The HGTV Dream Dwelling is all the time filled with pinch-me moments: the views, the finishes, the furnishings finances most of us don’t get to have in actual life. 😅
When Robert and I visited the Dream Dwelling for an occasion lately on Lake Wylie in Charlotte, I made it my mission to look previous the big-ticket wow issue and hunt for sensible, budget-friendly adorning methods that anybody might replicate at dwelling. There have been so many good ones!
It was a cloudy, wet day once we visited, so my pictures aren’t the highest quality, however the inspiration is certainly nonetheless there.
Listed here are three inexpensive design concepts from the HGTV Dream Dwelling 2026 that show nice model isn’t all the time about spending extra, it’s about pondering creatively. (By the best way, you possibly can enter to win the home right here.)
1. Painter’s tape can do some superb issues
One among my favourite particulars within the dwelling was the espresso bar wall. As an alternative of leaving the wall a primary impartial, the lead designer, Brian Patrick Flynn, used painter’s tape to outline a piece across the wall cabinets and painted it the identical teal colour as the cupboards.
Why does this make a distinction?
- The house feels intentional and elevated
- The crisp traces mimick the look of customized trim or molding (with out the associated fee)
- The entire nook feels “designed,” not unintended
It was such a very good reminder that paint + painter’s tape can create architectural curiosity with out really including structure.
This trick works superbly for:
- Espresso bars
- Constructed-in cabinets
- Desk nooks
- Mudroom drop zones
In case you’re craving element however not able to decide to actual trimwork, that is an superb in-between resolution. (We did an identical color-blocking trick to imitate the look of board & batten on this nursery years in the past.)
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2. Objects as wall décor
This home leaned arduous into objects as artwork, and I cherished it. As an alternative of conventional wall décor in all places, they showcased collections of things. It made the house really feel private, layered, curated, and really on-theme for a lake home.
A number of standouts:
- A full gallery wall of classic fishing baskets within the pantry
- Fishing reels displayed in a shadowbox in a bed room
- Classic model life preserver vests framed on a toilet wall
What I cherished most is that these weren’t treasured, untouchable rooms. Even hardworking areas bought character.
In case you’re even mildly helpful, you might DIY these shadowboxes by constructing a easy lumber body with a plywood again.
In case you acquire something… baskets, hats, instruments, plates, leisure gear, that is such a significant (and inexpensive) solution to embellish your partitions.
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3. Contrasting trim and ceilings = instantaneous drama
We’ve used this trick in our personal home earlier than, so seeing it within the Dream Dwelling simply strengthened how highly effective it’s.
Within the bedrooms, the designers distinction painted:
- Doorways
- Baseboards
- Shelving
- And the ceiling
…in a wealthy, moody colour towards impartial partitions.
One room featured a deep burgundy trim and ceiling, and I stored pondering, “think about this room with out it.” It will’ve been good, certain. However with that distinction? It’s unforgettable.
That is one in all my favourite high-impact, low-cost upgrades as a result of:
- You’re solely shopping for a gallon or two of paint
- You’re accentuating what’s already there
- The payoff feels daring and customized
In case you’re nervous, begin small: a ceiling, a set of doorways, or built-in cabinets. Paint is forgiving, and the drama is value it.
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After all, there have been loads of wow design parts that clearly value huge cash (like the first bed room with gigantic skylights and the dreamy lake view). However it was refreshing to see attainable concepts blended in in all places.
You possibly can take the Dream Dwelling full digital tour right here, if you wish to see the remainder of it.
The Takeaway
What I cherished most in regards to the HGTV Dream Dwelling 2026 wasn’t simply the posh, it was what number of concepts translated superbly to actual houses with actual budgets.
The widespread thread in all of those?
- Paint used creatively
- On a regular basis objects handled like artwork
These are the sorts of methods I’m all the time attempting to find, and those that make a house really feel considerate, layered, and lived-in with out blowing the finances.
Extra Price range-Pleasant Adorning Concepts
