The Art of Mixing Highs and Lows in Your Home Decor
One thing that we are always working to achieve with our coastal modern interiors is a balance between our ultimate design vision and staying within the budget. When a client gives us a budget for the design of their homes, we work to stay within those parameters. One of the ways we do this is by intentionally mixing high priced items with low priced items to achieve a high end custom design. The artistry of this process is knowing what to save on and what to splurge on.
With our projects, we are typically doing a custom new build home or a full-scale renovation so our selections include tile, hardware, cabinetry styles, trim, lighting, mirrors, paint, wallcoverings, furniture, and styling. Here’s some of our best tips and insights for where to save and where to splurge!
Tile
This is our holy grail item in our designs! We put a ton of energy and thought into our tile selections - we even base our furniture designs and concepts to correspond with the tile selections in the adjoining bathroom. Tile definitely can be a splurge item in our designs. However, this can easily be balanced by using expensive tile in smaller, more concentrated spaces like a shower niche or a shower in floor. This can be balanced by pairing it with a more cost effective solution for the out floor or the shower surround. Another option, especially when making a wow statement is to splurge on the tile for where it will make the biggest visual impact. This could be the shower wall but then choose a more cost effective option for the other spaces. Bathrooms don’t often have a lot of decorative layers so it's your selections in these spaces that will make the biggest impact on the design.
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2. Lighting
Lighting can have a huge visual impact on a space. Fortunately there are some great affordable lighting options available that can help you to keep costs low - especially when you are sourcing for a full home. Splurge on the show stopper pieces such as the dining chandelier, kitchen pendants and the powder room (this room gets a lot of traffic so we are proponents of a visually impactful powder bathroom). We also love a perfectly placed chandelier in the primary bedroom that can help to evoke the overall feel of the room.
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3. Wallcoverings
Wallpaper and murals are so on trend right now and we absolutely love a well-placed accent wall. Wallpaper can be an investment so the selection and placement of wallpaper is critical to get the most bang for your buck. We love a headboard accent wall in a bedroom or a powder bathroom covered in wallpaper. One way to save here is to wallpaper above a trimmed wall or to create boxes with molding and wallpaper within. Finally, adding wallpaper to the back wall of shelves can add a splash of color, pattern or texture while keeping costs low.
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4. Furniture
Furniture is an excellent opportunity for mixing highs and lows. Splurge on those items that make your heart flutter! Living room sofas and sectionals, as well as accent chairs, are worthwhile investments. They serve as the anchor of the room and a comfortable couch is oftentimes one of the most used items in a home. Side tables and coffee tables can be very valuable items to save on. Rugs can also be an ideal item to save on. Knowing the wear and tear that can be put on a dining room table makes this item a great piece to save on along with dining chairs. In a bedroom, dressers and nightstands end up being the highest priced items in our rooms because of our experience with the quality of the items. Bedding and bed benches can often be places where we save. We recommend splurging on decorative pillows and your mattress.
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5. Styling
What’s the best item to splurge on? Honestly, custom window drapes are the single most impactful item to make a home look finished and high end especially when it’s designed to fit a window/space perfectly and is done in a custom fabric. You can save on the window hardware and splurge on the custom fabric and fabrication. Accessories help to finish a space and can add a personal touch. This is also a great place to mix highs and lows. We source from local boutiques specifically to contribute to our coastal modern vibe. We can also fill in some decorative elements from our wholesalers, retail stores such as Pottery Barn or CB2. We can even find items at HomeGoods or consignment shops. All of these styling accessories add depth to the design by adding natural elements such as wood and medals, texture, color, and joy. We also love splurging on books which are one of our favorite items to add to a shelf, coffee table or nightstand.
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The best way to achieve a high-end custom look is to mix pieces together and create a curated look that speaks to the overall design theme.
Happy shopping!
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