How to Host a Holiday Gathering That Feels Personal and Elegant

Inspired by celebrated event designer Bryan Rafanelli, this guide shares elevated yet approachable design principles that transform décor, layout, and atmosphere into a cohesive experience. From statement moments to thoughtful storytelling, learn how to create a holiday home that feels warm, refined, and uniquely yours.

The holiday season gives you an opportunity to welcome the people you care about into a home that feels warm, festive, and thoughtfully styled. At the Engel & Völkers brand, we draw inspiration from our collaboration with celebrated event designer Bryan Rafanelli, whose design philosophy, outlined in Rafanelli’s Rules from A Great Party, reveals how to create environments filled with beauty, meaning, and unforgettable style. Based on the spirit of his philosophy and translated into fresh and original ideas, this guide will help you host a holiday gathering that feels memorable, effortless, and entirely your own.

Embrace Big, Bold Statement Pieces

A core Rafanelli philosophy is designing with intention and impact. Rather than filling a space with excess, he focuses on creating one commanding moment that sets the tone the instant guests arrive. Scale, proportion, and placement do the heavy lifting—turning a home into an experience, not just a backdrop.

How to elevate your holiday décor:

Design a grand arrival. An oversized wreath, layered garland, or dramatic entry moment immediately signals something special. Think in terms of scale and symmetry to create presence without overwhelm.
Build vertical drama. Tall branches, sculptural floral arrangements, or clustered candle moments draw the eye upward and give rooms architectural interest and warmth.
Anchor the space with a focal point. A boldly positioned tree, an unexpected ribbon treatment, or a single feature wall wrapped in greenery or soft light creates a clear visual narrative and grounds the entire design.

In true Rafanelli fashion, one thoughtfully executed statement feels far more refined than many small gestures. When every element supports a central moment, the result is cohesive, elevated, and quietly impactful—holiday décor that feels considered, not cluttered.

Flip Expectations with Creative Design Choices

Rafanelli encourages hosts to surprise guests by redefining what is expected. He often does this by shifting layouts, reinventing common materials, or presenting a theme in a refreshing way. That same strategy works beautifully for holiday decorating.

How to create the unexpected:

Switch up your usual color palette. Instead of red and green, explore metallic champagnes, soft blush tones, deep blues, or a fresh winter white scheme.
Introduce unexpected textures to add depth and dimension. Layer materials like velvet, mohair, lacquer, aged metals, natural stone, raw wood, glass, and woven elements to create contrast and tactile interest.
Experiment by mixing soft and structured elements, or pairing matte and reflective finishes, to bring warmth and richness to your holiday décor—creating a space that feels immersive, collected, and thoughtfully styled rather than one-dimensional.
Move traditional décor into unexpected spaces to shift perspective and create moments of surprise. Placing a tree in the dining room or entryway immediately sets the tone, while adding garland to architectural details like staircases, door frames, or arches draws attention to the home’s natural structure. These subtle relocations make the décor feel intentional, layered, and thoughtfully designed rather than predictable.
Highlight contrast by pairing modern accents with classic holiday pieces or blending glossy finishes with natural textures. Break out the silver and china serving pieces and use them in unexpected ways.

The element of surprise adds sophistication and makes your holiday home styling feel more thoughtful and curated.

Focus on Eye Level and Above

One of Rafanelli’s most impactful design approaches is focusing on what happens at, and above, eye level. Guests instinctively read a room from the shoulders up, which makes overhead moments especially powerful in shaping atmosphere and emotion. Thoughtful ceiling and elevated elements transform a space from decorated to immersive.

Ways to elevate your holiday ambiance:

Create a sense of enclosure. Suspend delicate ornaments, crystals, or subtle reflective elements from light fixtures to form a soft, sparkling canopy that adds depth without overwhelming the room.
Frame key moments. Hanging greenery, ribbon, or organic elements above a dining table defines the space, drawing guests inward and making gatherings feel more intimate and intentional.
Activate the ceiling. Layered garlands, gentle draping, or warm string lighting introduce movement and dimension, encouraging the eye to travel upward and experience the room as a whole.

These elevated details enrich the visual story of a space and give holiday interiors a composed, editorial finish—proof that sometimes the most impactful design choices are the ones that hover just above the expected.

Use Repetition for Dramatic Impact

In Rafanelli’s Rules, Bryan often speaks to the power of numbers, how repetition creates rhythm, confidence, and cohesion within a space. Rather than relying on a single decorative moment, he uses multiples to build presence and visual weight. During the holidays, this approach feels especially natural, offering endless ways to create impact through thoughtful repetition.

Holiday styling ideas that embrace multiples:

Build rhythm through repetition. Line a mantel, console, or windowsill with rows of candles in varying heights to create a warm, layered glow that feels intentional and composed.
Turn simple objects into installations. Filling multiple clear vessels with ornaments, pinecones, or citrus transforms everyday elements into a collected, textural statement.
Design an arrival moment. A walkway or staircase flanked with clustered lanterns, paper luminaries, or small wreaths immediately sets the tone and guides guests through the space.

Using repetition allows décor to feel abundant and elevated without excess. It’s a refined way to create richness and scale—proof that impact comes not from individual pieces, but from how they’re thoughtfully repeated and arranged.

Transform Simple Materials into Luxurious Décor

Rafanelli is known for seeing possibility where others see the ordinary. Whether working with thousands of gift bows, pencils, or packing crates, his approach proves that imagination and restraint often create the most memorable results. Applied at home, this mindset brings ease and creativity to holiday styling—freeing you from the idea that impact must come from excess.

Ways to elevate everyday materials:

Let nature do the work. Fresh produce like pomegranates, pears, citrus, or nuts adds color, texture, and authenticity when styled on tables, consoles, or open shelving.
Reimagine what you already have. Ribbon remnants, leftover greenery, or unused ornaments can be tied around napkins, draped over chair backs, or layered onto mirrors and frames for subtle detail.
Build sculptural moments. Empty boxes wrapped in beautiful paper become architectural elements when stacked thoughtfully near a tree or styled along an entry console.

Elevated design isn’t about extravagance—it’s about intention, creativity, and how thoughtfully each element works together.

Let Your Holiday Décor Tell a Story

At the core of every Rafanelli celebration is storytelling. Décor isn’t simply visual, it’s emotional. The most compelling spaces reflect personal history, shared traditions, and the feeling you want guests to carry with them long after they leave.

Ways to weave narrative into your design:

Display ornaments collected over time, each tied to a trip, milestone, or memory.
Incorporate family heirlooms, vintage pieces, or framed photographs to layer warmth and nostalgia into your holiday environment.
If food is central to your gatherings, let it become part of the story - handwritten recipes, herbs, or seasonal ingredients styled into the table create intimacy and meaning.

When your home tells a story, guests don’t just attend - they feel welcomed into something personal and considered.

More Tips to Create an Evening They Won’t Forget

Guests often arrive with expectations about what a holiday gathering will include. The most memorable evenings gently shift those expectations by introducing moments that feel intentional, considered, and effortless.

Ways to create subtle moments of surprise:

Design a martini cart as a focal point. A curated selection of classic and seasonal martinis—citrus-forward, lightly spiced, cranberry, or espresso—paired with refined garnishes like frosted berries, fresh herbs, or expressive citrus twists transforms the bar into a composed design moment that encourages connection and conversation.
Introduce a live, shared experience. A local musician leading holiday sing-alongs for a short set adds warmth and spontaneity, creating a moment guests didn’t know they were waiting for.
Set the tone through sound. A thoughtfully curated playlist—or a custom song highlighting the year’s moments or your guests—grounds the evening emotionally and gives the gathering its own signature rhythm.

These thoughtful touches elevate a holiday gathering beyond décor alone, turning the evening into an experience that feels layered, personal, and quietly unforgettable.

Create a Holiday Home That Radiates Luxury and Warmth

Holiday glam is not defined by price or excess. It emerges from thoughtful design choices, impactful details, and emotional connection. By applying the principles from Rafanelli’s Rules, you can bring elevated holiday style into your home while honoring your own traditions and personality.

Think big, surprise your guests, embrace elevated details, use repetition beautifully, transform simple materials, and let your decor tell a story. These ideas will help you create a holiday setting that feels luxurious, memorable, and full of seasonal joy.

Envisioning a home that offers new possibilities for hosting and gathering? Now is the perfect time to explore what is available in your market. Look for your new home here at evrealestate.com, where you can discover exceptional properties across the Engel & Völkers network and find the setting that inspires your next season of celebrations.