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These affordable finds will give your living room a more elevated finish without stretching your budget
Making your living room look more expensive doesn’t have to mean spending a fortune. We’ve already explored the paint colours and design choices that can create a more high-end feel, but sometimes it’s the smaller details that make all the difference. The right finishing touches can elevate the whole space, whether it’s a statement lamp, a beautifully shaped vase or a cushion that looks far more luxurious than its price tag suggests. Here, we’ve rounded up the best high-street buys under £50 to give your living room a more polished, expensive-looking finish.
This trio of bud vases from M&S comes in a beautifully earthy colour palette that gives them a much more expensive feel. Dot them around separately or group them together on a mantelpiece, sideboard or shelf, dividing a few stems between each vase and varying the heights for a more interesting display.
This cushion combines a timeless chunky stripe with an earthy colour palette and opulent velvet finish, giving it a much more luxurious feel than its price tag suggests. The mix of colours also makes it easy to work into a range of different schemes. See also Mango Home's range of cushion covers for under £15, if you're only in the market for a new cover.
A mirror above the mantel is an easy way to make a living room feel more polished. It helps bounce light around the space, making it feel brighter and more spacious, while the slim gold frame adds a hint of luxe.
Nothing makes artwork feel more considered than a frame with a bespoke look, and these designs from Mango come in playful, unexpected colour combinations. Available in a range of sizes, they’re an easy way to elevate a postcard or small print and turn it into a stylish piece of wall art.
This stylish side table is currently just £30, and its minimalist colour palette and sculptural shape make it a simple but impactful addition to a living room.
Take a look at your Pinterest board. Chances are, many of those sleek, stylish living rooms have one thing in common: an oversized paper lampshade. The simple round shape and soft white finish give it a timeless, understated look, while the diffused light creates a much warmer atmosphere than the dreaded big light – it could even convince you to switch it on once in a while.
Bookends might feel like a niche addition, but if you’re particular about your shelf styling, they’re an easy way to make the whole display look more considered. This design from Westwing have a warm, honeyed finish that brings polish to a bookshelf.
Houseplants are one of the simplest ways to bring a luxe touch to your living room, and spider plants are low-maintenance heroes that produce plenty of new growth.
The colour and chunky, ribbed shape of this scented candle makes it a statement piece for a coffee table, giving it a more elevated feel than a typical glass-jar candle. Once it’s burned through, give the pot a good clean and reuse it as a vase or for stylish storage.
Another strong lighting option, this petite cordless lamp from Zara Home is perfect for a side table and has the sort of understated look you’d expect to find in a boutique hotel. It also comes in a warm burgundy shade that feels particularly suited to autumn.
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