Turning Home Into Haven

The flowers in my garden are always an inspiration - especially during the spring! Bring the vibrant colors that are outside into your home for a fresh look.

Even though the winter in the northeast has been surprisingly mild, I’m still looking forward to spring. Spring rejuvenates us all.  It always sends me from room to room in our house, looking for ways to freshen up my surroundings. The nice thing is that it doesn’t have to be a complete overhaul of each room.

Here are some ideas that I’ve used to get ready for spring -

• Throw pillows: if you’re tired of your sofa or easy chairs, but don’t have the budget for new slipcovers, why not buy or sew a few throw pillows in an exuberant splash of color to add a fresh palette to your home? Sherbet tones – pinks, limes, greens and yellows – will add hot Palm Beach hues to your rooms.  Don’t just do small squares.  Experiment with other shapes, like circles, triangles, oversized squares and others.  Try different fabrics and trims, including tapestries, sheeting, dress-making fabrics, various ribbons and even old rugs.  They’ll add a burst of new life to your sofa and chairs.
• Change of hearth: when winter has finally passed, why not use your fireplace as a mini-showcase? In fall and winter, the fireplace takes center stage in the room.  But in spring and summer it usually stands empty and looks rather forlorn. To spruce up this important area, try placing a decorative screen in front of the hearth.  Many types of screens are available at department stores and antique shops.  Another option is placing a large basket of dried flowers, or a bushy fern plant, inside the fireplace.  This adds a hint of color and nicely masks the blank opening of the hearth.
• Lighten up: During winter, heavy, lined draperies serve as wonderful room insulators.  But during the warmer months they can make even the largest of rooms appear stuffy and stifling.  To lighten up your interior, remove, clean and properly store all draperies.  In their place, hang filmy, light-filtering sheers or lace panels.  They afford instant privacy without cutting out sunlight.
• Pack it away: This is the time of year to let the sun shine in.  Overly cluttered rooms during the spring and summer seem fussy and can create a claustrophobic feeling.  For these reasons, why not pack away some of your treasures and create a more open and airy look?  This spring, in lieu of porcelain vases and figurines, why not group a small trio of ivy topiaries on a table top? Or why not put away your collection of candlesticks and replace them with a large bowl of fruit? Use your imagination and ingenuity to create clean-looking vignettes, filling your interiors with a carefree attitude.