4 Aug 2025
By: Alex D'arcy-Orga

HOW TO MAKE YOUR HOME LOOK PROFESSIONALLY DECORATED

Do you want your home to look like it’s come straight from a magazine? Achieving a polished, cohesive and effortlessly chic look often feels like it requires an interior designer’s budget and expertise. But the truth is that a professionally decorated home is not just about expensive pieces – it is also about thoughtful choices, attention to detail, and understanding a few key design principles.

It’s all about creating a space that feels intentional, comfortable, and uniquely yours, rather than just a collection of furniture.

The good news is, you don’t have to complete a full-scale renovation or hire a top-tier designer to elevate your home’s aesthetic. By focusing on smart investments, strategic placements, and a few clever tricks, you can completely transform your living space from ordinary to extraordinary.

This guide by interior design expert Sylvia James at HomeHow.co.uk will walk you through everything you need to know in order to achieve that professional look, making your home feel more refined, inviting, and truly impressive.

Define Your Style and Create a Vision Board

Before you purchase a single piece of furniture or a tin of paint, the most important step is to define your aesthetic. A professional interior designer will always start with a concept. Consider the vibe you are going for and work from that. Whether it is minimalist, bohemian, classic, modern, industrial, or something completely different, make sure to have an idea in mind first.

Research and Inspiration – Spend some time browsing interior design magazines, Pinterest, Instagram, and design blogs. Save any images that resonate with you.
Identify Common Themes – Look for recurring colours, textures, furniture styles and overall moods in your saved images. This will help you to pinpoint what you truly love.
Create a Vision Board – The vision board will act as your blueprint. Pin or digitally arrange some images of furniture, paint colours, fabrics, lighting, and accessories that fit in with your chosen style. This visual guide will ensure everything you purchase contributes to a cohesive look and prevents impulsive buys that don’t fit with the overall scheme.

Splurge On some High-Quality Furniture

High-quality furniture not only looks better but also tends to be more functional and more comfortable. This makes it worth the larger investment. High-quality items will tend to last longer. Plus, they’ll make you enjoy your home more. Since most of us use our furniture daily, it’s worth spending a little bit more to get something that looks great and feels great.

Choose Good Window Coverings

While curtains and blinds may seem unnecessary to some people, especially if you prefer a lot of natural light, these coverings can make a big difference in the elegance and maturity of your living space. Large, elegant curtains can make a space seem much more intriguing and can even make the room seem larger.

Add Some Artwork

Take some time to do some research and figure out the kind of aesthetic that you’re going for. Having a good, solid idea in your mind can help you pick out art pieces much more easily. Choose things such as photographs of landscapes or nature, or go for some elegant paintings. In addition to wall art, consider adding some things, such as sculptures, to decorate areas like the mantlepiece, side tables, or bookshelves.

Add Rugs

Rugs are one of the best things to add to a room to tie it all together. They can really transform a room. There are many different options available when it comes to rugs. Consider the theme of your room and choose a design that ties in with the rest of your décor.

Add A Gallery Wall

A gallery wall is one of the best professional-looking design elements in a home. This is an elegant and trendy addition that can add a lot of intrigue to your space. Consider the vibe you’re going for. Traditional and vintage-looking walls can look great, but so can modern styles with realistic photography and abstract art. Think about what you want to see every day and what will tie in well with the rest of the room.

Be Bold With Wallpaper

Wallpaper may have gone out of style in the past. However, it is now back and bigger than ever. There is so much importance in adding colour and patterns to a room. Bold wallpaper allows you to really put your own stamp on your space. Consider a bright and bold feature wall to bring the whole room together.

Strategic Lighting

Lighting is very important. It is a powerful tool for setting the mood, highlighting features, and making a room feel complete. Relying on just a single overhead light will often create a flat and uninviting space. Aim for at least three types of lighting in each room: ambient lighting for general illumination, task lighting for specific activities, and accent lighting to highlight artwork, architectural features, or to create a mood. Dimmers are great as they allow you to control the intensity of the light and create different moods.

Layering Textures

Combine different textures to create visual and tactile interest. For example, you could pair a plush velvet sofa with a chunky knit throw blanket and a wooden coffee table. Introduce a variety of materials like linen, wool, silk, leather, wood, metal, glass, and stone. Each material has its own unique texture that contributes to the overall feel of the room. Even the smallest elements, like textured throw pillows, woven baskets, or a ribbed vase, can add significant depth.

Embrace Greenery

Plants are great for bringing life, colour and a sense of freshness to the space. Place plants in corners that need softening, on shelves to add height, or as a focal point on a coffee table. Don’t just stick to one type of plant. Mix large floor plants with smaller tabletop varieties and trailing plants for shelves. Choose planters that complement your décor style. Ceramic, terracotta, woven baskets, or sleek metallic pots can enhance the plant’s aesthetic appeal.

Final Thoughts

Achieving a professionally decorated look in your home is less about an unlimited budget and more about intention, strategic choices, and a keen eye for detail. Put some focus into defining your style, investing wisely in key furniture pieces, mastering window treatments, incorporating impactful art and rugs, and paying attention to elements like lighting and texture. All of these things can transform your living space. Remember to curate your accessories and embrace greenery to create a cohesive, inviting, and truly impressive home that not only looks stunning but also feels deeply comfortable and reflective of your unique personality. Begin with one room, apply these tips, and watch your home come to life with sophistication.

MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR… SYLVIA JAMES: Sylvia James has worked as an interior design expert for over 15 years. Sylvia is skilled at creating beautiful home designs and can work with a range of budgets to suit the homeowner. In addition, Sylvia also provides expert interior design tips and advice for HomeHow.co.uk, and her tips have been published in a range of leading press publications.