Often, the best way to take your living space to the next level is to rip everything out and start again from scratch. But home renovation can be extremely expensive and disruptive. You’ll need to identify the right contractors and pay them, and you’ll need to tolerate your home being filled with brick dust and noise for what might seem like (or actually be) months on end.

Fortunately, there are several ways to give a space an appreciable lift, without resorting to major changes. So, what are the most effective ones?

When all of the light in a given room is coming from a single overhead source, then the contents of the room will end up feeling a little bit on the flat side. You can even things out with the help of multiple sources, spaced at vertical intervals around the room. A combination of accents, ambient lighting, and task lighting can be hugely effective.

The ceiling of any given space is often neglected. But it can represent a fantastic blank canvas, and a major source of subtle character. In other words, plain white might be a safe option, but it’s often also a wasted opportunity. You can introduce a little bit of depth and texture into a given alcove or ceiling section, and naturally draw the eye upward, with the help of a little bit of luxury designer wallpaper.

If all of the handles on all of the doors in your home are exactly the sort that a builder sources cheaply and provides in bulk, then you’ll naturally cheapen the entire look of your home. Swap them out for brass, matte black, or whatever colour or material appeals to you. The same applies to other small touches, like light switches and plug sockets.

When your curtains are taller, and occupy a significant portion of the wall (or even, the entire wall), they’ll naturally trick your brain into thinking that the room is taller. Bring the curtain rail up close to the cornice, and shop for the longest possible drop. Standard curtain lengths are measured in feet, and it might be that there’s an obvious, cost-effective length that matches your room.

When the rug in the middle of your furniture doesn’t extend to beneath the legs of your chairs, tables, and sofas, it can end up looking haphazard and a little bit silly. Make sure that it’s big enough, and you’ll generate a worthwhile sense of cohesion. You’ll give all of your furniture the sense that it truly belongs together, and bring about a worthwhile sense of unity.