Post-holiday elegant decor can seem tricky. The weather outside is frightful, but inside it doesn’t feel so delightful because the holidays are over, and there are no twinkling lights and bright colors to prop up your blah mood. Need a winter-doldrums lift? You can make some quick and powerful changes that can give you a gorgeous NYC home filled with an elegant winter vibe. Read on for some great suggestions.

Image Source: Flickr/Robert Smith

Hang String Lights, Lanterns, Cotton Ball Lights — the Works!

One of the key things that made your home look so amazing during the holidays was the lighting. Walking into your apartment and seeing elements like twinkling Christmas tree lights or a glowing Hanukkah menorah in the window warmed your heart. You can recreate that feeling with lighting. First of all, put all of your lamps and lights on dimmers that can be bought at any hardware store. You can then dim your lighting throughout the apartment to create a homey, gorgeous vibe.

You should also look into hanging string lights and other decorative lights for extra sparkle. These are beautiful, and they come in multiple colors. Many of them take batteries, so you don’t have to worry about wiring. Find them at retailers like Restoration Hardware, or you can order your decorative lights from Etsy shops.

Image Source: Flickr

Add Some Green

Hint at the coming warmth — and it is coming — by adding in some plants and flowers. You should be bringing home vases filled with fresh flowers every week anyway, but up the hothouse quotient by adding plants that boost the oxygen level and air-purifying elements in your space while adding a vibe that says “Spring is on its way.” Some elegant decor options include the following:

• Aloe vera: This beautiful, exotic-looking plant helps absorb toxins in the air, and you can cut the leaves to get to the gel inside that provides a myriad of helpful benefits. The plant just needs a sunny window and room temperatures of around 70 degrees F.
• English ivy: Stunning, timeless, and easy to grow, this plant prefers a room temperature range between 55 and 70 degrees F.
• Herbs: What better way to add spice to a room, celebrate nature, and show your excitement for warmer days ahead than by growing spices and herbs? Some herbs that are easy to grow include mint, lemongrass, and oregano. Mint grows like a weed as long as it gets minimal light, but it needs to grow in its own pot since it can overtake other plants. Lemongrass simply needs to be placed in a cup of water in order for it to produce new shoots.

Use Sunny Colors and Textures

Post-holiday rooms often lack of color and texture. After you’ve put away all the tinsel, prickly wreaths, and red berries, your home can seem pretty flat. Factor in the dingy snow outside, and everything seems grey by comparison. Make like a studio exec colorizing old movies, and colorize your apartment. Try partial colorization, adding one recurring color throughout the room. Colors like lemon yellow, fiery orange, or rich pink can work wonders. Each of these colors can bring elegant warmth to grey, flat mid-winter rooms. Throw a white fur throw on your sofa and scatter bright citrusy pillows around it for an extra inviting look.

Main Image Source: Flickr/Guian Bolisay

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