Former fashion stylist and marketing executive Preston Conrad recently renovated his Upper West Side NYC apartment and it looks absolutely amazing. he also took us on a tourSo that you all can see for yourself.
But, Preston didn’t want to just show without telling. Here he shared some of his things top tips To give your home a more upscale feel (without spending too much):
1. Bring in curated lighting
“I have a lot of art, and the easiest way to highlight that art is with picture lighting,” says Preston. And, normally when you think of these, you’d think it would involve hardwiring your wall, hiring an electrician, but not with Preston’s tip.
They actually found an option on Amazon that costs less than $30 and is battery operated – and you can turn it on and off with the remote. Plus, you can also adjust the lighting to suit the mood of the room.
picture light
“I have these all over my apartment,” says Preston. And we don’t blame her—we’re obsessed!
2. Layer rugs
“It’s not as complicated as you think — and it adds depth, contrast, texture and it lets you be a little more creative with your space,” explains Preston.
Preston suggests starting with a large neutral rug and then taking a slightly smaller rug and placing it on a diagonal on top of the first rug. Preston chose a vintage Persian rug for some color and pattern.
This trick helps to define the space more and can even work in a room with wall-to-wall carpet.
Pro Tip: Make sure you use a good rug pad on the base rug, so they don’t slide around.
3. Try Dome Light Cover
“You know when you go to a place and there’s builder-grade lighting in every single apartment you’ve seen? Maybe you are living on rent And you can’t hire an electrician or damage the roof—that’s the solution,” says Preston.
“You can leave the current light on the ceiling and all you have to do is you leave the fixture up, no electrician required, you remove the glass and you get this beautiful shade with the converter screw that comes with it. Top it with – and the end result is phenomenal,” explains Preston.
Modern Flush Mount Conversion Kit
