Peruse a decorating publication and you’re bound to find at least one article about how to decorate rooms that reek of luxury. Faux finishes and imitation marble work magic when budgets don’t match ambitions, but have you ever wondered what’s it like to decorate an upscale luxury condo or estate when cash is no object? Make no mistake: there are rules to be followed. Find out what they are when you read this article. Then you can decide if it’s true what conventional wisdom says about money and happiness.
Tips For You:
1. Select a rare or one-of-a-kind piece of art or furniture as each room’s focal point. Examples are a gorgeous, original painting, a silk kimono or an antique breakfront that’s so spectacular, its dramatic placement would command notice, no matter what else was in the room. Given the importance of this element, you’ll understand why top-of-the-line designers begin with one focal point per room.
2. Showcase interior contents with neutral but rich wall colors so pricey furnishings, art and accessories aren’t overwhelmed by bright or too many colors. It’s permissible to use one bold color on a section of a wall that’s in need of drama, but expand the palette to other walls and you’ll wind up losing the elegance you seek. That stated, avoid white unless you’re trying to achieve high contrast with black, silver or red. Sticking to warm, muted caramels–or several hues of tan–will provide the canvas from which to hang your decorating themes and furnishings.
3. Shop for handmade furniture with elegant accessories, such as rich, rare mahogany woods with raw silk upholstery and hand-embroidered accent pillows. You’ll rarely find a lot of oak in a luxury home–perhaps because it’s plentiful and affordable, two qualities those who can afford the best are not always concerned about. Handcrafted wood artifacts from exotic places, vintage tapestries and elegant inlaid chests all radiate an aura of wealth.
4. Unearth flooring materials that are traffic stopping. Real wood, marble, high-end slate and flooring made of materials that require high-end finishing each make their own statement of luxury. Consider a mix of inlaid woods with Italian marble or patterned, handmade porcelain tiles imported from Holland for drama and impact. Carry these materials through to countertops, back splashes and built-in cabinets, which are wonderful ways to limit the amount of furniture in rooms. Pairing marble with teak or cherry in bathrooms and kitchens light up rooms with elegance–particularly when you choose appliances that are outfitted with wood facings made from wood matching the kitchen or other built-in cabinets.
5. Use gold–real gold. Bathroom faucets, whirlpool tub waterfall spouts and thick, glass-enclosed body showers take on an upscale appearance in other materials as well. Finish bathrooms off with high-count, dyed-in-weave Egyptian cotton bath sheets that require heated towel bars to dry them because they are so thick. Shop for lavish appointments such as gilt-framed mirrors, marble soap and lotion dispensers and cashmere-weave hand towels to pamper bathers. Stock dispensers with pricey glycerin-based soaps and creams. Finish off the room by installing versatile lighting systems to soothe bathers and provide just the right light for grooming tasks.
6. Search for unique crystal appointments–like chandeliers, sconces and candelabrum. Think beyond the formal dining area. Singer Jennifer Lopez hung crystal chandeliers over her twin babies’ cribs, and there’s no reason you can’t put a crystal chandelier in a bedroom or bathroom if the room will accommodate the seductive sparkle of crystal. High-end designers prefer French crystal, so if your baubles and accessories bear the Lalique® and Baccarat® brands, you’ll be right on the money.
7. Lavish rooms with live plants and live flowers, cut to reflect the season or to freshen the décor at other times. Crystal vases of gladiolus or orchids–Ming Dynasty vases filled with chrysanthemum or lavish bouquets of tulips in glass bowls put on display when the snow falls and spring is months away reflect understated elegance not usually found in less affluent homes.
8. Invest in the best linens money can buy. High-count Egyptian sheets, cashmere blankets, silk duvet covers and satin swags and curtains edged with handmade Belgian lace will reflect your commitment to quality and luxury. Piles of bed pillows covered in Battenberg lace-trimmed pillowcases and curtain tiebacks woven of imported silk and satin braid–with or without gold threads–are always elegantly appropriate. Sleuth out bed linens from Frette, Yves Delorme and Pratesi, or choose Ralph Lauren or the rare 1,500-thread count import, and you’ll be sleeping in the lap of luxury.
9. Remember that it’s not the fittings, furnishings, accessories, appliances, floor coverings and window treatments you buy that constitute the look of luxury; it’s the way you put everything together that matters. Show off that skill by coordinating a decorating plan for a luxury home that looks as effortless as it is breathtaking.
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