Spring is a time of renewal. It is the time of
year when people across the country begin shaking off
the final dregs of winter, opening their windows, and
hanging clothes on the lines to dry. It is the time of
year that many people associate with cleaning but very
few associate with home decorating. Sadly enough there
are very few times of year when it is more appropriate
to decorate your home. Face it, for most of us, this is
the only time of year that we are actually happy about
cleaning.
During the summer months we clean because the kids
(young and old alike) are constantly tracking dirt, mud,
grass, and goodness knows what else into the house.
Cleaning in these days is a chore and yet we still
manage to bring out the patriotic colors and celebrate
America in style. Goodness knows how with all the extra
cleaning that is going on and the nearly double amounts
of lemonade and iced tea being consumed daily. Still we
manage to decorate and take great joy in doing so as if
some right of passage has been achieved by our home
decorating efforts.
During the Thanksgiving and Winter months we clean house
because we have no choice. Friends and family will be
coming over and they expect our homes to be well
decorated and clean. This I must tell you is quite the
accomplishment with the rush of the holidays afoot and
yet somehow we manage to muster up some Christmas cheer
when others are around while playing Mr. Scrooge when it
comes to running the mop and the broom around our rooms.
Spring is the one time of year in which our cleaning
efforts are nothing short of inspired. Yet it is also
the spring that often eludes us when it comes to
inspiration for decoration. Perhaps we are too tired
from all of our cleaning efforts to seek the inspiration
to decorate. If this is the case with you, then my hope
is that some of the ideas mentioned below will help
bring some serious decoration inspiration your way.
1) Flowers. Spring is the time of flowers. They are all
around us. Use fresh cut flowers and candles to create
beautiful arrangement and centerpieces throughout your
home.
2) Candles. While briefly mentioned above they deserve
their own spot among the top five to say the least.
Candles can be soothing, relaxing, invigorating,
inspiring, beautiful, elegant, and simply smell good.
Candles are great no matter what time of the year it is
however, if you select candles in bright spring colors
and fragrances you might be amazed at exactly how
uplifting these candles can be.
3) Towels. Yes I said towels. In your kitchen and your
bathrooms you need bright, bold colors that signify
spring, birth, and renewal. These little touches can
make a huge difference in not only your attitude about
cleaning and decorating but also your attitude about
cooking.
4) Fragrance. While most people do not realize that the
fragrances we use in our homes is a type of decoration.
It makes our noses happy to some degree but also the
potpourri and candles are often decorations in and of
themselves. Put out bowls filled with brightly colored
and lightly scented fragrance balls, dried fruit, and
other delights. Gourmet potpourri can be found in all
kinds of gift and fragrance shops and is a rather
inexpensive way to add a fragrant touch to your home
decorating as well as the fragrance of your home.
5) Fruit. Have bowls placed throughout your home filled
with fresh fragrant fruit. Not only does this add yet
another layer of fragrance to your home but it is also
visually appealing and edible. There are three checks in
the 'pro' column for this simple decorative step and I
have yet to find one in the 'con' column unless you
consider the fact that it must be eaten before it gets
too ripe.
For those needing springtime home decorating ideas and
inspiration I hope this has helped. If you haven't found
some outstanding suggestions above I at least hope that
you will have been inspired to find your own fabulous
finds for spring decorating.