Simple luxury is about focusing on quality over quantity, choosing timeless and well-crafted pieces that bring joy and beauty to your surroundings. It's about creating an environment that exudes a sense of calm and sophistication without being overly extravagant.
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What is Luxury Interior Design?
Luxury interior design refers to the creation of high-end, sophisticated, and opulent living spaces that prioritize style, comfort, and aesthetics. It involves the careful selection of premium materials, exquisite furnishings, and meticulous attention to detail to create an environment of refined elegance.
Luxury interior design goes beyond functionality and basic aesthetics; it aims to create an atmosphere that exudes grandeur, and a sense of indulgence.
Photo Source: London Projects
What is Simple Living?
Simple living in interior design is a philosophy and approach that embraces minimalism, functionality, and a sense of tranquility in creating living spaces.
It's about paring down excess, eliminating clutter, and focusing on the essentials to create a calming and uncluttered environment. The simple living design approach seeks to achieve a balance between aesthetics and practicality while promoting a sense of mindfulness and well-being.
Photo Source: Artem Trigubchak
Can Luxury Living & Simple Living Go Together?
Simple and luxury living can absolutely go together.
In fact, the concept of "simple luxury" has gained popularity in recent years. It refers to the idea of enjoying a life of comfort, refinement, and elegance while also embracing a minimalist and uncluttered approach.
By carefully selecting a few high-quality items, prioritizing functionality and aesthetics, and maintaining a sense of mindfulness in your choices, you can achieve a harmonious balance between simplicity and luxury in your living space.
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you achieve this balance.
Photo Source: Andrea Benedettini
Simple Luxury Tip #1:
Define Your Style
Start by identifying the interior design style that resonates with you.
Whether it's classic contemporary, contemporary, Scandinavian, or a mix of styles, having a clear direction will guide your design choices.
Some questions to ask yourself include:
- What’s the purpose of the space you’re designing?
- What do you want the overall feel to be? Ideas include calming, romantic, organised, creative, restful, or energising.
- What design style or colours are you drawn to? A helpful resource is our interior style quiz linked here.
Photo Source: London Projects
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Simple Luxury Tip #2:
Timeless Neutrals
The "simple luxury" colour palette is characterized by subdued, sophisticated, and calming hues that evoke a sense of understated elegance and refinement.
This color palette is used to create spaces that exude a sense of calm and luxury. These colours are muted and timeless, allowing for a serene and harmonious ambiance.
Photo Source: Andrea Benedettini
Ideas include:
- Soft Neutrals: Shades like white, beige, taupe, ivory, and light gray form the foundation of the palette.
- Subdued Pastels: Muted pastel tones such as dusty rose, pale lavender, and muted mint can add a gentle softness.
- Earthy tones: Soft, earthy hues like soft terracotta, muted olive, and pale sand can infuse a sense of nature.
- Metallic Accents: Subtle metallic accents in shades like brushed gold or aged bronze can add a touch of lustre.
- Deep Muted Greens: For a touch of depth and richness, muted green tones reminiscent of sage or eucalyptus can be incorporated.
We recommend watching our Rustic Luxe design video for more ideas:
Simple Luxury Tip #3:
Quality over Quantity
Invest in high-quality furniture and decor pieces. Instead of filling the space with numerous items, select a few statement pieces that showcase craftsmanship, thoughtful design, and attention to detail.
Some key aspects of choosing quality over quantity in furniture selection include:
- Quality Craftsmanship: Quality furniture is often crafted by skilled artisans who pay attention to every detail, from joinery and finishes to upholstery and stitching.
- Premium Materials: Premium materials are a hallmark of quality furniture. Whether it's solid wood, genuine leather, high-grade upholstery fabrics, or flax linens.
- Timeless Designs: High-quality pieces often feature timeless and well-thought-out designs. While they may be influenced by current trends, they also possess a certain timelessness that allows them to seamlessly integrate into various interior styles.
- Environmental Impact: Choosing high-quality furniture means they are less likely to end up in landfills, contributing to a reduction in waste.
- Potential Heirlooms: Quality furniture pieces have the potential to become cherished heirlooms that can be passed down through generations, carrying with them stories and memories. This is through investing in beautiful antique, vintage, or handmade pieces that will stand the test of time.
Italian Chest of 3 Drawers | Circa 1950
$5,995.00
This Italian Vintage Chest of 3 Drawers, is a charming piece sourced from Northern Italy that showcases the timeless beauty of Italian craftsmanship. Crafted circa 1950, this chest of drawers will add a touch of vintage allure to your living… read more
For more ideas, we recommend watching our video below.
Simple Luxury Tip #4:
Statement Artwork & Mirrors
Incorporate statement artwork and mirrors. Choose a few carefully curated pieces that align with your design theme. A large statement artwork or a well-placed sculpture can become a centerpiece to any room or entryway.
Some ideas include:
- A large framed abstract artwork in soft neutrals or monochromatic hues.
- A classic oil painting or still life artwork in a vintage gilt frame.
- Beautiful and elegant botanical or floral art prints.
- Decorate busts made from stone, resin, marble, or wax.
- Vintage or antique-style mirrors in ornate frames.
- A sleek and sophisticated mirror with a simple black, ivory, dark stained wood, or metal frame.
Floral Elegance V | Brown Bamboo Frame
$685.00
STORE PICK UP/LOCAL DELIVERY ONLY/FREIGHT QUOTE ON APPLICATION Due to the size and weight of this piece we are unable to offer our regular Australia wide delivery. For Australia-wide deliveries, a freight quote does apply for this piece.This is not calculated online… read more
Simple Luxury Tip #5:
The Beauty is in the Detail
Lastly, to add glam to your interior, pay attention to small details like hardware, trim, and finishes. Install glossy ceramic or crystal drawer pulls and knobs to your recycled timber cabinetry, and soften your sofas, beds, and daybeds with velvet, wool, linen, burlap, and boucle cushions for textural appeal and visual interest.
These details can make a significant difference in the overall perception of luxury.
Photo Source: London Projects
Want more tips for creating a home you love?
Discover Our 5 Ls of Styling.
Layering
Sumptuous Textures and Materials
Introduce a variety of textures through materials like natural wood, rattan, marble, plush fabrics, and sleek metals. Layering these different textures will add depth and warmth to the space.
For example, rattan is a fast-growing tropical plant that grows prolifically in Indonesia, the Philippines, and other areas of South East Asia. It is perfect for all seasons and its natural beauty will help ground a room and balance lavish fabrics and sleek materials.
At Suzie Anderson Home, we offer a wide range of rattan homewares and decors for your living room, bedroom, dining area, and more. Our curated selection of rattan homewares is designed to add texture and style to any space in the home. You can discover the timelessness of rattan here.
Round Rattan Tray | Old Grey
$65.00
A beautiful Round Tray in an Old Grey Finish. This tray is a must have for both kitchen and dining homewares and can be used as a serving or drinks platter for your entertaining needs. It would fit beautifully in a Relaxed… read more
Next, layer sumptuous textiles such as area rugs, curtains, bedding, and throw pillows to add comfort and visual interest. Soft textiles can create a cozy atmosphere within the minimalist space.
Sumptuous textiles are not only soft to the touch, but they offer a grand and luxurious aesthetic. Ideas include quilted velvet throws, quality silk bedding, Egyptian cotton bath towels, merino wool blankets, and more.
Designers Guild Manipur Noir Cushion with feather insert | 43 x 43 cm
$314.00
This stylish, cut velvet, square cushion in a sleek black Manipur, features a bold scale, hexagonal geometric with a unique patterned effect in the ground. Elegant and sophisticated, this luxurious cushion is finished with a Kumana reverse in cool marble… read more
Photo Source: Victoria Hagan
Lighting
Install statement lighting fixtures that serve as focal points and add a touch of luxury.
Ambient lighting ideas include:
- French chandeliers
- A Constance Guisset vertigo pendant
- Statement sculptural pendant lights
- A multi-light bubble chandelier
Accent lighting ideas include:
- LED strip lights, which encourage soft and diffuse light.
- Under cabinet lights, for elegance and glamour.
- Uplighting, which indirectly brings light into a space as it bounces off the ceiling.
- & Perimeter lighting such as coving or cornice lighting, which accentuates the dimensions of the room, making it appear larger.
Photo Source: London Projects
For a cool & streamlined appeal, look for lamp bases made from:
- Marble
- Nickel and antique silver.
- Glossy painted ceramic.
- Mouth-blown Glass.
- Washed concrete
- & Black metal or aged bronze.
Photo Source: London Projects
Your choice of shade can also contribute to your desired look.
For simple luxury, look for shades that feature:
- Crystal glass drops.
- Velvet.
- Quality linen.
- Glossy Satin.
- Alabaster.
From elegant chandeliers to contemporary pendant lights, our lighting collection showcases a wide array of styles to suit any decor theme. Discover our collection here.
Something Loved
Infuse your personality into the space with items that hold sentimental value. A few well-chosen personal items can add character without cluttering the space.
For example, unique pieces from your travels, flea-market finds, special heirloom collections, & natural found objects are all examples of something loved. These items create a lived-in feel and serve as conversation starters for guests and family members.
For more ideas, watch our video below.
Something with Lustre
Lustre is the state or quality of shining by reflecting light. You can create this by including items with a reflective surface, such as crystal, glassware, mirrors, or pewter to lift the space and stop it from looking flat.
Some words to describe lustre include metallic, waxy, radiant, vitreous, silky, pearly, or even the gently washed gilt and patina of an antique piece of furniture.
Trudon | Three Branch Brass Candelabra
$299.00
Daily rituals at Cire Trudon come with a sense of royalty and nobility: staged using theatrical candlesticks and candelabras, their lean silhouette comes into play. This brass plated candelabra is made for Madeleine taper candles. Materials: Brass Plated Features: Trudon… read more
Malachite 7 piece cutlery set
$155.00
An elegant 7pc Malachite cutlery set featuring the highest quality stainless steel in a gold finish, and striking malachite green handles. Materials: 18/10 quality stainless steel and handle of Green Malachite. Features: Table Spoon Table Fork Table Knife Dessert/Salad Spoon… read more
Some ideas for incorporating items with lustre include:
- Coasters of brass, pewter, marble, or glossy ceramic.
- Marble base salad servers.
- Hand-crafted glazed condiment dishes + servers.
- Textiles such as silk, satin, or velvet.
- Reflective photo frames, shells, glazed ceramic trinket boxes, ginger jars, art stands, and brass, bronze, or nickel decorative objects.
There is something so eye-catching about a reflective, metallic, glossy, and radiant material that makes it perfect for adding a touch of simple luxury.
Discover our lustre collection of homewares and decor here.
Photo Source: Suzie Anderson Home
Something Living
Infusing your space with living energy will transport your senses by evoking feelings of romance, relaxation, excitement, joy, focus, and an overall sense of calm.
For a touch of simple luxury, ideas include:
- A single orchid
- Peonies
- Sculptural branches
- Tulips
- Hydrangeas
- A bouquet of roses
- & fresh greenery such as ruscus.
Lastly, look for vases that feature an interesting shape, texture, finish, or material that can function as stand-alone decorative pieces and complement your decor style when not filled.
Photo Source: Lukas Machnik
Remember, the key to achieving a simple luxury interior is to strike a balance between elegance and minimalism. Each element should contribute to the overall harmony and sophistication of the space while maintaining an uncluttered and refined atmosphere.
