Seasonal Décor

Some people like to have the same décor all year round, except maybe a few holiday decorations during those periods. Why not make a few small changes with the seasons?

I must admit, I’m not really one to get all crazy about changing out every piece of decoration every few months, but I do find that having a rotation of a few select items will keep not only your home looking fresh, but also might even get you motivated to do those cleaning jobs you might otherwise put off. Like, say, dusting. For myself, I’ve found that making a quilt with coordinating seat covers is one way to bring a little color to an otherwise blah living room. Of course, the seat covers are really there to cover up the rips and tears in the sofa and act as a washable pet bed since that is where our dog, Lucy, sleeps most of the time. This may not be an option that works for you, but is one I’ve been well pleased with and can’t wait to get my autumn quilt and sofa seat covers started for the new season quickly approaching.

Artwork is another area where rotating can have a big impact. I know for us, we have a lot of prints from various artists… okay, mostly Van Gogh… and for a while had everything up at once. However, the look was a little cluttered so we kept a couple pieces out. Of course, the two we kept out are not only the best looking prints, but also our favorites of the ones we have and consequently we haven’t gotten bored with them. Framing children’s artwork is a great way to really personalize your walls or a side table, and you can simply put their latest work in front of the previous one in the frame… that is, until the frame fills up! Also included in the artwork section of home decorating are photographs. It’s easy to keep updating a family picture wall with new pictures and one of the most economical ways to add new interest often.

Some people have pillows on their sofas and chairs, and this is probably the easiest way to freshen up the look of a room with almost no effort at all. Simply swap out pillows that fit the season; bright, cheery colors for spring and summer, and deep, rich colors for fall and winter. This is most certainly not a rule that must be obeyed, but generally in the spring we play off the extra light and in the winter we play off the more cozy color wheel because of the extra darkness. Another way to save space, especially since most of us don’t have room to store pillows for every season, is to have base pillows, either just the form or a light pattern, and make or buy covers for them. When I was decorating our guest room I bought four matching solid pillows that went with the bedspread I made and for two of them made covers. I made one that zipped at the bottom and another that simply had an overlapping fold in the back center. It was a quick and inexpensive way to get a designer look on an off-the-rack budget.

Vases, candles, flowers and even knick-knacks can be changed out to create a new look without breaking your budget. While it might seem like a neat idea to display everything you have all at once, why not have a select few pieces out at a time. You’ll not only notice them more but appreciate them more as well, and your house won’t seem so cluttered too.

These are just a few options out there. If any of you out there have some advice on easy ways to freshen up your home’s décor, please leave a comment to share with others. Happy decorating!