Make Cheap Furniture Look Expensive With These 4 DIY Tricks

Not everyone has the money to deck out their space with those luxe, expensive looks we see on social media — but that doesn’t mean you have to go full-on thrift store, either. There are tons of creative ways to fake these posh looks on a budget, whether it’s spiffing up secondhand finds or refurbishing pieces you already own.

One of the best (and most cost-effective) ways to level up your interiors is through DIY. It doesn’t have to be a super complicated home improvement project. In fact, elevating your space is often as simple as a few well-placed touches. Think expensive-looking finishes on walls, countertops, and furnishings; looks that are rich with texture and style but easy enough to pull off with a little elbow grease.

Here are some of our favorite hacks for faking the look of expensive decor.

Disclaimer: Renters should always discuss big apartment changes with their landlord, especially if they involve any surfaces that are built into the unit, like walls, floors, and countertops.

Marvelous Marble

Replacing countertops is an enormous (and expensive) project, but being stuck with laminate countertops forever can be a real drag. So how can you make your countertops look expensive without shelling out the money?

The answer is a clever solution from DIYer Brittany Robertson that involves creating the illusion of marble countertops using just a little paint, ingenuity, and a feather. The result is an expensive-looking finish that’s marvelously marble-esque in appearance, and the process is pretty simple. Prep your countertops with a light base color paint for a primer (Robertson used light gray), and give them the look of marbling with a craft feather. Seal it up with water-based polyuerythane when you’re finished, and voila! A faux marble masterpiece.

Luxe Leather on a Budget

Love leather but don’t love the price tag? No problem! This DIY hack from Drew Scott @lonefoxhome recently made a big splash on TikTok, and for good reason. Using nothing but some latex paint and fabric softener, Scott turned a secondhand fabric chair into a lavish leather look-alike. Best of all, the finished project cost only $20. The key here was using the mix directly on the chair, and creating contrast with a combination of colors.

Chic, Faux Aged Stone

The Ancient Greek decor trend is on the rise, but how can you replicate the expensive look of stone accents at home without breaking the bank? Easy! Just follow in the footsteps of Jenna LeBlanc of Jenna Sue Design Co. and mimic the high-end look using more affordable stucco or ready mix concrete. Here, LeBlanc uses the technique to create sophisticated stone planters, but she’s also used it on lamps for other projects. Check out her other savvy stone tutorials here. Before you know it, you’ll be going Greek.

Spray On for an Automatic Upgrade

Replicating a luxe finish may seem like a daunting task (especially for us DIY newbies), but don’t fret. There are a lot of great products out there that make these projects a total breeze. For example, on her creative blog …love, Maegan, Maegan Tintari used a simple spray paint to transform two tacky plastic tables into throwback works of art with a chic stone finish. The trick here is to opt for a textured spray paint rather than one that’s marketed as a stone finish (which can raise the price tag). As easy as 1-2-3, she cleaned her tables, gave them a spray, then used a paper towel to create texture for this winning decor look.

Not into stone? Chalk spray paint is another alternative, and a great way to customize both walls and surfaces with a sophisticated look. To learn about everything chalk, including how to make your own paint, check out this handy guide from In My Own Style.

With a little DIY motivation and a few basic supplies, anyone can create these uber-chic looks on the cheap.