10 Ideas for Living a More Elegant Life in a Difficult Time
10 Ideas for Living a More Elegant Life in a Difficult Time
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My husband mentioned recently, after having his sandwich on one of the melamine plates we keep for the granddaughters that he wished we led a more elegant life. He was right, through this pandemic, people are staying in sweat pants all day, not doing their hair and makeup and so on. This got me thinking about what is an elegant life and how I can change things up to make our lives feel more elegant. I don’t think you have to live in an expensive home or have a huge budget to live an elegant life.
1. Make your front door cheery. 
You may not have may not be having guests these days. In my neighborhood, there are plenty of people out walking. A cheery door is elegant, welcoming and spreads cheer to those who walk by. Decorating your front door and putting out a pretty welcoming doormat make a statement both to guests, and for yourself! You can see my DIY on how to make this Elegant Swag by clicking on that link.
2. Set a pretty table.
I came across a friend’s pretty table that she set for herself on her blog. I know we haven’t been entertaining at home lately, but even if it just you or you and your spouse, set a pretty table. A pretty table is a little thing you can do that adds a bit of elegance to your meals. Check out my Tablescape Archives for inspiring tables.
3. Buy yourself fresh flowers. 
Really, is there anything like having fresh flowers? It doesn’t have to be an every week thing, but a few fresh cut blooms can make your day, and make an elegant statement in your home.
4. Have pretty towels.
When was the last time you treated yourself to pretty new towels? Hey, these gorgeous Stonewashed Sculpted towels are on clearance right now at Pottery Barn!
5. Make your bed every day.
It has been said that making your bed will start your day off well and make you more productive throughout the day. I choose to believe that whenever you walk by that room, you will get the feeling that you do live an elegant life, like walking into a hotel room with the bed all nicely made. Add some art like the whale diptych above my bed.
6. Keep clutter at bay.
A cluttered space isn’t an elegant space. We use baskets and boxes to keep the clutter hidden away. Look for a unique box that coordinates with your decor. This one sits on a table in our foyer and the mail, keys and sunglasses get tucked in there as soon as we come in the door.
7. Add green plants to your interior.
I know there are lots of good reasons for added green plants to your home, it is healthy, they add a bit of something natural and so on, but I think they add elegance to a home, too.
8. This one was contributed by my husband…
NEVER serve a drink in a plastic glass. We will have to revisit this when the pool goes into the back yard!
9. Serve up those snacks in a pretty dish.
Okay, maybe not ALL of the time, but on occasion, put those snacks in a pretty bowl instead of just opening up the jar of nuts or bag of chips and sticking your hand in!
10. Get yourself some pretty notecards and take the time to handwritten a note now and then.
Especially at this time while we are zooming and texting, make someone else’s day by putting a handwritten note on pretty stationery in the mail.
Do you want to live a more elegant life? Might you incorporate some of these ideas?
Your touches are exactly that – Elegant! Thank you for reminding me to treat ourselves beautifully in these difficult times. I love how you don’t leave any of your rooms to just gather dust, but to attract our attention!
Stay well,
Diane
Thank you so much Diane, we do need to treat ourselves well at this time!
I make our bed as soon as I am up every morning, always have.
We always eat from pretty dishes or else why gave them right?
It’s true all these things makes you feel better.
Cindy
Chloe, thanks for all the inspiration. A couple of other ideas that speak of
elegance to me are fragrant soaps in the bathroom, lovely music and soft voices
Great Post Chloe! I actually do a few of the things on this list, but, you have inspired me to do just a little bit more.
Thanks so much Bridget, I think you do live quite an elegant life!
Thank you for reminding us of the finer things in life. We are so focused on sad and negative things that we are forgetting to ENJOY ourselves. I worry that we will become a country of lazy, slovenly, isolated people that won’t ever dress up and socialize again. We were already heading down the path away from elegance, I just hope we haven’t completely lost it. Please continue to remind us, lest we forget and lose it altogether.
Oh, Dianne, I sure home we can return to a civilized society again! I agree with you…I still dress nice to fly on a plane (not that I have done that this year).
Chloe, thank you for all the inspiration. A couple of things that I enjoy are a scented soap in the bathroom or even flowers, soft music and pleasant
voices. Enjoy your day
Oh, thank you Sandy, those are wonderful tips to add to my list!
I love your green and gold tablescape.
Thank you so much Rebecca, it is from my St. Patrick’s Day tablescape!
You are totally right! Eating from a pretty
plate even a small thing, just makes you
feel better these days. I have been trying
to dress better as well. And, making the
bed is just something I’ve always done. I
got some fresh flowers and divided them
into 4 small arrangements to take to others here in my apartment complex and people really appreciated it. Thanks
Chole!
Thank you so much Karen, and I LOVE that idea about sharing the flowers!!
I am with your husband. Drinks should be served in glass, not plastic.
Thanks Ann, I just don’t know about on the hardscape around a pool! LOL!
We need ways to spread joy these days. Thanks for these thoughtful tips! A pretty table helps even when it’s take out!
Thank Sherri, you are right, pretty table and take out work just fine!
Kudos to hubby for getting the elegant conversation started !! He sounds like a keeper !!
40 years and counting, Cheryl, he is absolutely a keeper!!
What a fun post. I agree with your husband about the plastic cups, especially for adult beverages. I also agree about clutter. It is so hard to keep it in check right now. We need to be able to have company again. That always help me to pair down my clutter.
Thank you Andrea. I just don’t know about glass and the hardscapes around a swimming pool. BUT…I don’t have a pool yet, so glass it is!
You go girl! Well done Chloe, and I just loved reading this post. Thank you so much for sharing friend.
Thank you Chas!
Thanks, Chloe. Very good reminders and all those things make a difference.
I am chuckling because you’ve obviously spoiled your husband if he is complaining about melamine plates! Cheers to the elegant life
Ah, Jenna, he has always done a pretty good job of spoiling himself!
Hi! I’m new to your site and loving it already! Thank you for your wonderful tips on elegant living! I agree so very much that it feels so good! It’s been just my hubby of 50 years, me and our cocker spaniel since all three kids are grown and have been out of the house for some years. Even now during these challenging times it’s very uplifting to make the bed daily, clean and tidy the house a bit here and there, and even keep up on the laundry, just for the two of us! I still decorate for the holidays, even though nobody else sees it! Makes us both feel a bit better with not being able to go on vacation or have our friends over these days. At least WE can enjoy life with each other!
Thank you so much for your kind words, Judy! I am so happy to have you here as a reader! I am happy you are finding a little bit of joy in the everyday things that we sometimes take for granted. It is just my hubby and I at home, but my parents live in an apartment over our garage. I have made seasonal wreaths for her door and taken her a cute fall scarecrow for inside to keep her spirits up too. Please, yes, keep enjoying life together, and welcome to Celebrate & Decorate!
Excellent ideas Chloe, but don’t forget the candles.
I love all your tips Sweet Friend, what a great post.
If you throw away the old mismatched things and use the ‘good stuff’ everyday, it will always be ‘elegant’ I am getting older and no one will love my things like me, so why not ?
“I am going to make everything around me beautiful. That will be my life”
-Elsie De Wolfe
I like the idea of making a bed so that it looks nice; however, as I think about it, rolling back the covers to the end of the bed and letting it air out perhaps makes more sense. My boyfriend does this and we don’t go in the bedroom during the day anyway, so who cares? I think it makes more sense to air it out. Wonder what other people think of this?
I used to be a survivor but now I am a THRIVER and I do almost all the thin gs on this list. It is nice to see that I am really celebrating ME these days though I don’t need conformation from anyone but me.
I hope the girls who are our future women learn these things at an early age.