7 small purchases that make your home feel expensive, without spending like the rich

When we moved into our apartment in Itaim Bibi, I had big feelings and a small budget. I wanted our place to feel calm, intentional, and a little indulgent, even with a toddler doing laps around the kitchen island.

We were building our investment portfolio, paying for childcare, and prioritizing weekly date nights. New marble floors were not happening. Tiny upgrades were.

Here’s what actually worked. These are the small, repeatable buys that made our home feel more polished without turning me into a chronic spender.

I tested them in the middle of real life: cooking every day, guests dropping by, toys under the couch, and a one-year-old who loves to rearrange the Tupperware drawer.

I’ll share how I use each one, what to look for, and why the effect is bigger than the price tag.

1. Oversized white towels that pass the hotel test

There is a reason nice hotels stick to white towels. They look clean, they feel generous, and they hold up in hot washes. I swapped our thin mixed-color towels for two oversized white bath sheets per adult and smaller white sets for guests. The bathroom instantly felt fresher.

I look for midweight cotton with a tight loop so it dries fast on our rack. Two bath sheets, two hand towels, and a bath mat are enough to rotate while the others are in the wash. If you want a low-effort upgrade, this is it.

A simple trick: fold them the same way every time and stack by size. Repetition reads as order. Order reads as care. Care reads as quality.

2. A signature home scent that greets you at the door

Scent is the first impression of a room. I keep a reed diffuser in our entry and a candle I light in the evening after we clean up from dinner. One scent for most spaces and a second for the bathroom. That is all.

Guests always comment, even when we have done nothing else that day.

I choose notes that make sense for our climate and rhythm. In humid São Paulo, I like something light and green for day and a warm wood or soft citrus for night.

I buy refills instead of new bottles, and I rotate candles based on seasons and moods. Sandalwood when my parents visit and something brighter when my vegan girlfriends come over for lunch.

Practical tip: stick with one or two families of scent so the house feels cohesive. The goal is a whisper, not a cloud.

3. A tray habit that turns clutter into a vignette

“The details are not the details. They make the design.” Charles Eames captured the idea perfectly.

The way we group small things changes how a space reads. I became a tray person and never looked back. One on the coffee table with a candle, coasters, and a small matchbox. One on the entry console for keys. A narrow one near the stove for oil, salt, and a tiny vase with eucalyptus.

A tray does not cost much, but it creates a boundary. Suddenly there is intention. The same random objects look curated because they are contained.

If you only try one styling habit, make it this. It plays well with a toddler because I can lift everything in one move before bedtime stories.

I like wood in the living room, marble or ceramic in the kitchen, and simple metal for the entry. Keep finishes consistent with what you already own.

4. Matching dispensers and decanted basics

There is a quote I think about when I am editing our home. “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” That is William Morris, and it still works today. I apply it to the most humble things: dish soap, hand soap, laundry powder, olive oil.

I buy two or three simple glass or PET dispensers with sturdy pumps and fill them from a big refill bottle. Labels are clean, fonts are small, and colors are neutral.

On the counter, it reads as one calm line instead of brand chaos. In the laundry area, I decant powder into airtight jars and tuck the bulk bag out of sight.

This takes five minutes the first time and only seconds after that. The visual noise goes down. The sense of order goes up. It feels like someone thoughtful lives here, which is the whole point.

5. Two layers of lighting in every room

Overhead light has its place, usually when I am picking up toy cars or chopping onions.

The rest of the time, lamps and warm bulbs make the apartment feel soft and considered. One floor lamp in the living room, one table lamp near the reading chair, and a clip-on light above my desk get us through most evenings.

I also switched to the same color temperature throughout. Warm white, not too yellow and not blue. No smart system, just consistency. We use plugs with on/off buttons to kill lamp glare fast during bedtime. It is an inexpensive way to change the entire mood of the house.

If you can, add a small dimmable lamp near where you wind down at night. It turns the rhythm of the evening into a cue for your brain: cook, clean, baby bath, story, bottle, sleep, parents relax.

6. Upgraded handles and a single premium textile

When I could not face a full kitchen remodel, I bought new cabinet knobs. Matte black with a soft curve. We did the same with the hallway closet. For a tiny cost, the doors felt new. If you rent, keep the originals in a box and reinstall them before moving out.

Then choose one textile to splurge on in a measured way. One wool throw for the sofa. One linen table runner for dinners at home. One heavy curtain panel to balance a window. Not everything needs to be luxe. One good piece is enough to set the tone.

This is where cost per use really shows up. We use the throw every night when Matias and I sit together after Emilia goes down. It makes Netflix feel like a date, even when we are too tired to talk.

7. Real greenery in the rooms you live in

Plants do more than look pretty. They make a space feel tended. I buy easy ones that survive a week of family chaos: pothos, snake plant, a bouquet of eucalyptus that dries well. One plant per room beats five neglected ones.

If I am short on time, I will grab a big bunch of the same flower at the supermarket. Tulips or white chrysanthemums are my go-to because they last.

I keep a simple glass vase and a small pair of scissors in the kitchen so arranging takes two minutes. Our entry feels like it is saying hello. The dining table looks intentional, even if it is just lunch with leftovers and a quick salad.

If you are out a lot, pick hardy plants and water on the same day each week. Put it in your calendar like any other routine. Simple, repeatable, done.

How I weave these into a busy week

On weekdays we wake up at seven, eat together at the kitchen island, and walk Matias to work. Then I grab groceries with Emilia in her stroller and pick up one small thing from this list if we need it: candle refill, a plant, a new hand towel for the guest bathroom.

Our nanny arrives, I work from home, and dinner is sorted by early evening. While one of us does bath and story, the other resets the common areas so the house is ready for the lamp light and quiet.

These small buys fit that rhythm. They do not create extra tasks. They support the life we already live.

When we fly to Santiago to see family, I notice how much our environment influences our energy. A tidy guest room. Fresh towels. A single vase of greens.

These are the things that make me exhale. So I brought that feeling home.

What to skip

Trends that demand upkeep you do not have time for. Multiples of anything you will not maintain. Overly scented products that fight with your cooking. Knobs that look pretty but feel sharp. Anything that turns into a chore.

If you love something, make room for it. If you do not, let it go. You will save money and your home will feel calmer.

A quick checklist to start this weekend

• Replace bath towels with two oversized white ones
• Choose one home scent and place it in the entry
• Add a tray to your coffee table and corral what is already there
• Decant dish soap and hand soap into matching pumps
• Place a warm bulb lamp where you spend evenings
• Swap one set of handles for a simple update
• Bring home one hardy plant or a bunch of the same flower

Small moves add up when you repeat them. That is why I like them. They fit a life with a toddler, work, and a marriage we actively protect with date nights. They make our home feel generous without requiring a big budget or a total overhaul.

As William Morris noted, beauty and usefulness are a team. In daily life, the team wins.

Final thought

A house can feel expensive without costing much. What you are really after is care, order, and a few thoughtful textures that greet you at the door.

Start small and keep going.

Your home will catch up with the life you are building.