6 Clever Tricks to Make Your Homes Look Better

At FCI London, we've been designing luxury interiors for nearly 40 years. Ben Ibanez is a senior interior designer at FCI who has worked on a wide range of projects over the course of his career, from extravagant private mansions in London to luxury estate villas in Kenya and cosy lakeside bungalows in Italy.

Along the way, he has picked up many tricks that interior designers use to take your homes from nice to extraordinary. Here are his top 6 tips on how to make your home look better.

1. Add a mirror to make your space look larger

Mirrors are multi-functional accessories that, when used correctly, can change the feeling of the entire room.

First off, an ornate mirror can double up as wall art. "There's no shame in cheating when it comes to art," says Ben. "Not everyone can afford original artist paintings or even their overpriced reprints. So instead of buying a cheap generic piece, pick out an unusual and stylish mirror and make that the centrepiece of your room. Here's a tip: if it looks expensive, people will assume it is, no questions asked. Cheating is worth tweeting!"

Secondly, a large mirror hung at the correct angle will reflect the natural light coming in from the window. Not only does this light then bathe the room like a Roman sun goddess, but the reflection of the room in the mirror also creates an optical illusion of a bigger space. 

“The right lighting in a room adds drama and atmosphere," explains Ben. "It makes sense to use what you already have, is the window, to enhance this to maximum effect. Think of your window as the concert hall and your mirror as the stage. Choose well and you're ready for your 15 minutes in the sun, literally!"

2. Hang artwork at eye level for the best effect

Most of us are familiar with the idea of hanging artwork so that the centre of the picture is at eye level. We may not have been to the Louvre ourselves, but we've all seen photos of mystified visitors staring deep into the Mona Lisa's eyes.

It's a good tip, but it doesn't account for height differences in people. You may live in a household with particularly tall roomies who would tower over the top of your eye-level frame.

"Use the eye-level rule as your base, but think of the artwork and the relationship to its surroundings," says Ben. "The ideal height for a painting in an entryway will be different for photo frames hung along a stairway wall. And if you have a lovely photo of your grandma that you want her to notice, don't hang it so high over your sofa where she'll have to put out her neck to see it!"

3. Use light colours to brighten up a dark room

This trick is an old interior design classic that is well known enough to be common lore. If your room is dark, paint it light. Light colours make small or dark spaces feel more open and airy. Adding a splash of bright accent colour will also bring some lightness and cheer to a gloomy room.

And Ben has an additional trick up his sleeve. "Everyone knows that you should use light colours on your walls to brighten up a room, but here's a trick you might not know. Whatever colour you splash on your walls, paint your ceiling an even lighter colour. As light colours on walls create the illusion of more space, a lighter colour on the ceiling gives the impression of greater height. Who needs money for expensive skylights when you can trick the eye with happy hues?"

Soft neutrals like beige, light grey and off-white work beautiful alongside pastel hues like pale blue, sage green and soft lilac. 

4. Group furniture together to create intimate spaces

Open-plan arrangements are still the go-to choice for home styling, especially in your living and entertainment areas. But to avoid awkward furniture placement and a disjointed feel, you need to understand how to create smaller spaces within your greater open-plan space.

"It's really simple - you just need to position your furniture in a smart way,' says Ben. "You want to create self-contained spaces by placing furniture in intimate gatherings, thereby clearly dividing a large room into sections. "'Start by measuring your furniture and your room dimensions, then draw a rough floor plan of each area and where the furniture items will go. Once you've committed your vision to paper, you'll see if your plans make sense or where they might need some tweaking."

Ben recommends a bookshelf or sideboard to break up a room. Top them with some leafy plants in gorgeous pots to show off your style and bring a sense of tranquillity to the space. 

5. Add plants or flowers for a touch of nature

Designing each room to suit your needs and lifestyle creates a feeling of immense satisfaction. But there is one common thread that should be woven throughout your home, regardless of each room's individual function - plants.

The inclusion of nature is the final piece of any interior design puzzle. Indoor plants and foliage add charm, serenity and groundedness to your home.

"The power of plants can't be underestimated," says Ben. "It's such an affordable way to add texture and character to your rooms. You can theme your plants by room according to aesthetic and the amount of natural light coming in."

6. Use area rugs to define different spaces in a room

An easy way of preventing your open-plan space from feeling empty or sparse is to add colourful rugs. Not only does this splash your personality across your home, but it's also useful for defining separate spaces within the same room. 

Ben's advice is to use contrasting colours to create distinct areas and have them follow the theme of that specific area. "This is your chance to shine! Be loud, be bold and be a bit rebellious."

Ben suggests creating custom rugs for that something a little bit extra. "Sure, you can play with colours and patterns and create something bespoke. But we have a custom rug division that can print absolutely anything on a luxury rug. Why not have an original painting of your own on the floor? Or an adorable photo of your dog as a welcome mat?  Be as out there and cheeky as you like - it's the one furnishing where you can get away with it."