The High-Low Secret: How to Decorate Like You Spent a Fortune

Want Pottery Barn style without Pottery Barn prices? I’m sharing my high-low decorating formula to get luxury looks for less!

Do you love the look of high-end home decor but don’t want to spend a fortune? I get it—I’m obsessed with Pottery Barn’s timeless style, but my budget doesn’t always match my design dreams. That’s why I’ve mastered the art of mixing high and low decor to create a designer look without breaking the bank.

In this post, I’ll share my tried-and-true tips for blending splurges and steals to elevate your space. You’ll learn how I anchored my living room with a sale-find Magnolia rug, paired just two Pottery Barn pillow covers with affordable Amazon dupes, and transformed thrifted treasures into high-end-looking decor with a little DIY magic. Whether you’re refreshing a single room or starting from scratch, these strategies will help you craft a curated, luxurious look—without the luxury price tag.

Ready to create a home that looks like it was styled by a pro (on a real-person budget)? Let’s Go!

1. Start with a Plan: Define Your Style

Before mixing high and low pieces, you need a clear vision—otherwise, your space can end up looking haphazard instead of intentionally curated. As someone who adores Pottery Barn’s classic, cozy aesthetic, I knew I wanted my living room to reflect that same timeless appeal, just without the full-price commitment.

Find Your Inspiration

I started by gathering inspiration from Pottery Barn catalogs, books, and Pinterest. Notice what draws you in: Is it the neutral color palettes? The mix of textures? The balance of rustic and refined elements? For me, it was all of the above—warm wood tones, crisp linen upholstery, and those perfectly imperfect vintage & thrifted accents that make a space feel lived-in yet polished.

I would suggest flipping through some digital catalogs of your favorite retailers for inspiration and to try to figure out what you are drawn to. Here is Pottery Barn’s latest catalog.

Create a Mood Board

Once I pinpointed my style (I’d call it “modern farmhouse with a touch of coastal”), I created a Pinterest board with images of rooms that made my heart skip a beat, then looked for common threads:

• A neutral base (think creamy walls and a warm rug)
• Layered textures (linen, wood, and metals)
• A few well-placed statement pieces (like a chunky knit throw or a weathered table)

Since I’m looking to update some things in my living room, I made a digital mood board using Canva and played around with different rugs, pillows, and colors with my existing living room space.

We’ll use this living room refresh as a guide to how to use this high/low decorating method for your own home.

2. Splurge on Key Statement Pieces

When it comes to creating a designer look on a budget, the secret is strategic splurging. A few well-chosen, high-quality pieces act as the foundation of your room—elevating everything around them and making even budget finds look intentional. In my living room, I invested in two key items for this refresh: 2 Pottery Barn throw pillow covers, a Magnolia Home plush rug.

A Quick Note on “Splurges”
Let me be honest – when I talk about “splurging” on pieces like my coffee table, console cabinet, and tall bookcase (that I already have in my living room), I realize my idea of pricey might be different than yours! I’m usually the first to hunt for secondhand treasures (there’s nothing more satisfying than a good refinishing project). But sometimes, after months of searching thrift stores and Facebook Marketplace, you just can’t find that perfect piece. That’s when I decide to invest in something new – typically during a sale or with a coupon ( I refuse to pay full price!). The key is being strategic about which pieces are worth stretching the budget for.

3. Save on Trendy or Replaceable Items

Not every piece in your home needs to be an investment—in fact, some shouldn’t be! The trick is knowing where to cut corners without sacrificing style. Here’s how I save on the “fun but fleeting” decor that gives a room personality:

What to Save On:

• Throw pillows (I love my 2 large Pottery Barn pillows, but the rest of the pillow covers are from Amazon!)
• Seasonal decor (like holiday wreaths or tabletop accents, I will DIY myself)
• Trend-driven pieces (think: bold-patterned anything, or that print everyone’s obsessed with this year)
• Lighting accents (lamps, lampshades, plug-in sconces, or battery-operated candles)

Pro Tips for Smart Savings:

•  Mix high and low in the same category: Pair one designer pillow with a few budget ones (like I did with my Pottery Barn/Amazon combo).
•  DIY the trend: Try spray-painting thrifted candlesticks or painting an old side table instead of buying new. (This is my favorite way!)
•  Wait for markdowns: Hit HomeGoods mid-week when new shipments arrive, or check Target’s end-of-season clearance.

Why It Works: Spending less on transient items frees up cash for those key splurges (like my Magnolia rug!). And because these pieces rotate often, no one will notice—or care—that they didn’t cost a fortune!!

Up Next: How to make those budget finds look expensive (spoiler: texture is everything!)…

4. Mix Textures and Materials for Depth

Texture is the secret weapon that makes a high-low mix look expensive—not cheap. It’s all about creating contrast and layers that feel collected over time. Here’s how I do it in my own home:

My Texture Mix in Action:

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Easy Ways to Add Texture:

 Layer rugs: Try a flat-weave natural fiber rug (like seagrass or jute) under a plush for contrast.
 Mix hard and soft surfaces: Pair your fabric sectional with a woven rattan side table or metallic lamp.
 Play with finishes: Combine matte black frames with brass candlesticks and concrete coasters (pop them all inside a rattan tray for even more texture!)

Behind my sectional, my slim console table became the perfect spot to play with texture mixing. Here’s how I created visual interest:

• Metallic contrast: Matte black iron candlesticks
• Organic warmth: Stacked woven boxes
• Layered dimension: books with pretty spines
• Natural pop: A vibrant magenta begonia (its colorful leaves add life while keeping the natural theme)

This little vignette proves you don’t need much space – just intentional texture combinations – to add depth to a room. The best part? Everything was repurposed from other areas of my home!

Why This Works:

Texture distracts the eye from price tags. No one will question whether your $30 Amazon throw pillow covers are “cheap” if it’s nestled next to a luxe chenille one—they’ll just see dimension.

Up Next: How I turn thrift store finds into Pottery Barn-worthy pieces (with before-and-after photos!)…

5. Use Thrifted or Vintage Finds for Character

Nothing adds soul to a space quite like thrifted and vintage pieces—and with a little creativity, they can look just as chic as their high-end counterparts. As a Pottery Barn lover on a budget, I’ve mastered the art of transforming secondhand finds into elevated decor. Here’s how I do it:

My Favorite Thrifted Transformations

Here are a few of my favorite budget-friendly secondhand and thrifted ideas that I have in this space.

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My Thrifting Playbook

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Learn How to Thrift Like A Pro

6. Accessorize Strategically

Accessories are the jewelry of your home—the finishing touches that pull a room together. But just like an outfit, it’s all about balance. Here’s how I mix high and low accessories to create a polished, designer look:

My Accessory Formula

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Up Next: How to balance your high and low pieces throughout the room…

8. Balance High and Low Throughout the Room

The magic of high-low decorating isn’t just about individual pieces—it’s about how everything works together. Here’s how I create harmony in my living room without breaking the bank:

My Balancing Act

1. Distribute Your Splurges

• My investment pieces (Magnolia rug, Pottery Barn pillows, wood coffee table) are placed strategically to anchor the space
• Budget finds fill in the gaps without competing for attention

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2. Create Visual Equity

• Example: Behind my sectional, the tall bookcase (splurge) gets styled with thrifted decor to keep costs balanced
• Trick: For every splurge, I offset with 2-3 budget-friendly pieces nearby

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3. Repeat Materials for Cohesion

• Woven textures (in both my trays and  baskets)
• Wood tones (in coffee table and thrifted frames)
• Metallic accents (in candlesticks and lamp base)

The “Eye Flow” Test

I step back and scan the room:
Does any corner look too expensive or too cheap?
Are textures and colors evenly distributed?
Do my DIY/temporary pieces hold their own?

How to Mix High and Low Decor Like a Designer

Decorating your home shouldn’t mean sacrificing style for savings—or going broke to achieve a beautiful space. By mixing high and low pieces strategically, you can create a home that looks polished, personal, and perfectly you.

Here’s the secret: It’s not about the price tags—it’s about the mix.

• Splurge on timeless anchors (like my Magnolia rug or Pottery Barn pillows)
• Save on trend-driven or replaceable items (hello, Target and thrift stores!)
• DIY, thrift, and repurpose to add character without the cost
• Balance everything with intentional styling (texture, scale, and placement matter!)

The best part? This approach lets you evolve your style over time without starting from scratch. Swap out a few budget-friendly accessories, add a new thrifted treasure, or refresh with paint—your space will always feel fresh, but never faux.

Now it’s your turn!
Have you tried mixing high and low decor in your home? I’d love to see your favorite splurges and steals and add you to the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Send a photo to me at jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com

Looking for more Looks For Less? Check out this reader favorite!!