What's one thing you've done in your home that made it feel more expensive without spending a fortune?

Great advice as always Daniel

I have everything he has nentioned

@8:01 — DIY : Adding a modern artwork to a big wall in the living-room. Upcycling with few bucks:
— once you have repaint your house, keep paint pot bottoms,  select 3/5 colours —natural colours are easier to match
— 1 old bed sheet in cotton or linen
— build a tailor-made frame with pine wood, staple the sheet to the uprights of the frame, like a real painting (observe how to build it online)
— paint it, have fun - no inspiration? find one that you enjoy & copy it
— now you have a huge painting matching  perfectly your living-room's colours or corridor for only few bucks

🇫🇷 from the South of France 💐

The Japanese LOVE florescent lighting. It's everywhere! I get that it's a cheap hangover from WWII but that's long over. That said, the Japanese are masters of lamps and accent lighting, often using wicker, cedar, and washi paper, which makes spaces SO much more soothing.

Lighting changes everything in many situations

We recently bought a 1896 historic Queen Anne with great bones that had been butchered with Millennial battleship Gray paint all over the beautiful ornate Wood Mill trim, and all the ornate wood onlays for 6 fire places replaced with cheap Lowe's backsplash tile. Absolutely horrendous.

We walked in, and I told my husband we must rescue this house. 😂 luckily for me my husband is a master Carpenter of over 40 years, and semi-retired, so he has sometime on his hands.

We have our work cut out but our home is being restored beautifully.

We've added ceiling medallions as an aesthetic enhancement to the 10-foot ceilings, and crown.

Have to say some older homes with a painted weathered white brick are  beautiful and charming.

A Beautiful,  fluffy, Egyptian cotton wrapped real down blanket for my Cali king bed! Also, the house is clean and smells nice 😊

This is sound advice. Thank you for sharing.

You're so wise!

Top 10 Home Upgrade Tips:
Declutter and Clean: Start by removing unnecessary items from open spaces to create a sense of calm and intentionality (0:26-1:53).
Add Character: Install crown molding, picture frame molding, or wainscoting to give your home a custom, high-end feel (1:55-2:33).
Real Greenery: Use large, healthy plants to bring natural color, life, and texture into your space (2:34-3:32).
Upgrade Hardware: Replace cabinet knobs, faucets, and door handles, but keep original vintage hardware if you live in an older home, as it adds unique soul (3:33-4:52).
Layered Lighting: Move beyond just ceiling lights; use lamps, wall sconces, and under-cabinet lighting to set the mood (4:53-6:01).
Strategic Mirrors: Use mirrors to bounce light and make rooms feel larger and more open (6:02-6:37).
Use Large Area Rugs: Avoid small rugs, which can look cheap; instead, use large rugs to anchor your furniture (6:38-7:02).
Hang Curtains Higher: Mount curtains 8-12 inches above the window or just below the ceiling to make windows and ceilings appear taller (7:03-7:56).
Invest in Large Artwork: Choose one or two large, impactful art pieces instead of many small frames (7:57-8:24).
Thoughtful Painting: Use paint to transform rooms, but be cautious—avoid painting over high-quality natural wood, original brick, or historic Victorian details that give a home its character (8:25-11:16).

The truth!!!!

i love your peekaboo curtain!!! very cute!!!

Our home is lived in. It looks nice and it's scrupulosity clean, but it isn't elegant. My husband and I downsized, so we got rid of 99% of our possessions and moved to another country. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but we don't have anything that we don't use other than a few decorations that mean something to us. We did buy large colorful artwork for the walls because they're white. Our furniture is neutral so the artwork really stands out.

clean and de clutter - chaos

Oh dear..........nothing new again, glad I watched it double time.

Bought antique brown furniture, cheap coz nobody wants it these days.
Painted 2 wall in a deep Burgundy red.
1 wall from top to bottom filled with books

Guess he doesn’t like mixed metals

Talk about butchering something with paint.  How about blue paint on wooden beams in the living room and dining room?  I have lived in my house for about 20 years, and did some major remodeling and one of the last things I still have to tackle is removing the blue paint on the wooden beams.  The kitchen cabinets are painted blue too and I will just have to completely remodel the kitchen.  The cabinets are very funky, not even a good candidate for refacing.  😒  I do disagree with painting outside brick though.  I see beautiful homes with brick exterior painted cream color, so lovely.  Even with the picture example you illustrate, I like the painted cream colored exterior better.  Just looks elegant to me.