When you think of a luxury home, you probably imagine a cohesive space with high-end furniture, lush rugs, and statement art.
But if you can't splurge on a $5,000 couch or a gallery wall, a luxurious space can feel out of reach.
Business Insider tapped interior stylist and content creator Kiva Brent to find out how you can create a luxe feel without a big budget, and she said one design choice can make or break your home: lighting.
Lighting can transform your home
Brent told BI that she's a big proponent of avoiding overhead lighting, as it doesn't create an opulent feel.
Instead, she recommends using lights to draw attention to the high points of your space.
"I think when you have spotlights directing your attention to different pieces in your home, that gives you a luxurious feel," she said. "It makes everything look more sultry."
Brent also said sconces, which attach to the wall, can elevate rooms in your home without forcing you to overspend too much.
"I think you can make a statement with sconces as opposed to doing a big chandelier," she said. "Chandeliers can be expensive, and you have to hardwire them."
But sconces don't actually have to be wired to the wall.
Battery-operated lights are an affordable solution
To make lighting as affordable as possible, Brent said you can find battery-operated sconces or sconces that allow you to insert battery-operated lights into them.
"There are tons of battery-operated sconces or sconces that you can put puck lights in that you can get from an Amazon or Target," she told BI.
Puck lights are small, circular lights that run on batteries. You can put them inside sconces to make them look like wall lighting units without the stress of electrical wiring, or you can put them inside cabinets to create focal displays.
"You can get battery-operated lights super affordably, and they make a huge statement," Brent added.
For instance, Brent told BI that some of "the most beautiful sconces" she has ever seen are the Aspar Wall Sconces from Z Gallerie, which retail for $49. All you need is a battery-operated candle to turn them into functioning lights.
"Anytime anyone has them in their home, people go crazy about them in the comment section," she said of posts of the sconces online. "So getting the puck lights or the really cheap sconces are really, really powerful for getting that luxe look for less."
You can also make small changes like cutting back on knickknacks or upgrading your bath mat to make your home feel luxurious. Just remember, expensive pieces don't have to make or break the feel of your space.
