Jonathan Adler's Tricks for Making Your Home Look More Expensive This Summer

Jonathan Adler's Tricks for Making Your Home Look More Expensive This Summer

When it comes to interior design, few names carry the kind of effortless wit and bold elegance that Jonathan Adler does. The celebrated designer and potter has spent decades proving that a beautiful home doesn't have to come with an eye-watering price tag. Now, with a brand-new collection launched in partnership with Michaels, Adler is bringing his signature style within reach of everyday homeowners — and he has plenty of wisdom to share about elevating your space this summer without spending a fortune.

Whether you live in a sprawling suburban house or a compact city apartment, the principles Adler champions are universally applicable. The secret, he insists, is not how much you spend but how thoughtfully you spend it. With the right touches, any room can feel curated, confident, and unmistakably chic.

Start With What You Already Have

One of Adler's most refreshing pieces of advice is to resist the urge to start from scratch. Before buying a single new item, take a hard look at what you already own. Rearranging furniture, swapping artwork between rooms, or simply decluttering can dramatically change the feel of a space at zero cost.

Clutter is the number-one enemy of an expensive-looking home. When surfaces are crowded and storage is disorganized, even high-end pieces lose their impact. Adler recommends editing ruthlessly — keeping only the items that genuinely spark joy or serve a functional purpose — and giving your remaining pieces room to breathe. A single striking ceramic vase on a console table will always look more luxurious than a jumble of mismatched objects competing for attention.

Invest in Statement Pottery and Ceramics

As a potter himself, it's no surprise that Adler places ceramics high on his list of affordable luxury upgrades. A beautifully shaped vase, a sculptural bowl, or a set of hand-thrown mugs can add an artisanal quality to any room that signals craftsmanship and intentionality. His new collection with Michaels makes this approach more accessible than ever, offering pieces that reflect his playful yet sophisticated aesthetic at a fraction of what you'd typically pay for designer homeware.

The key is to treat ceramics as art, not just utility. Place a bold statement vase on a bookshelf where it can be admired. Use a decorative bowl as a focal point on a dining table. Group pieces of varying heights together on a sideboard for a gallery-like effect that looks deliberately curated rather than accidentally assembled.

Embrace the Power of Fresh Greenery

Nothing transforms a room more instantly — or more economically — than the addition of live plants. Adler is a firm advocate for bringing the outdoors in, particularly during the summer months when nature is at its most abundant. A large leafy plant in a terracotta pot can anchor a living room corner, while a cluster of small succulents on a windowsill adds texture and life to an otherwise flat surface.

If you're not blessed with a green thumb, high-quality faux plants have come a long way in recent years and can be just as effective. The goal is visual softness and organic movement — qualities that make a space feel alive and well-loved rather than staged and sterile.

Layer Your Textiles Thoughtfully

Adler is a strong proponent of layering textiles to add depth, warmth, and a sense of considered luxury. In summer, this doesn't mean heavy fabrics — quite the opposite. Swapping out thick winter throws for lighter linens, breezy cottons, and natural weaves immediately updates the seasonal feel of a room while making it look more polished.

• Choose a cohesive color palette and stick to two or three complementary tones across your cushions, throws, and rugs.
• Mix textures deliberately — combine smooth with woven, matte with slightly shiny — to create visual interest without chaos.
• Don't underestimate the power of a well-chosen rug. Even a modestly priced rug in the right size and pattern can define a seating area and make the whole room feel more intentional.
• Invest in quality pillowcases and duvet covers for the bedroom, as these are the first things the eye lands on and have an outsized impact on perceived quality.

Lighting Is Everything

Perhaps the most underrated element of interior design is lighting, and Adler is passionate about its transformative potential. Overhead lighting alone almost always makes a room feel flat and institutional. The solution is to layer your light sources: a floor lamp in one corner, a table lamp beside the sofa, candles on the dining table, and perhaps a string of warm-toned lights on a summer terrace.

Warm-toned bulbs (around 2700K) immediately make a space feel more inviting and expensive. Dimmers, where possible, allow you to adjust the mood effortlessly. Even swapping a standard lampshade for a more architecturally interesting one — perhaps in a natural linen or a bold geometric pattern — can turn a forgettable fixture into a design feature.

Add Personality With Art and Prints

A home without art on the walls is a home that looks unfinished, regardless of how beautiful the furniture is. Adler encourages homeowners to be bold with their art choices and not to default to safe, neutral prints that blend into the background. Summer is the perfect time to refresh your wall gallery with something that reflects genuine personality — whether that's a vibrant abstract, a photographic print from a favorite travel destination, or a piece of original work from an emerging local artist.

Framing makes an enormous difference. A simple, high-quality frame — even from an affordable retailer — instantly elevates a print that might otherwise look like an afterthought. Adler suggests creating gallery walls with intention: choose a unifying theme, vary the frame sizes, and hang pieces at eye level for maximum impact.

The Takeaway: Confidence Is the Ultimate Luxury

Jonathan Adler's overarching philosophy is perhaps his most valuable design lesson of all: commit to your choices. An expensive-looking home is not necessarily one filled with expensive things — it's one where every decision feels deliberate. Whether you're placing a ceramic from his new Michaels collection on your mantelpiece or rearranging your existing furniture for the tenth time, the willingness to experiment, edit, and commit is what separates a home that feels curated from one that feels confused. This summer, trust your instincts, embrace color and texture, and remember that great design is always within reach.