As fall approaches, decorating for the holidays might be the furthest thing from your mind right? While decorating for the holiday season almost seems predetermined, keeping the house looking elegant throughout the fall and winter seems to be more of a challenge for many of us.

So, if you’re trying to decide on a newer, more updated look for your home that will last through the holiday season and beyond, going for a simpler, more elegant look is always a solid choice. Simple, elegant home decor is timeless and its effect provides a pleasantly lasting impression for both you and your guests.

Giving Home An Elegant Feel During Fall & Winter

Here are some tips on how you can give your home a simpler, more elegant feel that will last well beyond the fall and winter holiday season:

1. Add some Natural Earth Tones

The winter time can look and feel pretty bleak.  People living in more northerly climates with lower light levels often experience the winter blues, also known as “Seasonal Affective Disorder”, which can result in lethargy and even depression.

Liven things up in your house by adding some color accents inside your home that are usually associated with springtime: greens, yellows, oranges, and other inviting earth tones. Brighter color accents will give your home a lively and refreshing feel to counter those monochromatic winters.

2. Spruce up the Fireplace

The fireplace is one of the focal points of the house year round, but especially during winter when it provides a primary heating source. Fireplace mantels provide a unique opportunity to showcase that focal point with some decorative accents to liven up the room’s look and feel.  You can add floral design features along with silver mantel accents to add life and beauty. For a selection of different fireplace mantel options and design ideas, check out MantelsDirect.com.

3. Adjust your Lighting for Warmth and Comfort

Adding some more ambient lighting to make the interiors feel more relaxed and warm can do wonders during the colder months of the year. Either recessed down lighting or some elegant wall sconces with dimmer switches will add a modern and more intimate look and feel to any room.

4. Don’t Forget the Draperies

A major facelift is absolutely NOT required to achieve that elegant look for your home’s interior during winter. Even by doing something as simple as changing the draperies in your living room can provide a tremendous, much needed update. During the dimmer winter months, consider sheer curtains to replace or line your existing draperies.  Sheer curtains will allow more natural light in especially during the shorter daytime hours, providing an effortlessly clean and refreshing finish to your home’s interior.

5. Use whites against Clean, Geometric Patterns and Prints

While elegance is usually simple and unassuming, there’s no harm in going for patterns and prints — as long as it’s done carefully and in moderation. Geometric patterns and lines applied in contrast to solid whites can give off an interesting effect without appearing over-the-top.

Whatever you choose to do, always remember that subtly and creatively mixing and matching is the key to achieving an elegant look for your home while waiting for spring.

Sweeping changes aren’t necessary but it also doesn’t mean you should strip things down entirely for a completely minimalist look. A few small, intelligent upgrades such as a new chandelier, a mantel upgrade, or a change of the tapestry will go a long way to making your home more comfortable, elegant and liveable during those cold winter months.