The cost of even basic decorating projects can soon add up but if you're aiming for a flawless finish, you usually need pretty deep pockets. Top designers and luxury hotels spend millions on their interiors to achieve this look, but we've compiled some insider tricks to create extravagant high-end looks without eye-watering price tags. From affordable plush fabrics to style shortcuts and DIY hacks, click or scroll through these ideas that will make your home look more expensive for less. 

Velvet is probably one of the most luxurious looking fabrics available, and it is traditionally a very expensive option. Luckily it's totally on-trend right now, and lots of furniture brands are selling affordable styles covered in their own custom materials. As for colour, opt for rich jewel tones of teal, cerise or smoky charcoal grey, or mix and match. Simply adding one statement armchair can elevate the whole scheme.

Ensure your property always oozes kerb appeal by keeping the external entryway looking smart. Paint the front door when it looks shabby, sticking to black and white to channel timeless elegance. Pay attention to the details such as statement hardware and add greenery with easy-to-care-for potted trees or plants. Lastly, keep doormats and pathways clean and debris free with a weekly sweep.

A tidy and clutter-free entrance will work wonders when creating a deluxe first impression. This is especially the case in high-traffic hallways. It's the first room people see when they walk into the house so have a coat cull and put shoes in storage cupboards or baskets on a regular basis. Finally, copy the top hotels and use home fragrances with notes of bergamot, patchouli, wood and oud for a hit of big-money scent as soon as you enter.

All-white rooms look expensive and give a grown-up vibe that's all about self-indulgence. For a professional finish, make sure walls are prepped properly before decorating, filling any imperfections before sanding them completely smooth and priming any woodwork. Then, layer up tactile fabrics in pale creams, white and ivory to use texture in lieu of colour, so the room isn't one-dimensional. Wall rugs are eye-catching and can make a grand statement piece mounted above the bed.

This contemporary hallway looks super chic with black wooden slats and a contrasting sisal stair runner, tough enough to deal with this high traffic area. Give the space a focal point with a console table dressed with stylish accessories, sticking with the monochrome colour scheme. A table lamp is essential for adding soft light in the evenings and make sure there's a tray or basket to keep keys and clutter out of sight.

A well-finished room automatically suggests quality. This can be achieved in most spaces by adding the little extras you get with professional installation and custom design. Think about the details such as matching sockets and light switches in metal finishes (you can buy these fairly cheap and get an electrician to install them). To create the look of a hand-built kitchen, dress the tops and bottoms of your cabinets with cornicing and skirting boards.

Top of the range large appliances are very expensive but you can still go for a high-end result with a set of designer-look small appliances instead. Whether you're after a sleek stainless steel set or a shapely country style kettle and toaster, go for designs in the same range and colourway for a put-together look.

Natural stone always looks high end as it's neutral, timeless and elegant – but it certainly doesn't come cheap. Thankfully, there are plenty of lookalike versions that can have the same impact using ceramic tiles that can be just as hard-wearing and easier to look after. Subway tiles in a glossy marble effect work well as a backsplash, or go for a larger format in the bathroom.

The trend for panelling is so hot right now, but if you want your home to look more high end, try adding decorative moulding instead as it gives walls character with a more subtle, refined feel. With easy kits available to make the process a cinch, there's no better way to add upscale depth to your walls. 

Obviously, window dressings create privacy and control light but full folds of heavy drapes are an important part of any boutique hotel bedroom. They add texture, warmth and colour to a space and when hung inches above the frame can visually lengthen windows making the ceiling seem higher and the room larger. Lined curtains that fall right to the floor also add an aura of luxury especially when finished with a matching blind to complete the professional look. The width should be at least two times the width of your window, to achieve a proper fullness.

Gold has been used in people's homes to symbolise wealth for centuries. Bathrooms and kitchens are an easy place to bring in the look without gilding the lily, and there are some great alternatives to achieve the same look for less. Hardware, fixtures and furniture in similar reflective metallics such as brushed brass or rose gold will offer a comparable element of luxe.

The next time you visit a fancy hotel room circle the space and note down easy ideas to give your own bedroom five-star appeal. Kate Henderson, Duty Manager at Daffodil Hotel & Spa suggests using a plain sheet rather than fitted, plumping pillows and relaxing any unwanted wrinkles with some fragranced water. Crisp white bed linen with a high thread count will make this look easy to achieve.

Reflective mirrors will make a room feel instantly bigger and brighter and so in turn make the living space feel more expensive per square footage. Lean an oversized mirror against a wall for a traditional twist. Metallic asymmetric framed versions add high-class glamour and circular styles feel modern and understated.

Fortunately, if you're a fan of colour, bold shades can create an old-school sophisticated look you'll often see in stately homes and country hotels. Survey the space and choose a colour that fits with the light exposure in the room, then go all-in, painting all four walls and even the ceiling. This office is painted a strong sapphire blue; the large windows allow in plenty of daylight to keep the space from looking dark and closed in. 

Take the humble houseplant to the next level by growing an actual tree in your house. The addition will be dramatic, imposing and make an organic statement. Olive trees, fiddle leaf figs and even palm trees when potted inside will look expensive, lush and structural, whatever the scheme. 

Give your home a unique and interesting vibe with good quality second-hand furniture. Online marketplaces such as eBay or Gumtree are useful platforms to pick up bargains. And lately, large furniture brands are realising the appeal too – this quality mid-century furniture was sold in a John Lewis store as part of a collaboration with Vinterior. 

Create a bespoke built-in wardrobe look but with flat-pack furniture. Gemma, owner of The Sweetest Digs blog built this stunning closet with a regular IKEA Pax wardrobe, plasterboard, wood and caulk. She then perfected the IKEA hack with paint that matched the walls for a seamless finish, and completed it with opulent gold handles.

Most people's natural instinct is to position furniture flush against the walls to maximise space. Perhaps counterintuitively, if you want your room to look large and luxurious then you should pull your seating areas out by at least 20cm to make social areas seem intimate and balanced. You can also position console tables behind sofas to divide a space into different zones, just as they do in a hotel lobby.

The price of a large statement bed could keep you up at night but a stylish headboard can create the same eye-catching effect for half the price. If you're crafty, why not re-cover a basic bed frame, this inspiring DIY guide will show you how. Note the symmetry here too, it's the hallmark of expensive style.

Don't worry if your bank balance only allows for a budget kitchen – there are plenty of tricks to make it look like it's more expensive. Keep upper walls cupboard-free to make the room feel more spacious and contemporary and spend the money you saved on wall storage on a luxe-looking worktop and splashback to finish the high-end feel. 

Wallpaper is an affordable decorating tool that can transform a space. But for 'big ticket' impact opt for a full wall mural on a feature wall or - to get a luxe feel - go for it across the whole room. This works well in spaces designed for socialising or relaxing such as dining rooms and dens, rather than busy hallways or kitchen-diners. It's all about creating a fantasy to escape to. 

We can't all afford a walk-in closet like Carrie Bradshaw's, but allocating an area of the bedroom as a dressing zone can look just as lavish and is easier than you think to achieve. This restful bedroom has separated an alcove with opaque curtains and furnished the space with a simple white wardrobe, full-length mirror and wall hooks to hang garments. ​

Statement lighting takes atmospheric glamour up a level. Whether it's a traditional chandelier with glass droplets, a retro Sputnik or contemporary glass globes, the focal point will be eye-catching during the day and glow at night. Essential to the high-end feel is for it to be the correct brightness at any time, so always have a dimmer switch installed.

A stunning statement floor can transform a space but heavy tiles and installation costs can be daunting. Let us introduce tile decals. These peel and stick adhesive tile covers are made of vinyl and give the impression of expensive wall and floor tiles. Visit Bleucoin to choose from their incredible array of colours and patterns. Or, keep an eye out at hardware stores as alternative brands are popping up.

Large-format bathroom tiles on walls and floors can create bathroom bliss with luxury spa-like quality. Choose a warming neutral shade that won't go out of style, opt for coordinating grout for an almost seamless look and add in moisture-loving exotic plants for a pop of lush colour.

Nothing gives a room an expensive and eclectic character than an antique. But, with age comes a hefty price tag. Instead, look out for decorative second-hand furniture to transform into your own antique-style heirloom with chalk paint, metal-effect spray paints and pattern papers.

Large rugs make a room appear bigger, so when it comes to budget it is better to go for an expansive but less expensive rug rather than a small, cheaper option. This chequerboard design makes a maximalist statement and uses a classic pattern that has never really dated. Make sure the rug goes under the edges of big items of furniture such as sofas for a luxe effect.

This hotel room at the boutique bolt hole, The Percy Arms has inspired us and there is no reason why you can't enjoy a luxurious bedroom bath at home too, space allowing. Speak to your plumber to see if you'll need to reinforce the floor first, however the installation may not be as costly as you might think, especially if you already have an ensuite or your bedroom is next to a bathroom to extend plumbing pipework. 

Sometimes to get a designer look, you need a designer kitchen but if you buy one second-hand you can slash your spending by thousands. There are companies that specialise in selling ex-showroom units, so you could just bring in a statement kitchen island for example, or you can buy whole kitchens on various online marketplaces. 

Art collections were once only available to the wealthy and we still associate large scale artwork with galleries and stately homes. Whether you go for a huge framed photographic print or a small painting by a local artist to add to your scheme, try to follow your own tastes and choose something that you really love. Professional framing will always look more expensive, but try to include a cardboard mount if you're framing things yourself for a high-end look.

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