Though we are getting hammered with snow today in the Midwest, spring isn't far away. I can almost smell the hyacinths and feel the warm sun on my face...almost. While we are not quite ready to be outside experiencing those things, this is a great time to be inside preparing your house for spring. One of the best ways to turn your house into a home is through thoughtful decor and accessories and there are a handful of accessories that every home simply must have for spring.
SPRING STEMS, FLORALS & VASES
Nothing says spring like flowers! Some of my favorite childhood memories from spring include driving around the countryside with my grandparents, looking for pussy willows and cattails in the ditches. We'd trudge through the ditches, cutting many plants, put them in pretty vases, and distribute them to friends and family. To this day, these plants remind me of spring - growth & renewal & starting afresh, and love - sharing beauty with those we held so dear.
Florals and beautiful stems can ignite those same feels when placed in your home. From glorious sweeping leaf sprays, foliage branches, boxwoods, berry leaves, & baby grasses in large vases, to sweet tulip and hydrangea stems in handcrafted artisan vases, florals connect us to the restorative rhythms of nature.
PLANTERS
We mustn't neglect our front porches, patios, balconies, or driveways. It is very easy to add a planter or a variety of different sized planters to your front entryway to bring joy to those who enter and elevate your curb appeal. There are numerous material choices for planters including wood, terracotta, metal, ceramic, concrete and fiberglass and they are available in any color to fit every decor style, from traditional to farmhouse, modern to mid century. Get creative when choosing flowers and plants for your planter. We like to start with a taller plant for the back of the planter, such as a Areca Palm, Tropical Blood Banana, or Blue Lyme Grass. We also like to put a plant in the front of the container that drapes over the side, such as a Variegated Ivy, Goldilocks Creeping Jenny, or Trailing Geraniums. In the middle, the selection of colorful annual flowers and plants is endless. Some of our favorites include Purple Shamrock, Lantana, Geraniums, Strawflowers, Begonias, and Petunias. That's all you need to create a beautiful, fun, fast container garden of different height and color flowers and/or plants.
SPRING TEXTILES
Spring brings to mind the pastel colors of dyed eggs and macaroons, as well as shapes like branches and florals. One of the easiest and most economical ways to bring spring to your home is through changing out sofascape textiles such as pillows and throw blankets and tablescape textiles like napkins, placemats, and table runners. Try mixing spring colored napkins, placemats and/or table runners with more neutral everyday linens. Or try mixing different patterned pillows, as long as the colors are complementary. Changing out textiles is a simple way to bring your home into spring.
SPRING TRENDS
We would be remiss not to mention some home accessories that are trending for spring, beginning with gorgeous canisters. If you are looking for a way to beautify your kitchen counters or style your pantry, there are a plethora of beautifully crafted canisters hitting the market right now. From sleek glass canisters with black loop lids to earth-toned stoneware canisters, there is something for everyone. Not only are they beautiful, they are practical too.
Speaking of practicality - trays! Trays continue to dominate the decor scene and serve so many purposes. From the traditional use of trays as serveware, to serving as a catchall on a foyer table or in a mudroom, to holding all the pretties in the middle of a coffee table or ottoman, trays do it all! And they come in so many beautiful materials - marble, wood, rattan, bamboo, aluminum, and metal to name a few.
And I have to give another plug for wallpaper. Though I wouldn't recommend wallpapering your house in spring colors or in any seasonal way, I would recommend wallpaper, period. There are so. many. choices - floral, geometric, striped, plain, damask, animal, toile, textured. Give it a try today.
Our homes are our refuge and our haven. There are many ways to make them feel comfortable, elevated, welcoming and add visual interest. Layering in seasonal pops of decor is a simple way to keep your home interesting and fun.