Eight Luxe Ideas to Elevate Your Home’s Look and Feel

Ready to take your home from blah to beautiful? Whether you’re getting ready to move into a new home or your forever home has turned a bit stale, you might be searching for some inspiration to make it the dreamiest of dream homes. Starting with small target updates to major changes, each of these ideas elevates the luxe factor of one of the most valuable assets in your net worth—your home.

Start with a statement piece.

Nothing says luxury like high-quality items displayed in your home. This could be a truly distinctive piece of furniture that you handpick from an antique store or select from a high-end furniture brand, such as Koket, Bentley Home or Jonathan Adler.

Or you can choose to grace your walls with a statement piece of art that you find at a local gallery or on your next road trip. Who knows, your first original painting could mark the start of you becoming a collector of fine art.

Want other statement piece ideas? Consider these:

• A one-of-a-kind light fixture made to your specs
• A custom-designed front door made from reclaimed wood
• An elegant hand-painted mural done by a local artisan

Seek out luxury fabrics.

Luxury is certainly exhibited in the look of your home, but don’t forget about the literal feel of it. High-end fabrics such as velvet, silk, fur, cashmere, mohair, damask and linen feel expensive to the touch. You can include them in your home in all sorts of ways, including:

• Decorative pillows
• Throws
• Window treatments
• Bedding
• Furniture upholstery

Update fixtures and hardware.

Do your home’s interior and exterior doors and kitchen and bathroom cabinets still feature standard hardware? When you replace handles, knobs and pulls throughout your home with higher quality and more unique ones, it makes an immediate impact. The same goes for light fixtures, faucets and showerheads.

Create a permanent focal point.

If you’re ready to commit to a more permanent luxury update, enlist the help of a contractor to design and build a dramatic focal point in your favorite room in the house. Here are some projects to spark your imagination that could work in your great room, dining room or primary bedroom:

• A floor-to-ceiling fireplace
• Custom built-in shelving
• A living wall featuring your favorite plants

Incorporate smart technology.

A luxurious home doesn’t just look and feel elegant, it uses the latest technology to make life easier and your home more comfortable, energy efficient and secure. Installing a smart automation system lets you remotely control all your interior and exterior lights, security alarm, HVAC system and even motorized window shades all from your smart phone or tablet.

And don’t forget about intelligent appliances. Today’s smart ovens let you turn them on and off remotely. Some even remember the settings for your favorite recipes. With the latest smart refrigerators, you can see what’s inside them without opening the doors. So, the next time you’re at the grocery store, a quick view from your phone will let you know if you’re out of milk.

Tackle a minor remodel.

Do you have a spare room in your home that could be put to better use? Maybe your newly-adult child has moved out. As an empty nester, you have an extra bedroom and likely the kids’ old playroom to create a space (or spaces) that suit your current lifestyle. For example, you could design your own gym where you can exercise in private. Make it top of the line by installing a wireless speaker system, the latest exercise equipment (smart or otherwise), weights, yoga mats and more.

Another luxury update: transform your standard walk-in closet into a true dressing room with custom-built cedar shelves for displaying your favorite designer clothes and accessories. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), a closet remodel boasts one of the highest records for cost recovery at 83%. Plus, it scores 10 out of 10 on NAR’s joy score, meaning homeowners were happy they remodeled.

Go for a major renovation.

Speaking of recovery costs, these three major renovation projects also rank very high on NAR’s recovery cost scale and joy score:

• Finishing a basement (86% and 9.7): Imagine a home theatre with a floor-to-ceiling screen, reclining leather seats and more. Or maybe you prefer a game room with a pool table, card table and built-in bar to take poker night up a serious notch.
• Complete kitchen remodel (75% and 9.8): Think restaurant quality appliances, warming draws, wine storage, custom cabinetry and motion-activated lighting and faucets.
• Bathroom renovation (71% and 9.6): Create a spa-like atmosphere with a large walk-in shower featuring head-to-toe shower jets, a free-standing tub, towel warmers and heated floors.

With thoughtful design, the finest materials and the latest gadgets, the end result of these projects can be as luxurious as you like.

Venture outdoors

There’s no need to limit yourself to indoor luxury. Outdoor kitchen spaces are quickly becoming must-haves in luxury homes. Imagine the entertaining you can do with a built-in gas grill, pizza oven, stainless sink and food prep area, refrigerator, bar and elegant outdoor furniture and stone seating. You might even consider installing a pool with a changing cabana.

Investing in one or more of these projects is sure to make your home the luxurious oasis you crave.

Editor’s note: Quorum derives no benefit from businesses for placement in this article.