As Country Living’s Deputy Editor, Homes and Style, I’m always on the hunt for those quick-fix solutions that can take a room from meh to magazine-worthy. If there were a one-size-fits-all solution to upgrading your home, I’d share it with you. But, in reality, it’s not that cut-and-dried. Good design focuses on the details—it’s why interior designers are so respected: They spend days thinking about the small moments no one specifically notices but would definitely miss if they weren’t there. While I can’t distill all their wisdom and magic into one single article for you, I can share the small choices and swaps they make on a regular basis that make rooms look and feel more luxe and high-end. Below, I’m breaking down those small choices for each room in your house and sharing how you can do the same in your own home.
In the Entry...
There are lots of tricks designers use to make an entryway feel special—millwork is a big designer favorite, but it can sometimes be costly. For a low-lift way to elevate your entry, try a designer-loved skirted console table. Fabric allows for soft pattern play in what can be an otherwise sterile space.
RELATED: 4 Designer Tricks That Make Any Entryway Look More High-End
For Your Bathroom...
In the bathroom, upgrade options that don’t cost a small fortune are limited, but there is one, according to New Jersey–based interior designer Megan Cherin, that is better than all the rest.
“For me, the simplest and most impactful bathroom upgrade you can make is hardware,” she says. “Consider it the jewelry of the bathroom.” For designer-loved finishes, look to unlacquered brass or polished nickel. Follow Megan’s advice—“You can spend a good amount on hardware, but you certainly don’t have to!”—by searching smaller makers on sites like Etsy. You can also mix and match the finishes of your hardware and plumbing fixtures for a lived-in, layered-over-time look.
RELATED: 4 Designer-Approved Bathroom Upgrades That Look Expensive—But Won’t Blow Your Budget
In a Kitchen...
One of the chicest things a kitchen can have is an antique worktable instead of a builder-grade, built-in island. This timeless feature has been trending lately as British-style kitchens continue to make waves stateside. “No islands for the British! A wonderful oak farmhouse table is a given,” says expat designer Kathryn Ireland.
American homeowners have come to love their romantic feel, says designer Anthony D’Argenzio. When discussing trends with me earlier this year, he noted that country design would be taking big cues from European kitchens in 2026: “Think farm tables reimagined as kitchen islands—they will become statement pieces, blending rustic charm with functional elegance.”
RELATED: The Complete Guide to Getting the British Kitchen Look
For Your Living Room...
Look to your window treatments—and, yes, there is a difference between curtains and drapes—for an easy, inexpensive way to make your living room feel luxe. Try layering woven shades behind your drapes. Not only will this add depth to the space, but it will bring a touch of natural texture that warms up even the most basic fabric. It’s the small details that really make a difference, after all.
RELATED: These Custom Woven Shades Are My #1 Amazon Find as a Home Editor
In a Bedroom...
Trust the experts and upgrade your bedroom by upgrading your sleeping situation. “Bedding is number one,” says Mary Celeste Beall, proprietor of the famed Blackberry Farm, a luxury resort in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. “Ultra-soft sheets with a blanket and duvet give you maximum comfort with a choice of layering.”
RELATED: 5 Design Details That Instantly Make Your Bedroom Look High-End
Anna Logan is the Deputy Homes & Style Editor at Country Living, where she has been covering all things home design, including sharing exclusive looks at beautifully designed country kitchens, producing home features, writing everything from timely trend reports on the latest viral aesthetic to expert-driven explainers on must-read topics, and rounding up pretty much everything you’ve ever wanted to know about paint, since 2021. Anna has spent the last seven years covering every aspect of the design industry, previously having written for Traditional Home, One Kings Lane, House Beautiful, and Frederic. She holds a degree in journalism from the University of Georgia. When she’s not working, Anna can either be found digging around her flower garden or through the dusty shelves of an antique shop. Follow her adventures, or, more importantly, those of her three-year-old Maltese and official Country Living Pet Lab tester, Teddy, on Instagram.
