The "Luxe and Less Method" I Swear By For Elevating My Decor

It’s no secret that fashion and interiors have a lot of crossover. While both borrow inspiration from each other, fashion trends usually come first and trickle their way into home decor. Of all the inspiration that fashion offers interior design enthusiasts, there’s one trick I swear by above all others: The luxe and less method.

The luxe and less method involves zhuzhing up budget-friendly furniture finds with a single designer piece — a tried-and-tested fashion hack that has been used for years to elevate outfits. As it turns out, this approach also works well in the home to make a statement without breaking the bank. Whether that’s a designer sofa paired with a thrifted coffee table or a luxe pendant light in a frugally decorated room, that one striking piece can do a lot of the heavy lifting.

Designer Aman Garcha, founder and principal of Styling Spaces, is also a proponent of the luxe and less method. “These high-end pieces elevate the space, adding interest and stop it from feeling and looking ‘budget,’” she says. “Every budget, big or small, shares one goal — getting the most out of it — and mixing high-end items with budget ones allows us to do this.”

When it comes to choosing what to splurge on, Tricia Guild, founder and creative director at Designers Guild, suggests investing in focal pieces that anchor a room. “For your living space, a sofa is a sensible choice … [as] our sofas naturally become the focal point of the room,” says Guild. Thrifted finds, budget furniture, and upcycled accessories can all be added to complete the look.

My personal design style leans heavily towards a clean, minimal look with a love for high-end Danish designed decor. Dotting just one or two of these pieces in every room of my home, mixed with far more affordable pieces, has allowed me to get the look that otherwise would have been out of reach with my limited budget.

Take, for instance, my living room, which is mostly budget-friendly pieces and DIYs with the odd splurge thrown in. Pairing my simple IKEA sofa with these (not-so-budget-friendly) Danish designed coffee tables created exactly the look I was going for without breaking the bank. To finish, I layered on a few natural textures from my favorite cheap yet chic store, H&M Home.

In my experience, there’s also an unexpected bonus to this method: It’s so much more fun. Shopping around and finding pieces that fit your style and budget may seem more challenging, but it’s also more rewarding, allowing you to curate your space in your own unique way. After all, styling your home (or yourself) is a deeply personal form of self-expression — and at the end of the day, it’s worth the effort.