During the holiday season, it’s easy to go overboard. But too much food, too much drink, and too many decorations can make you feel more than a bit overwhelmed by the time New Year’s day rolls around. While it might be difficult to say no to cookies and eggnog during the holidays, you can tone down the decorations. A few elegant holiday decor ideas will keep your Philadelphia home looking chic and stylish throughout the winter holidays.

Sophisticated Glitter

You might think of anything glittery or sparkling as the stuff of childhood crafts, but it is possible to do elegant holiday decor that glitters. The trick is to stick with one glittery object. Instead of decking out your holiday tree with tinsel, picking a glittering wreath and hanging hundreds of disco ball ornaments, pick one. A sparkling glitter wreath makes the entrance to your home feel warm and welcoming. A tree covered in a tinsel garland can be the focal point of your living room.

Minimal Mantle

Another way to celebrate the holidays in an elegant, understated way is to remember that less is more. If you have a mantle, resist the urge to cover it in holiday decorations, such as candlesticks, stockings, and various knick-knacks. Instead, limit yourself to two types of decoration. A row of stockings with a few tea lights along the mantle looks simple and homey. A wreath on the wall above the mantle with pillar candles on either side is festive, but not too gaudy.

A Touch of Nature

You can buy a fresh cut tree or fresh pine boughs on many street corners throughout the city. But if you want to bring a bit of nature inside, and have it show off a bit of local flare, you might consider venturing into Fairmount Park to look for fallen branches. A single, long branch wrapped in holiday lights looks elegant when propped up in the corner of your home. A spray of thinner, shorter branches looks pretty arranged in a tall vase.

Another way to bring nature indoors for the holidays is to find some pine cones and place them in a tall glass vase as a centerpiece. Don’t worry if you can’t find pine cones on the ground in a park. Plenty of craft and department stores throughout Philly sell them.

Glass Ornaments

One of the most elegant ways to decorate your home for the holidays is also one of the simplest. Fill an empty glass container, such as a decorative vase you got from a florist, a trifle dish, or any other large, glass bowl with round ornaments. Use the ornament-filled vessel as a centerpiece, or place it on a coffee or side table to decorate your living room.

Arrange a few small pine boughs or pine cones around the bowl to finish the look. You an also scatter a few votives or tea lights around the bowl to brighten things up.

Space is often limited in Philadelphia homes, so taking an elegant and minimal approach to your decor can help keep things from looking cluttered. Plus, the holidays can be pretty stressful. Having an elegantly decorated home can help you relax and unwind after a day out shopping and an evening out partying.

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