Tips to a Luxury Home for Less

This post was originally published in 2013 and has been updated to reflect my favorite ideas to get the look for less.

It’s no secret {to Chris} that I like the finer things in life. I’ll find myself perusing a magazine or shopping an antique store and everything I’m drawn to makes me fall over in shock when I look at the price tag. I can spot something fabulous from a mile away.

I allow myself to have nice things, but blend them with less expensive items to maintain a style I love and my budget! Today I’m going to share my tips to a luxury home for less aka the look for less.

Tips to a Luxury Home for Less:

Shop outlets. They don’t just carry damaged goods, but also carry overstocks and floor models. I particularly love outlets for down pillow inserts {usually 1/6 the price} and if you’re lucky, curtains. Get to know their sales and their staff. I know to refrain purchasing from the Restoration Hardware Outlet when they’re offering $100 off every $500. I hold out for 30-40% off. Remember, it’s only a deal if it’s exactly what you want!

Craigslist. I don’t reserve Craigslist solely for furniture that I want to paint. I seek beautiful pieces of furniture that my favorite luxury stores try to duplicate – with veneer. Having a piece of furniture with history always adds to the beauty. This also includes thrift stores and garage sales. You can learn the best tips for buying on Craigslist here.

Local Artists. Stray from galleries and seek beautiful paintings and watercolors from local artists. They’re a fraction of the price and will add even more charm to your home.

Etsy. I look to Etsy for reproductions of popular items and antiques. It’s also a great resource for custom pillow covers in high end fabrics and one-of-a-kind art.

Buy Used. Antique rugs not only add character and charm to your home, but can be really inexpensive. You can find some favorites in my shop.

Pin it. Find something amazing online that you can’t stop thinking about, but it’s out of budget? Pin it! Pinterest will notify you when there is a price reduction. I recently purchased a set of Pottery Barn baskets that were on clearance for 50% off + an additional 20% coupon and was thankful I waited. Just adjust your settings to make sure you have selected “yes” to receiving price changes on your pins.

Froogle it. Okay, Google discontinued using that name years ago, but I never will. Enter your google search, then click “shopping”. Google compares prices of that item for you! I make a lot of major purchases this way. I was able to upgrade when purchasing our refrigerator because I found the one I truly wanted at 40% off. To think I almost settled! I used Google to search for a similar bench, saving me over $1,800 with this find!

Ebates. I was hesitant to try this at first, but my sister was a huge fan. I started using Ebates 3 years ago and now average $150/quarter in cash back. All you have to do is create an account, visit Ebates, then click over to the store of your choice. Stores offer 1.5-10% back on your purchase. At the end of each quarter you receive a check in the mail.

Craft stores. Craft stores have become really great at duplicating high end looks for less. This vase is an excellent example. I removed twine from it to reveal a vase I saw at another store for $70. I paid $9, using a 40% off mobile coupon.

Discount stores. Discount stores {eh um Home Goods} often carry fabulous home and furniture accent brands. I see $300 lamps for just $30 all.the.time. They’ll also surprise you with things like turkish towels {usually $50, but about $10 there} and every now and then belgian linen curtains. Yessssss.

Sister stores. Stores like Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware have “sister” stores Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Teen and RH Baby and Child. Crate and Barrel owns their lesser expensive CB2. For lighting and accents, I look to their sister stores to see if I can achieve the same aesthetic at a more reasonable price. I just “had” to have this chandelier lamp from Restoration Hardware, but I couldn’t really justify the price – $1,100. I purchased similar for just $400 – almost 1/3 of the price, from their Baby and Child store!

The hardware store. Yes, I shop at the hardware store! I was able to find the same low profile carpet I was looking at at a flooring store at Lowe’s at a deep discount, plus I was able to use a 5% off coupon! I also look to them for furniture {like the bench below}, paint, and even our brick and vinyl floors. Our luxury bathroom for less is a perfect example of how to shop your hardware store for an incredible end result! 

Email lists. I’ll be honest, I dread this one a little bit, but saving 20% on purchases of $1,000+ really helps!

Floor models. A gently used floor model can sometimes be found at more than 50% off. These are particularly great for those rarely used pieces. Check carefully for damage as those sales are usually final. The two chairs to the right were 60% off floor models!

Create your own art. This botanical was inspired by a significantly more expensive designer piece and made quickly and inexpensively.

Use magazines and catalogs as a resource to guide you in creating a luxury home for less by utilizing their styling tips!

Use keywords to find similar {or just get them in my shop, I’ve done all the work for you} like I did with these luggage racks for the lake cottage guest bedroom.

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