While I sit gazing out my living room window at the snow covered trees and roofs in the 'hood after our first real snow of winter, I'm content, and for this Florida girl, that's a good thing. I am warm, cup of joe by my side, slippers on... all is well.
However, change is on the horizon in our household. My amazing husband starts a new job this Monday. I have my first (finally!) meeting with a real estate client in the next month and my boy is almost done with a task that will ensure he gets a car. A heavily used car, but a car all his own, nonetheless.
Change is good. We all know that, but it's hard to get the momentum to make even small changes. So I've decided to arm myself and hopefully you with some easy changes to make in your home as we approach Spring and the newness that comes with it. Yay, no more snow! Yay, spring bulbs and buds on trees! I hope you try at least a few of these for a re-fresh of your home; I know I will be!
1) BUY NEW MATS. Sounds easy, but when was the last time you bought a new doormat? Or new bathmats, a rug for in front of your sink or stove? These are inexpensive, and can change your room with a new color or pattern in a matter of minutes.
This runner adds color and style to a pretty plain kitchen. I love Dash & Albert rugs; they are indoor/outdoor, so perfect for high traffic areas. And they come in hundreds of patterns and color ways. I have one in my bathroom and it's easy to throw in the laundry. Imagine that in front of your sink, where lots of stuff lands mid-cooking and washing dishes!
2) BUY NEW LAMPSHADES. You've bought some lamps, and they are nice lamps. But how long have you had them? Long enough that the inside of the shade might be a bit orange? The hue that comes when something white or cream has been exposed to a light over and over, is my guess. And when is the last time you gave a quick vacuum to your shades to remove dust? Don't bother; just buy new ones!
I talked last month about World Market as a spot to buy new lamps. Well, if that's too much, why not update a room with new lampshades? Target, World Market, Lamps Plus... they all sell lampshades in fun patterns and colors. I can tell you from experience that $25-$50 will go a long way to update a guest room or living room and make it feel fresher and newer. Change plain white to burlap shades for a boost of texture and softer color. Change a cream shade to a black drum shade for drama. Or how about a pretty white shade with hits of gold for a feminine bedroom? And while we're at it, the perfect height for a bedside lamp and table? The table top should be even with the top of your mattress. The bottom of the lampshade should ideally hit right at chin height for the best reading light. Now, check out some fun lampshades and throw some light on your decorating!
World Market lampshade adds a trendy bit of tribal vibe. Great for a den or desk lamp.
Dreamy marbleized paper lampshade is perfect for bedside lamps in gold, silver, cream, etc.
This lampshade is great for a living room lamp beside a sofa or in a bedroom and will cast a nice warm glow. World Market lampshade.
3) LIVEN UP YOUR FRONT DOOR. Since the outside temps are starting to warm up, head outside to your front door and give it a fresh coat of paint. Curb appeal goes a long way to boosting your home's image - a bright front door, some planters, perhaps a wreath and a new doormat will make you smile when you pull up to your home.
How happy does this photo make you? It makes me smile and want a yellow front door! Those simple white planters and that bright front door mat... don't you want to walk up to a house like that every day? A great YELLOW color - SUN VALLEY (Benjamin Moore paints).
I happen to be the owner of a RED front door, so this is right up my alley. The dark brown accents really make this a WOW entrance. Not to mention the creamy white trim and the potted plants. CALIENTE by Benjamin Moore is a great red option.
This is a color that is great with the slate blue and grey tiles as well as house paint. Not for the faint of heart, but what a cool statement. Try CHIC LIME by Benjamin Moore if you want to find a zesty color like this.
4) FILL PLANTERS WITH LIKE COLORS. Sometimes I've gotten overzealous in the planter department and I've ended up with about 6 different varieties and colors in my planters, which flank our garage and front door, as well as fill our back patio. What I have come to realize is that I like a more soothing approach, and so I now follow the less is more approach when it comes to plants in a pot. I choose one main color, like purple, and get 2-3 varieties of purple flowers. My filler is typically an acid green climber, like potato vine or Angelina sedum.
This image is from KMS gardens and Design, and features hydrangea, grape hyacinth and those glorious fragrant hyacinth. The acid green is chartreuse stonecrop.
Pansies, daffodils, hyacinth, and some budding forsythia are great for a smaller planter placed in a grouping of other larger pots. I'd put this near pots filled with boxwood and lavender to bring out the green foliage and purple pansies. Click here for more: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/81824492?utm_source=Houzz&utm_campaign=u7228&utm_medium=email&utm_content=gallery3&newsletterId=7228
Change is a good thing. And I am ready to change out of my slippers and into my flip flops. Spring is on it's way, hooray!
