6 subtle ways to create a 'luxury' interior

Stylish interiors are made not from expensive, but from tasteful and harmoniously selected items. We tell you what design tricks designers use to create an 'editorial interior' on a limited budget.

1. Walls

Light or beige tones are a safe choice. But quite boring.

What to do? Bet on deep dark and vivid colors. The same applies to choosing between cool and warm shades – designers prefer cool tones. If you're unsure whether a vibrant interior suits you, you can make one wall the accent with one or two rolls of expensive wallpaper.

Design: UD Base

Alternative to wallpapers – paint. Undeniable advantages – wide color palette and the ability to find your exact shade. Drawbacks – walls must be well prepared. But here you can also get clever – on imperfectly flat walls, you can use textured paint. It will hide imperfections and give the walls a relief, bringing them to life.

Design: Enjoy Home

2. Ceilings

Stretch ceilings, especially glossy ones, look cheap.

What to do? Painted ceilings, even if not perfectly aligned, always look more expensive than stretch ceilings. They are also eco-friendly, unlike the latter, which is important.

Design: Shperling Design

Also, in quality renovations, polystyrene ceiling cornices are not used. But their gypsum or even polyurethane analogs are significantly more expensive. So, if you can't do without this element, choose a wide border no less than 9 cm, thoroughly spackle the joints and only then paint it.

Design: Daria Denisova

3. Floors

A wide choice of modern floor coverings allows you to make a floor not only of high quality but also within a reasonable budget. Budget and non-environmentally friendly linoleum is not an option – it's unsuitable for living apartments and looks cheap.

What to do? An alternative to more expensive laminate and quartz vinyl tiles can be LVT – moisture-resistant board. The material is practical in use, diverse in colors and textures. If you're willing to put in effort for maintenance, you can consider solid hardwood flooring, such as larch. Properly laid and correctly finished material can compete with parquet.

Design: Buro 19.23

4. Bathroom

In Russia, it is customary to tile all bathroom walls up to the ceiling. This is familiar and, according to popular opinion, hygienic and practical. But unfortunately, this solution is already outdated.

What to do? Paint for wet areas can be washed just as well as tiles. Tiles should only be used in wet zones. This option is much more budget-friendly, looks more modern and allows you to change the color and mood of the interior with minimal effort and cost.

Design: Nadya Zотовa

5. Plastic corners and moldings

Installing plastic corners and moldings can ruin the impression of craftsmanship and material quality.

What to do? If you need to cover the corner of a window frame or an arched opening, it's better to do it with wooden trim. This approach also gives the window and arch a more finished look. The most accessible material is pine. When laying tiles, they are cut at 45 degrees.

The same approach applies when choosing floor moldings. Note that wider than standard 5 cm moldings look more substantial and elegant.

Design: Inna Velichko

6. Imitation of natural materials

Nothing spoils the impression of an interior more than using materials and furniture that 'pretend' to be something expensive. For example, plastic panels 'as marble', plastic frames 'as wood', polyester pretending to be silk or linen, gypsum items imitating porcelain or brick.

What to do? Matte monochromatic facades made of particle board or MDF will look more expensive than their 'wood' or glossy 'lacquered' counterparts. More stylish are minimalist forms, smooth or framed.

Design ART B.O.S