10 Products that Will Make It Look as if You Renovated (When You Didn’t)

While fabrics and furniture often take center stage when it comes to thinking about making big changes, art may make the biggest impact. Whether you prefer to move your art from room to room or are looking for a few new sources, give Collins & Green Art a gander. Based in London, founder Julia Collins sources unique, original paintings from across Europe and lovingly frames them in vintage French wooden and gilt frames. Her selection of timeless Mediterranean landscapes, floral arrangements, and figural works is truly one of a kind.

A fresh coat of paint can shift the energy of your space without shifting your bank account, revitalizing a room and removing signs of wear and tear. But it also has the power to drastically change how we feel in a space. Interior designer Vani Sayeed notes, “Different colors evoke different emotions. For example, warm colors bring cheerfulness, and blues or cool colors promote calmness.” Take, for instance, Benjamin Moore’s Breath of Fresh Air, a pale, calming blue that has a soothing quality and reflects light beautifully, especially in north-facing rooms. Voilà!

On the subject of wall bling, a modish wallpaper can have more bravado than any built-in shelf. “The beauty of wallpaper lies in its versatility and ability to anchor a room,” designer Annie Downing says. “It can instantly infuse a space with personality, warmth, and style.” Downing’s own Lost Lotus grass cloth in Match Run utilizes a deep, natural green ground color, textured background, and idiosyncratic repetition to create a design that will add a jolt of energy to a room.

A bar cabinet can completely transform how your room functions, especially when placed in an underused area like a formal living room or even an entry hall. It can be self-contained, it offers clever storage, and it adds graciousness to a space. Interior designer William Cullum notes, “A bar in your home is a way to add an element of hospitality, and it can be as simple or as complicated as you wish.” Choose a piece specifically designed for bar storage, like this fully caned piece, which features specifically designed storage space for everything: linens, barware, glassware, and plates. It’s five o’clock somewhere, right?

If you’re angling for a dramatic, top-to-bottom room transformation, every detail counts. That’s why Elle Decor A-List designer Augusta Hoffman had the bright idea of replacing a room’s light switch covers. “One of the most satisfying, quick, and easy fixes to change the energy of the room is to swap out plastic outlet covers and switch plates for metal,” she says. “Bringing in a hint of unlacquered brass or polished nickel instantly elevates a space and shows that the details are being considered.” As banal as this may seem, every room has them, and they can either be an eyesore or a beautiful design detail, like Rejuvenation’s sleek and sexy Lewis Single GFCI Switchplate.

Beautiful curtains or draperies draw the eye into a space from adjacent rooms and up to the ceiling, creating an illusion of grandeur when it comes to ceiling height. Ensuring that your curtains are hung slightly higher as well as more fully on each side of the window creates a luxurious cocooning effect. Curtains have the added benefit of bringing in texture and color if you opt for something bold. Liza Laserow notes, “Changing the curtains in your room can instantly transform the atmosphere and set the tone for a space. A new fabric or color choice adds warmth and sophistication. It’s the most elegant way to frame a room.”

We often seek contrast when it comes to pairing hardware and cabinetry, especially in the kitchen. However, opting to match them, as Jessica Davis did in this recent project with tone-on-tone wood, creates a whole new feeling. “In here we really leaned on the hardware to make the statement. It feels integrated because the cabinets are stained to match,” Davis says. The design of this hardware is well suited to be easily swapped out, as it cleverly hides any previous drill holes. Simply swapping out your hardware and giving some careful consideration to how the materials can work with your existing cabinetry can make it seem as if you did much more in the space.

When it comes to kitchens, one of the biggest-impact updates you can make is swapping out your old refrigerator for something new. The SKS French Door refrigerator occupies the standard 36-inch width, and the side-by-side doors and state-of-the-art design make this piece feel custom. It has a five-temperature-zone middle drawer, which you can use as a deli meat and snack drawer most days and for wine or seafood for weekend entertaining. Precise temperature control, to preserve produce, and lift-and-go bins and drawers throughout make it feel as if you’ve completely renovated your whole kitchen with just one workhorse appliance.

Textile collector Robert Kime is known to always begin a project with a rug. It sets the tone, palette, and overarching aesthetic of a room. Designer Kyle Bunting, of the eponymous rug company, knows a thing or two about making big-impact changes underfoot. “A well-chosen rug can make a room feel entirely reimagined—elevating the design, enhancing the mood, and giving the space a fresh, curated feel,” he says. Looking to bring even more new energy into your space? Try incorporating a unique shape and color palette, like this piece, which features cowhide cut into a unique geometric shape with riffs on a classic stripe in mustard yellow.

Rooms that engage all five senses have the power to transport you elsewhere. This sculptural fan, featuring Byredo’s signature engraved Alphabeta pattern, is made of hand polished birch. Each piece can be scented in any of three popular fragrances: Bibliothèque, Cotton Poplin, or Tree House.