People who stage homes for a living swear by these cheap tricks to make your home look more expensive

“A flameless glass candle set can set the mood in your home while allowing you to live free of the stress of fire-spreading,” says Fort Worth real estate expert, Brady Bridges.

Eywamage’s set of three flameless candles come in a selection of stunning and reflective glass votives and feature a real flame-like effect to set the mood without the fear of leaving it on when you leave by accident. Plus, it comes with a remote that turns it on, controls the dimmer, and sets the four- or eight-hour timer.

“A neutral or soft-patterned rug can unify a space beautifully,” says says Eric Bramlett, realtor and owner of Bramlett Real Estate. This neutral rug is perfect for areas like your kitchen or bathroom, and is made with a woven texture and a nonslip bottom that will stay in place, no matter how many people walk over it. It measures 20 inches by 47 inches, but there are a bunch of sizes and a few other neutral colors to choose from.

“To handle unsightly cords, I use cable covers or decorative boxes to keep things neat,” says Bramlett. This cable management box is so easy to use. It has three holes along the back for you to weave cables through, and the lid easily comes off when you need to restart the power strip or unplug something. Use this to clean up your desk setup, to corrall cords in your TV stand, or anywhere unsightly electronics are ruining the vibes.

Another easy way to implement Bramlett’s advice is by investing in something like the wildly popular Sleek Socket. It plugs flat into your outlet and runs power to a power strip so you can easily charge devices and connect electronics when the outlet is inaccessible. A bonus use? If you hate the look of the cords (who doesn’t), you can use this to run your cables and cords behind furniture, to hide them from sight.

“I picked up some ceramic canisters for a kitchen staging,” says Bramlett. “Functional yet stylish, they add a clean, modern touch without cluttering the counter.” These ceramic canisters are a nod to Bramlett’s advice, and feature airtight wooden bamboo lids to keep anything inside fresh. Store dry goods, random kitchen gadgets, or use them as a pseudo junk drawer. The choice is yours.

Michael McGuirk, licensed real estate agent, says, “Keeping surfaces free of excess items and choosing simple, elegant decor like vases, candles, or a sculptural piece, can create a curated, high-end vibe.” This vase is a perfect addition, and looks so chic and handmade. The natural shape of it and the two handles make this functional and so beautiful. Drop some farmer’s market flowers in and put it out on a table or shelf.

One more way to incorporate McGuirk’s advice? Style your space with a chic candle. This dough bowl candle is so gorgeous, and has four wicks — making it a perfect centerpiece for a dining room table. This 10-inch candle would also look fantastic on your coffee table, and you can even reuse the dough bowl to hold fruit or as a catchall once you are done burning the candle.

McGuirk says, “Another upgrade that adds a high-end vibe is installing smart home features. They add convenience and appeal to modern buyers.” This smart doorbell set is a great investment. This popular set comes with everything you need to install it yourself in just 15 minutes. From your phone you can schedule temporary access codes, lock and unlock the door, and even sync it with your smart home device.

One easy way to elevate your kitchen? Add new handles with modern shapes and finishes. “Kitchen renovations can be expensive, but a simple change in hardware, like replacing outdated knobs and pulls with sleek and modern ones, can instantly refresh the entire look,” says executive design strategist Lindsay Tan.

These 5-inch pulls are made of stainless steel and feature a matte black, brushed brass, or satin nickel finish that instantly brings a timeless, modern vibe to your kitchen. They can be installed horizontally on drawers or vertically on cabinets to keep everything coordinated.

Another way to add a modern refresh to your kitchen is with these knobs. The circular design is highlighted by a delicate etched detail that will seamlessly match with your cabinets — no matter the color — to revive your kitchen without breaking the bank. Available in modern finishes like matte black, brass, nickel, and oil-rubbed bronze, these knobs are a best-seller on Amazon with a 4.8-star rating after 14,000 reviews.

One secret to an instantly more expensive looking home? “Give all the mirrors, windows, and window screens a really good cleaning,” says Tan. This professional-grade window squeegee can help. It features a duel head, one side is a rubber squeegee, and the other boasts an absorbent microfiber cloth for a streak-free clean. Plus, with four adjustable handle heights from 23 to 62 inches, this squeegee makes sure you can get every window in your home so shiny you’ll forget it’s there.

What’s worse than a streaky window? A streaky window and a dirty screen. You won’t have to worry about that with this brush, though. It has tough fibers that are long enough to pull dust and grime from between the screen’s tiny holes. Simply add water and soap and rub the brush up and down along the surface until it’s clean. Plus, it has two ergonomic ways of holding, a handle affixed to its base, and a longer attachment to get into tougher-to-reach places.

“I know from experience that how a bedroom is staged makes all the difference when it comes to getting interest from buyers,” says Kurtis Forster, licensed real estate agent at ViewHomes. “When your bed looks more full, it makes it look more luxurious, which translates into more expensive.”

A great place to start is with extra sleeping pillows, like these soft ones, which work for stomach, back, and side sleepers. The 250-thread count, 100% cotton covers have a cooling property and are filled with a gel-infused down-alternative to maintain the pillows’ shape. Plus, they’re washer- and dryer-safe, for a no-hassle clean.

Nick Chatzigeorgakis, CEO of design-build firm IntraBuild, has some advice. “When staging a space, the first thing I emphasize is creating a functional layout that feels spacious and inviting. For example, in a recent Manhattan luxury apartment renovation, we reconfigured the seating arrangement to maximize the room's flow and highlight key architectural features.” If moving furniture seems daunting, try adhering these furniture sliders to the bottom of your large pieces. They make it easy to slide furniture on hard surfaces or carpet, so you can create a spacious (read: luxe) layout that’s just to your taste.

“We also made sure to have curtains that touched the floor,” Ryan Fitzgerald, realtor and the owner of Raleigh Realty, says. “This made the room feel more luxurious without spending much.” These linen curtains are available in sizes from 48 to 144 inches long, to make them feel extra expensive and custom to your specific space. They have a semi-sheer flax texture to offer privacy while still letting the sun in and come in over two dozen colors for more customization.

A surefire way to make your home look more expensive is to make it smell more expensive. “Reed diffusers, incense sticks, scented candles, and aroma diffusers are non-negotiable additions to your bucket list,” Simran Kaur, founder of design blog Room You Love, explains.

This reed diffuser set is exactly what she’s talking about. It features a chic reusable glass bottle and 6.7 ounces of oil — which comes in pleasing scents like lavender, jasmine, and cotton. Plus, it features chic black reed sticks and preserved flowers so it not only smells great, but looks great too.

“Once, I worked with a young couple who had just bought their first home,” explains Fitzgerald. “Their living room was big, but it was pretty empty. We first added different types of lights, like wall lights and table lamps with dimmer switches. This made the room look fancy without costing much.”

This wall mounted light is a great way to add light to a space without any expensive renovations. It uses a 3M adhesive to attach directly to the wall, and the modern circular design makes it look like an installed sconce when it’s actually battery-powered, so you still get that wire-free look. Plus, it has three color temperatures and three brightness levels to adjust to whatever room you’re in.

When styling your bathroom, New York City real estate specialist, Colleen Cassel has a favorite styling tip. She suggests adding “fresh, clean neutral colored towels and a shower curtain,” for a budget-friendly way to bring luxury into an oft overlooked room. This set includes two bath towels, two hand towels, and two washcloths, so you can keep everything color-coordinated. Plus, the 100% cotton means they’re super soft while staying very absorbent.

Adding a neutral shower curtain like this waterproof one is another way to heed Cassel’s advice and create a luxurious bathroom. The waffle-weave style features a sheer mesh window that lets light into the shower and allows for air circulation, while still maintaining warmth and privacy. It even has a built-in snap-on liner that features magnets on both bottom corners to keep it flush against the tub.

Adding lights like this chic crystal table lamp is another thing Fitzgerald says you can do to make “the room look fancy without costing much.” Not only does it look like a gorgeous crystal piece that you found at a vintage store, but it’s also touch-activated — at the bottom or the top — and features three levels of dimming. As a bonus, it has two USB ports to discreetly charge your devices.

Fitzgerald is also a fan of this cool Greenco corner shelf if you want to bring “a modern touch” to your space. “We put some art pieces and old books on them to make them look more fancy,” he adds. The five-tier unit fits flush into the corner of a room to bring a little style to an often overlooked spot. It can hold up to 11 pounds, and it has a chic zipper design that, itself, looks more like a piece of art than a shelving unit.

“Adding throw pillows and blankets to every bed in your home helps to really transform the space,” Forster explains. And these velvet throw pillow covers can keep things extra fresh with their color block design that gives you dozens of pillow configurations in one set. Each velvet cover features two colors, and a third-colored seam around all four sides that ties it all together. The monochromatic invisible zipper keeps things totally seamless, while still opening wide enough to easily fit the inserts.

This macrame wall hanging from Mkono “added a handmade touch,” Fitzgerald explains, which can balance out the modern to make your space look both expensive and lived in. It’s made of cotton cord and wood beads for a hanging fringe pattern that is a perfect statement piece for over a fireplace, bed, or couch. Also, it can be used as a cool curtain for a small window or to hide unsightly things like breaker boxes.

If you’re looking to heed Fitzgerald’s shiny advice but don’t know where to start, this metallic paint can help you recycle and repurpose objects you already have around the house. It comes with 24 colors — including multiple shades of gold, vibrant pinks and blues, and shimmering silver — and is safe to use on walls, paper, glass, rocks, wood, and other materials.

It’s waterproof, permanent, fade-proof, and can be used indoors and outdoors. Add a DIY metallic accent to your coffee mugs, lamp shades, coffee tables, or outdated frames — the possibilities are endless.

“Having just a few, handpicked pieces displayed on your wall is the hack to flaunt the richness,” says Kaur. “A nice gallery wall like this one [...] is a no-brainer when it comes to wall decor.”

Kaur recommends this set of nine Annecy frames, are of which all square and feature matching black frames. Buying frames in bulk is a great way to make creating a cohesive gallery wall easy. The plexiglass and backboard are durable and stable for a secure attachment to the wall.

“Irrespective of how good a space looks, if it smells bad, it's all trash,” Kaur continues. This candle doesn’t just come in crowd-pleasing scents like vanilla bean, lilac, apple, and fir trees, it actually absorbs bad odors. That means your home will just smell like flowers — not flowers and old fish. It had a burn time of 80 hours and is handmade with a soy blend wax and cotton wick.

Chatzigeorgakis says, “One addition I always make is updating the lighting. Replacing old fixtures with modern, energy-efficient ones can drastically alter the perception of the space.” Swap in this gorgeous modern vanity light and add some LED Edison light bulbs, and you’ll have an updated bathroom without a massive renovation. While the matte black finish is easy to match, it also comes in silver, gold, chrome, and a black and gold combination. One reviewer says, “Great value, good quality, and easy to install!”

Far and away one of the most popular design styles in lighting is the pendant light — and it’s a modern look in keeping with Chatzigeorgakis’ advice. But if pendant lights seem intimidating to install, you can always go for a plug-in style like this one which comes with all of the hooks you need to mount this to your ceiling. This is a great low-investment and renter-friendly option that still achieves the same look.

Chatzigeorgakis’ tried-and-true staging advice? "For final touches, I add high-quality textiles and fresh flowers. These elements create a sense of warmth and luxury without overwhelming the space,” he says. This luxurious Bedsure throw blanket is shockingly affordable considering how luxe it looks. This multi-gray hue is a timeless neutral, but this blanket comes in so many colors to match your space. This is the sort of upgrade that looks so chic while also making your space more comfortable to live in.

“Rich, neutral tones have a certain understated luxury. Creams, taupes, and soft grays can make a space feel curated and bespoke,” explains Artem Kropovinsky, interior designer and founder of Arsight. This dried grass decor set features four different kinds — rabbit’s tail grass, white pampas, reed pampas, and original color pampas — to layer four different shades of neutral into your space.

Each stalk is 17 inches tall, but can be cut to the height you need for your favorite vase. And they can be styled as-is, or left in the sun for two to three hours to create a fluffier, more expansive arrangement.

One of the easiest ways to elevate a room and make everything look more expensive is to thoughtfully mix textures. “A silky pillow juxtaposed against a coarse wool throw invites touch and adds a layered richness,” Kropovinsky says.

Besides being smooth, buttery soft, and touchable, this silk pillowcase is also great for your hair and skin to reduce irritation. It comes in more than three dozen vibrant colors to fit any decor style, and the zipper closure is hidden for a totally seamless look. Plus, it can be machine washed on the delicate cycle so you can easily clean it.

Another great option that’s a little more affordable, these bamboo pillowcases feel silky and streamline the look of your bedding. Available in a dozen neutrals, charming pastels, and glamorous jewel tones, the pillowcases are made of silky viscose which is moisture-wicking, cooling, and so buttery soft that your hair and skin will feel great in the morning.

“High-quality textiles can instantly elevate a room,” Kropovinsky says. If this wool throw blanket is nothing else, it’s definitely lush. The lightweight, chunky wool knit adds a charming, handmade touch to your room. It’s perfect for cozying under and watching a movie, or draping over the back of your couch for some added color and texture.

While your space should always reflect who you are, a more expensive home often translates into neutral and contemporary design choices. Start with your wall art. Chatzigeorgakis says, "I also recommend removing any personal or overly bold decor items. For instance, we once had to take down a wall of eclectic art in a client’s home and replace it with neutral, contemporary pieces that had broader appeal."

There are so many great places to find affordable artwork — or you can pay for prints on a site like Etsy and hang them yourself. This picture-hanging kit is great for hanging heavier artwork or a neutral mirror. Each drywall anchor in this pack of four can hold up to 45 pounds.

Kropovinsky also recommends that you “display sculptures and ceramics that resonate.” Whether you’re a bird aficionado or you’re looking for a charming yet modern piece to style on your bookshelf, these small bird statues is an easy “add to cart.” The set of two comes with one small bird and one large bird, and they come with felt-lined bottoms to prevent scratching your surfaces. Plus, their super shiny surface also follows Fitzgerald’s advice of adding metallic accents to elevate you space. Two design-advice birds with one stone.

“I’ve started incorporating products like voice-controlled assistants, programmable thermostats, and video doorbells into the homes I work on,” says Bramlett. He also always adds a video doorbell to houses, and this one is a super budget-friendly find that’s an absolute breeze to pop onto your door. It comes with two-way audio, a weather-resistant finish, night vision, and even a plug-in chime so you can hear it all over the house without checking your phone.

Bramlett also recommends setting up voice controls around the house, and this Roku smart plug is ultra-budget-friendly and barely requires any setup. Simply pop it into an outlet, plug in a device, and use the app to start customizing your voice controls for lamps, phone chargers, and more.

“In one recent project, I had to swap out a client’s tiny sofa with a more appropriately sized one. The difference was night and day — the room instantly felt more grounded and comfortable,” says Bramlett. “My advice? Always measure your space and choose pieces that fit the room's scale.”

While a good measuring tape will help you size up your space, these easy-to-use architectural stickers are also super handy when planning out, measuring, and making sure all of your pieces fit your space. You get 700 precut symbols, like beds, sofas, chairs, and more, and you can even reuse them to plan out different rooms.

Bramlett also says, “I love a good DIY project, and one of my favorites is creating a gallery wall. I’ve done this in several homes, including mine, and it’s always a hit.” This budget-friendly pack of frames is an easy way to have a gallery wall without a ton of planning because they’re designed to be styled together. Each one has a wood-like finish, and you can even choose from six different wood-tone colors to easily match your other frames and decor.

While white interior doors are traditional, “...painting doors a new color is an easy way to quickly refresh a room's look,” says Omri Schwartz, interior design expert and general manager of nazmiyal rugs.

This all-in-one paint makes refreshing your interior doors a breeze. It comes in dozens of colors that guaranteed to make a splash, while the chalky, matte finish keeps things modern. It’s durable for indoor and outdoor use on wood, laminate, glass, metal, and plastic, and it dries within 30 minutes of application.

If you only need to do small paint touch-ups around your home, these paint pens make the job simple, giving you that fresh feel that Schwartz mentioned. The five pens can be filled with any color of paint and they can be used on walls, ceilings, or trim. The paint inside will stay fresh for years, so you can get rid of the bulky cans.

“With the right rug, you can add interest to a room,” says Schwartz. “Choose natural fibers such as wool or leather for durability and luxury, or opt for vintage-inspired designs if you want something unusual.”

This ultra-thin, area rug is a show-stopping addition to your room, effortlessly blending an antique design with modern colors for the perfect fit. The non-shedding low-pile rug sits flush against the floor, and the TPE backing prevents it from slipping and sliding around the room. Plus, it can be cleaned with a vacuum, robot cleaner, or thrown into the washing machine.

Jake McClure, licensed realtor and CEO of Burling Square Group, says, “The last Amazon purchase I made for staging was a set of LED rechargeable picture lights.” These picture lights are perfect, and feature LED bulbs that are battery-powered. Place them above any hanging pictures, over any 3D artwork you have, or spotlight your plant collection. McClure says, “Lighting makes a huge difference, and these are affordable, easy to install, and give any artwork or space a polished, gallery-like look.”

Another inexpensive way to make your home appear more high-end? Bring the outdoors in. “Fresh flowers and potted plants bring life to any space,” notes interior designer, home stager, and licensed realtor Chenise Hinds. And to display the pots, you’ll need this bamboo stand. It adjusts in width from 8 to 12 inches, and the height can also be tweaked by flipping it over. The plant stand can hold up to 150 pounds.

“The most transformative change you can make to any space is decluttering and organizing,” Bramlett says. One easy way to do so is with hidden storage options, like these under-bed storage bins. Soft, flexible, and sitting low enough to slide under a bed, these are a great option for keeping items you don’t use often or seasonal clothing hidden away and safe.

“Strategic lighting changes are a must,” says McClure. These chic night-lights are a great way to add a few extra lights to your space without any installation. These plug into your outlet and feature a dusk-to-dawn sensor that will turn on when the sun sets. The warm-white glow and beautiful vintage design of this night-light make for gorgeous touches that look great in any space.

These bamboo storage boxes are another great way to organize and declutter as per Bramlett’s advice. They’re nice enough to leave out and use as decor, but they can also easily be stacked in a closet. The set includes boxes in three sizes and each one has a lid that stays closed to protect whatever is inside.

Mike Wall, home stager and house flipper with EZ Sell Homebuyers, says, “I focus on enhancing the ambiance with subtle details. This includes ensuring pleasant, neutral scents through candles or diffusers, adding plush towels in bathrooms, and arranging pillows and throws on sofas and beds to create a cozy yet stylish atmosphere.” To create a uniform scent throughout your home, consider investing in bulk in an essential oil blend that you can diffuse. This pack of four diffuser bottles comes with their own sticks, and can be placed in different rooms to diffuse a pleasant and neutral throughout your entire home.

“Oversize pillows in a monochromatic color scheme add cohesion,” notes Hinds. And these velvet throw pillow covers achieve this while also bringing a textured element to your bedroom, living room, or wherever else you choose to display them. They come tons of colors (as well as in a range of sizes), including simple neutrals and fun pops of color.

“I often add floor and table lamps to dark corners, creating a layered lighting effect,” says McClure. The big, overhead light will add harsh and even lighting to a space that can create a clinical feel to your room. Instead, opt for a bunch of smaller lights, like this LED floor lamp which measures 5 feet in height, has a sturdy base, and comes with an LED bulb that will last 20,0000 hours before you have to replace it.

McClure has one more staging secret: “For a final touch, I polish all hardware to make kitchens and bathrooms shine.” This metal polish has so many uses, it’s actually the perfect product to have tucked away for the moment you notice some metal in your home starting to tarnish. This works wonders on hardware in your kitchen, metal accents on jewelry and accessories, and even on your car. “Worked perfectly on my chrome kitchen hardware. Shiny and new looking again!” says one Amazon reviewer.

While it can be tempting to spend all of your time on the inside of your home, Wall says, “Don’t forget the exterior; a well-maintained yard, fresh paint, and a welcoming entryway set a positive first impression.” So if your yard has seen better days, spend some time cleaning up weeds and clearing your yard. This weeder is a fan favorite, thanks to its long handle that allows you to pick up stray weeds without straining your back or kneeling down.

Wall’s advice to keep a well-maintained yard is that much more easily achieved if you set aside designated paths for people to walk on. These outdoor path lights are perfect for that, and recharge via the sun for easy upkeep. This is a pack of 10.

It may be tempting to go big with your home updates, but Rebecca Hidalgo Rains, CEO and Managing Broker of the real estate firm Integrity All Star Realty, reminds, “Less is more, so people need to keep that in mind. Don’t overdo it. You need a few statement pieces, such as nice light fixtures, which can really set the tone of the house.” This flush-mount ceiling light is a beautiful fixture for any room, with an LED light bulb inside and a matte black exterior that contrasts with a standard white ceiling. Bonus, reviewers say it’s easy to install.

Rains says, “Great lighting or a nice ceiling fan can really make a home punch above its weight class. Always make sure the room is light, bright, and white since it makes the space look bigger, brighter, and more expensive.” Keep your space bright with some under-cabinet lighting — like these LED lights that you can stick anywhere. Under your cabinets, in a dark stairwell, in a back closet, the placement possibilities are endless.