INTERIORS
Luxury is a little bit subjective, particularly in interiors. For some it's Minotti sofas and Italian marble, for others it's bespoke furniture and collectable art. But there are a few elements that define luxury no matter the preferences or the budget. Quality, craftsmanship, cohesiveness, functionality, detail, lighting and texture all playing equal roles in creating a luxury space.
The problem when you're renting is you can't touch any of the structural elements that define luxury. No changing floors, fixtures, or finishes. But you can work with what you're allowed to bring in. But can you fake it until you make it? We say yes, if you know the rules, this is how you break them.
Here's how to create luxury when you can't change the space itself.
What Defines Luxury Interiors
Materials - The foundation of luxury interiors is material quality. Stone, solid wood, natural fibres and metals that patina over time. These materials age well, feel substantial, and have a quality look that cheap alternatives can't replicate, no matter how hard they try.
Craftsmanship - Luxury interiors prioritise how something is made, not just what it looks like. Craftsmen work with solid hardwoods, natural stone, brass, and bronze, materials chosen for durability and longevity. This is the result of skills developed over decades and techniques passed down through generations.
Curated - Luxury spaces are curated with carefully selected pieces that not only look beautiful in the space but that also represent you. This is one of the hardest principles to execute because it requires some serious discipline on your part and it means saying no to things you like because they don't serve the overall vision.
Lighting - Luxury interiors approach lighting as part of the design and quite rightly so. Lighting makes the difference between a room that feels flat and one that feels layered and rich with detail. Table lamps, floor lamps, wall sconces and picture lights layer together to create depth and warmth.
Attention to Details - Door handles, cabinet pulls, hinges, switches, socket covers, in luxury interiors, these are considered as carefully as furniture. These details cost more individually but they're what you interact with constantly. Cheap hardware betrays an expensive space instantly. As Kelly Wearstler says "I think good design is something that has layers – and ideally it sort of unveils itself over time and through the senses, where its forms and textures and even scents and sounds keep you noticing new elements."
Proportion and Scale - Too small rugs, furniture too small or too large for the room, art hung too high or curtains that puddle excessively or hover awkwardly above the floor all make a space look cheap. Rugs should be large enough for at least the front furniture legs to sit on them, art hung at eye level and sized generously for the wall, curtains mounted at ceiling height and extending beyond window frames to make rooms feel taller and more expansive. Getting proportion right requires planning the room as a cohesive space and sometimes custom solutions.
How to Apply These Principles: Three Approaches
For Renters: Creating Luxury Within Limits
Whilst you can't replace fixtures, alter walls, or change flooring, you can bring in removable pieces that will completely elevate your space. The strategy is investing in statement items that command attention and are portable when you move.
Invest in One Major Piece Per Room
After your bed, your sofa is the most important furniture investment you'll make. The B&B Italia Charles sofa ($10,000+) is modular, fully flexible for the size and shape you need and comes in over 400 finishes. With its contemporary and clean design, you'll use it for decades. Same with the Soho Home Linen Chenille Vivienne Armchair ($3,400) one statement chair in your living room or bedroom will transform the space and can move with you.
For dining, Ercol Windsor Armchairs (approx $930 each) are solid wood and timeless. Adding them at your dining table will improve the look of the whole room look. Or use one as an accent chair in your bedroom. Solid wood furniture is portable and improves with age. And at $750-1,000 per chair this is quality you can easily add to your home.
Lighting Without Hardwiring
Lighting helps to transform rental spaces without the permanent installation. One statement table lamp like this from Baccaris Adei Portable Lamp ($303) on a sideboard or side table will elevate the room with minimal investment. Look for marble bases with linen shades, brass or bronze finishes and sculptural shapes that work as objects even when they're turned off.
Battery-powered sconces are a low effort rental hack with big effects. Stick them on the wall (removable adhesive or command strips), use rechargeable LED bulbs, and you've got wall lighting without an electrician or your landlord's permission. They work alongside table lamps to create layered lighting, something luxury interiors always have. Plus they're a design feature in themselves, adding architectural interest to blank walls.
Size Matters
Small rugs give the same level of disappointment as other small things. And a small rug floating in the middle of a room will make even the most expensive of furniture look cheap. What's small? If your sofa and chairs are sitting around a rug instead of on it, the rug is too small.
At a minimum the front legs of all your furniture should be sitting on the rug. Better yet, all furniture legs on it. For most living rooms, that's at least 2.5m x 3.5m, often larger. Dining rooms need rugs that extend at least 60cm beyond the table on all sides so chairs stay on the rug when pulled out.
Invest in one large, high-quality rug over multiple small ones. Hand-knotted wool or wool-silk blends from brands like Jaipur Rugs ($14,115) last decades, feel substantial underfoot and the colours don't fade. The weight, pile depth, and craftsmanship are immediately obvious compared to cheap machine-made alternatives.
Stop Settling For Scratchy
If your bed is the most important piece of furniture you buy then your bed sheets are your most important linens. Organic cotton, cooling bamboo and flax linen are your only choices when you're creating a luxury bedroom. We love Heveya's organic range or Pact's cotton percale set that comes in some delicious colours. Quality sheets will get softer with every wash and you'll slip into bed every night feeling bougie, what's not to love about that.
Quality matters on your sofa cushions too. Snuggling into polyester isn't cutting it anymore. Linen or velvet (not cheap velvet, that is most definitely 100% polyester) will not only upgrade the look of your living room but also the quality of your weekend naps. Soho Home are our absolute favourite every time.
Same for curtains, have them made in linen or heavy cotton. Floor-to-ceiling, mounted at ceiling height and extending beyond the window frame. Its the lux upgrade that you didn't know you needed but once you have experienced it, you'll never go back.
Small Details With Big Impact
Replace the knobs on furniture you already own. Hardware from E.R. Butler ($250-500 for six) for a more traditional look or Buster + Punch ($50-100 each) for something more contemporary. They have a weight and finish that cheap knobs could never. Swap them on a chest of drawers or sideboard thats in good condition and the entire piece will look more expensive.
Glassware is a big detail that not only you but your guests will notice too. Good glassware just says, rich. LSA Balloon Glasses ($120 for two wine glasses) are unique and very Olivia Pope. Or if you want something even more unique and very fashion, then these from L'Objet ($204 for four old fashioned glasses) are a must.
Add one or two pieces of beautiful ceramics in areas that you spend time in. Astier de Villatte (from $100-250 per piece) a serving bowl, a vase, coffee cups, adds a sophistication that only the French can achieve. Each piece is handmade, slightly imperfect, stamped with the maker's initials.
And finally, scent. Your home scent will set you apart from nice to luxury. Linen scents, Bukhoor and candles will upgrade your home instantly. Now we love a clean non toxic candle but we are also partial to Diptyque in some rooms. The scent fills the room and the jars are beautiful. This is luxury that's immediately noticeable the moment someone walks in.
