Essentially EmmaMarie

Well it is winter. Still. And here in Pennsylvania it will continue to be for a while, but we are finally at the point where the end of winter is just about in sight- we hope!! However, while I am still trying not to succumb to total spring fever just yet, I am cleansing my home of any remaining winter items, and refreshing my home for spring. I will not be pulling out anything overtly springy yet, but the stage will be set to add touches of spring when the weather breaks and I feel that I can safely do so without fear of the winter weather coming crashing back in and destroying hopes and dreams of winter’s end.

In my post, How to Decorate for Winter, I said that I do not take down all of my wintery things in January- it’s just too depressing! So now is when I do a clean sweep, and when my house will be a little more bare than it has been since fall! I try to look at it through new eyes. Is there a way I keep arranging things that I don’t love but have just gotten used to? Would I like to swap rooms with some of my pictures? Is there something that has seen better days and I finally need to let go of it?

In all honesty, I find this season the most difficult to decorate because while it totally makes sense to take all things seasonal down and give my home a season of rest, I struggle to do this since I feel like it’s already so bare boring everywhere I look. Outside is gray, and while I love the four seasons we experience here in PA, I have to say this is probably my least favorite season- a season of waiting for winter to end and spring to fully begin. In addition since I am not decorating for a season, this is when I rely on the core of my decor more than any other time of year. If you haven’t built a decor capsule yet check out my post here on How to Build Capsule Decor.

Now, when I am doing my spring refresh is when I always find a few “holes” in my decorating. Seasonal items that have filled out a space quite nicely are gone and I am left scraping for something not-to-seasonal to replace what I just took down. But, you know what? It’s ok! It’s ok to look around your house at least once a year (maybe even more!) and assess the bulk of your decor and decide if you are happy with it. Has your style changed slightly? Is there something you’ve been meaning to buy for a while and just haven’t made time to do it? Now is the time! If you are on a tight budget and really don’t have extra money to spend right now don’t let that stop you from playing with your decor! Sometimes we need to buy something, but we can often fill or fix, even for just a little while), a decor glitch with something we already own. Look through your dishes in your cabinet, take a peak in your craft supplies, see what you come up with and if you are still stumped, try googling or looking on Pinterest for creative ways to use the items that you found! Have fun with it, and I know this is annoying advice but try to approach it from a fun creative point of view, rather than one in which you are upset because you can’t buy or find something new at the moment. I have never had a great idea while throwing myself a pity party, but some of my favorite decorating ideas have come when I have challenged myself to use what I have and try to come up with something fabulous just using those items.

Keep Some Cozy

This time of year I really like to focus on candles and blankets to warm up my home and keep it from feeling too sterile! I still love a chunky knit blanket at this time of year, and while it may be about time to pack up the fur pillows and throws, make sure to still leave enough around to snuggle up with on the cold days that are still to come!

Is Your Home Friendly?

Did you switch things up over the holidays and never return? Did you make your home slightly less livable in the name of beauty? It’s ok for your home to look like people live there- at least to some extent! Find a box for your tv remotes to live in on the coffee table, have a mat by the door for shoes, style a few cups near your coffee or tea station for a quicker grab in the morning! Make it easy to live in- it can still be beautiful!

Re Introduce Greenery

Plants are definitely welcome all year but when is more appropriate than in the spring? I know for me I moved a few plants around because of my Christmas decor and now I really like where they are living and I just may need to pick up another new plant or two!

Add Pictures

I have a few pictures in prominent places like my piano and mantle but I looked around and realized that there were startling few personal touches around my house. I have a bunch of pictures- time to pull them out! A picture is a great way to fill out a vignette! See my post on Vignettes: Tell Me A Story, and add a personal touch to your home!

Color Check

No matter what colors you have chosen for your home’s color pallet, see How to Create a Cohesive Color Pallet, there will be a color or 2 that is more suited to spring than the rest. If you are looking at getting a few new throw pillows lean hard into these colors!

Collections

If you are someone who likes to collect and has a collection now is the time to show it off! Generally with a collection you want to rotate through how much of it you show off at a time, (unless you have a huge collection and a great place to show it off where it can really be a wow factor!), however now, when your house is a little more bare is a great time to display more of your collection than you normally would!

Need a little Inspiration?

Ok so you have all your winter decor down but you also have cabin fever and you don’t want it to just be plain?? What else can you do to refresh your home for spring and add some transitional coziness to your space?

Here are a few ideas:
Plants
Lanterns
Candles
Deer antlers
Flowers- fresh, faux or dried!
Handmade pottery
Vintage glass bottles
Unique or vintage figurines- try crowning a stack of books with these!
Geometric spheres
Adding a touch of rustic
Vintage busts or small animal figurines.

As always happy decorating- enjoy!