that when selecting a wallpaper, order samples first to test the quality and texture. “Something that looked amazing online might look cheap or plastic-like in real life. A high-quality wallpaper will have an appealing and luxurious texture and feel.”
5. Rearrange your space for a budget-friendly refresh
With the pandemic, people realized spaces are important and elegance can be as simple as editing and reworking what you have.
“By editing what’s in your personal space, the objects that remain are elevated and more significant. You’re making room for change, and by distilling what’s around you, there can be a new sense of quiet, which is the greatest luxury of all,” notes Brian Messana of Messana O’Rorke.
“For an instant change in any space, rearranging the existing furniture and removing or redistributing the existing accessories will provide you with a whole new look with minimal effort. For a more refreshing new look, introducing greenery (real or faux) will add a vibrancy that is often overlooked in indoor spaces,” adds furniture seller Cantoni.
6. Keep the walls simple and play with color elsewhere
Sometimes elegance can come in the form of colorful accent pieces that highlight a bright and airy room.
We love to surround a room with the same colored walls, trim, and ceiling,” shares Balance Design Atlanta. “Then we contrast the color in the furniture, lighting, and rugs to bring in different textures like hard, soft, and sometimes even sparkly.”
7. Source and install artwork correctly
An easy, and not necessarily expensive, way to bring elegance to your home is with wall art. The wall art itself doesn’t need to be expensive to bring luxury and sophistication to your space, what speaks of elegance is proportion and placement.
“Hanging artwork at eye level is key,” reveals design firm Firehouse Design. “You want your eye to move easily from piece to piece around the room. Proportion is also pleasing to the eye. Hanging a tiny painting on an extremely large wall will leave you feeling uneasy. Adding a large frame and matte around the small painting will expand its size, creating an appropriately proportioned piece for your large wall. The art itself doesn’t create the luxury, the proportion and placement does.”
Choosing the right artwork is also important to putting the final touches on any room.
“Assess what’s currently in your design, and build on that by choosing pieces proportionate to the wall needing to be filled. Larger walls can accommodate oversized statement pieces, or use the space by creating a gallery wall of different art with complementing colors. Whether it be the sleekness of a picturesque scene on glass art, traditional canvas, or the uniqueness of 3D art, wall décor can highlight your luxurious living space,” adds home decor company Yosemite Home Décor.
8. Display art that speaks to you
Sometimes elegance can come from within, so it’s important to find pieces that you gravitate towards.
Artist Camille Przewodek shares, “When you are purchasing art to hang on your wall, or a stationary piece of sculpture, find something that speaks to you. The artwork does not have to match the furniture or the interior, but it should stand alone and must be something that inspires you.”
9. Use real floral arrangements
“Use real floral arrangements from your local nurseries and even consider supermarkets,” recommends interior designer DuVäl Design, LLC. “Fresh, seasonal flowers unfailingly elicit the mood of jubilee, often associated with stylish and swanky events. It’s a simple way to bring in the semblance of luxury and class.”
10. Purchase higher thread count sheets
A simple and subtle way to create an elegant home is to upgrade your bedding.
“Get a higher thread count for sheets, and a super plush comforter, blanket and pillows,” says interior design firm Lara Michelle Interiors. “We spend such a big chunk of our lives sleeping and because sleep is so important to our health, it would be a very well-spent investment.”
Photo courtesy of Lara Michelle Interiors
11. Update your lighting
A great way to elevate your home this year is through lighting. Lighting can change the look and feel of a space by making it feel airy and bright.
“Anyone can achieve a sense of elegance by bringing in new updated fixtures, changing out lightbulbs, or even installing dimmers. These small changes can bring a new ambiance and completely change the feel of a home. There is nothing like a beautiful chandelier as the focal point in a room,” remarks Erica Bryen of Erica Bryen Design.
12. Install a bar or bar cart
If you have extra space in a bonus room or a non-symmetrical corner, consider installing a bar or bar cart.
Drew McGukin Interiors says, “Bringing sophistication into the home is all about a dose of ‘X-Factor’ and adding a bit of spice. Maybe it’s a beautifully appointed bar set up in the perfect location or a stunning bar cart or console and all the accessories.”
13. Use natural fabrics throughout your space
Natural fabrics do a great job at elevating a space, whether a simple throw blanket or a couch cushion.
“I like to use a variety of natural fabrics on upholstered furniture, bedding, curtains, and accent pillows. Richly textured fabrics such as velvet, damask, leather, wool, and linen can whisper luxury in a home,” shares The Roots of Home.
14. Play with texture
Texture is a great way to bring elegance into your home, whether installing a grasscloth wallpaper in a room, adding a chair with Tibetan wool, velvet, or boucle, or draping a beautiful throw blanket over the sofa.
“I love to create a feature wall with texture and softness,” says D2 Interieurs. “I use grasscloth on the walls and sometimes on the ceiling to give the rooms added texture and drama. I love working with velvet fabrics as they are soothing and luxurious to the touch, and calming to the eye.”
Photo courtesy of D2 Interieurs, Photo by Jane Beiles
17. Purchase luxury leather armchairs
Luxury leather armchairs are not only comfortable, but also bring a sense of sophistication and elegance into living spaces.
“I’m a great believer in luxury leather armchairs,” raves Julie Rawding Interiors. “They are a timeless classic, and always in style. Although pricey, this piece is an investment, and the value will only rise.”
16. Bring vintage pieces into your home
“Buy vintage or second-hand high-quality furniture and fabrics that can be polished and cleaned to look new. Although these can be expensive initially, these are investment buys for your home.” says Finnterior Designer.
17. Create a space for meditation
A simple way to bring elegance into your home is by creating a space for meditation.
“A calm and pleasing meditation space complete with fire, flowers, and icons of spiritual practice hold a central space in my bedroom. Memories of travel, items (textiles, pottery, glassware) brought home from experiences that stretched out of the ordinary, are a daily reminder of moments that transcended the norm,” notes Philomela Textiles and Wallpaper.
18. Display your personal art collection
Art doesn’t have to match your sofa or your wall color, it just has to match you to make your home feel luxurious.
Annie Guldberg of Oil Painter Annie shares, “You’ll find if you are guided by art you love, it will all look great hanging together in your home. Every time you walk into a room with art you love, you will feel loved – and love is the height of luxury.”
19. Bring handmade ceramics into your home
Ceramics is a beautiful work of art that can bring elegance into your home. “Bringing handmade ceramics into your home not only supports small, local businesses, but also a more conscious and sustainable way of living,” notes Elisa Ceramics Art. “The luxury not only lies in the uniqueness of the piece but also in the personalized experience of the subtleties inherent to a handmade piece of art.”
20. Rotate your home fragrances
Rotating your fragrances depending on the space or time of day can evoke an elegant home.
“In the evenings, you can dim the lights and cozy up in your living room with your favorite candle that has deep mellow notes of oakmoss and amber. As part of your morning ritual, you can flip the reeds in your reed diffuser in your home office to refresh your space with a bright zing of citrus or the freshness of white tea,” recommends Big White Yeti Candle Co.
My name is Elisa; I am a woman, a mum, a daughter, a friend and a wife… and a passionate ceramicist/potter. 
