Beauty is in the eye of the mortgage holder.

For people who own million-dollar homes, the interior design can be stylish and collected over time. Or it can be as opulent as many bling-filled mansions.

Stan Topol & Associates (ENLARGE)

'A showcase home needs to have it all put together,' says Stan Topol of Stan Topol & Associates, who designed this house.

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But the wealthy tend to have one thing in common when it comes to decorating: Most hire interior designers to give their rooms a customized look that you won't find at a Rooms-To-Go.

"A showcase home needs to have it all put together, planned and calculated," says Stan Topol, owner of Stan Topol & Associates design firm in Atlanta. So what else should you expect in a million-dollar home?

• Decor that doesn't scream new money — even if a Fantasy Five ticket financed it.

"Nobody wants a brand-spanking-new looking house. You want a mellowed look," says Dan Carithers, owner of Dan Carithers Design Consultant in Buckhead.

There tends to be a balance of new furnishings blended with antiques and keepsakes. Some people even buy new items that were made to look old, such as sconces or chandeliers with an aged patina and wood furniture with a distressed or hand-rubbed finish.

Folks who are house-rich but cash-poor, fake it by purchasing the highest quality furnishings their budget can stand and by shopping for pieces that look more expensive than they really are. "Imitation is a serious form of flattery," explains Carithers.

• Accents and accessories. A show home, like any house, has great art, conversation pieces and a collection of something — such as rare books, glass sculptures or unique pottery — to give it some soul.

• Flooring that has a rhythm to it and is easy on the eyes, such as stone or porcelain tiles. And soft floor coverings such as old Persian rugs that are worn, unique and, perhaps, authentic.

"They're rare," says Mary Margarett Nevin, owner of Nevin Interior Design in Atlanta. "A new rug not only looks new, it's not one of a kind."

• Custom lighting and light fixtures. "Mass manufactured light fixtures indicates either they don't care or they don't have good taste," Nevin says. "Or they may just not know."

• Custom window treatments and furniture scaled to fit the size of the room they're in. "You'd definitely want one-of-a-kind furnishings mixed in with general upholstery," Nevin says.

• Upgrades on practically everything if the home is pre-owned and extra features such as intricate crown molding, wainscotting, counter tops with a beveled rather than a straight edge, kitchen cabinets with glass and interior lights to see inside, walls covered with fabric instead of paint, designer wash basins and bathroom vanities that resemble furniture.

"It's the same thing as the lady with the little black dress," explains Carithers. "The shoes and the handbag make the difference."