“Home is the heart of life…Home is where we feel at ease, where we belong, where we can create surroundings that reflect our tastes and pleasures…Making a home is a form of creativity open to everyone.”
Sir Terence Conran
TIPS FOR SPRING
1. Spring is synonymous with cleaning, so make it enjoyable. Put on our favorite opera or rock and roll CD and get the “good chi” flowing. Vacuum the tops of windowsills and doorjambs. Clean the globes on light fixtures. You can even create your own nontoxic furniture polish by melting the following ingredients in a double boiler.
• 2 ounces of olive oil
• 1 ounce beeswax
• 1 ounces coconut oil
• 1 ounce carnauba wax
Remove from heat and pour in 4 ounces of distilled water and combine with a hand mixer until creamy. Add 1/3-teaspoon grapefruit seed extract as a preservative. Add 5 to 10 drops of essential lemon oil. Stir well and let solidify. Store in a glass jar with a screw top. You can learn more about nontoxic housekeeping by visiting www.betterbasics.com
2. Capture spring’s enchanting light in a collection of colorful glass bottles or vases on the windowsill. No collection you say? Use small bottles from bath oils, spices, and cosmetics. An orderly line of small bottles with a single fragrant blossom in each on a windowsill or down the middle of a table exemplifies the beauty of simplicity.
3. To diffuse spring’s stronger light, use sheets of scrim simply hemmed and hung on a tension rod to create easy, interesting, textured curtains.
4. Burlap is great for occasional table coverings. You can simply tack it to the sides of compressed wooden round tables available at Target for under $10. Top with a fabric remnant complementary to your room, and you’ve got an inexpensive, attractive covered table. Add decorative trim to the fabric topper to give your room more personality.
5. Create a “mood board” before you begin a project, whether for the home or the garden. On a poster board tack samples of fabric, paint, wallpaper, and pictures of furniture or plants. See how your initial preferences change over time. If after one month, you’ve tired of a fabric, color, or plant, nothing is lost. Replace these with new examples. If an idea stands the test of time, this helps define the style you really want before you spend a dime.
6. For a fun and inexpensive coffee or side table indoors or out, find a large terra cotta pot, set it right side up and top with a piece of glass. You can even create a terrarium by adding soil and plants under the glass. Succulents add interest with their unusual form and texture.
7. Create a fun and whimsical hanging lamp by inverting a plain or painted terracotta pot and wiring it using a kit available from home supply stores for about $3. These lamps are especially charming on a porch or over a potting bench.
8. Along with spring comes the urge to spend more time outdoors. Create a stylish outdoor room that ‘s an intimate getaway right beyond your back door. Use a canopy tent available at warehouse stores to create an instant room. Use pea gravel or flagstone for flooring. If you have unattractive concrete, paint a “rug” on it or use a real sisal or sea grass rug. Shop for offbeat comfortable chairs and accessories at flea markets. Let your outdoor masterpiece evolve as we head into summer.
WINTER DECORATING TIPS
Now that the holidays are over, and the decorations are put away, it’s a great time to freshen up your home. Here are a few ideas you may want to try.
1. Lighting is so important in creating a room’s mood, especially in the dark months of winter. A central ceiling fixture produces a harsh light in only one area of the room. To remedy this try the following ideas.
• Place at least 3 lamps in a seating area in a triangular configuration.
• Use accent lighting on art, bookshelves, or architectural focal points.
• Create a dramatic light pattern by using an up light paired with a plant or a salvaged architectural remnant. Up lights are available at home supply stores for about $7.
• Dimmer switches are easy and inexpensive, about $5, and give you the ability to create different moods with existing light sources. They are available for lamps as well as permanent fixtures.2. Change your rooms look instantly by changing throw pillows.
• Use existing pillows you have and create “slipcovers” for them. If you are a non-sewer, you can use fabric glue or fusible iron-on tape.
• Splurge on expensive fabrics for pillows, as you’ll need only a yard or two. Be sure to check remnants at fabric stores. Calico Corners is a fantastic resource. Check out decorative trims available as they can give a traditional fabric a modern edge. Have fun with the trim. Express yourself!
• Double your decorating options by putting a different fabric on the front and back of your pillows. You can change the look to suit your mood simply by turning the pillow over!
3. Scent and freshen stale air in a stuffy winter home with candles and flowers.
• Create a rich aroma by nestling vanilla votive candles in several scoops of coffee beans in an attractive bowl. This is great for a brunch or a treat to get you going in the morning. Treat yourself to this candle lighting ritual every morning. Don’t forget to blow the candles out before you leave the home!
• Purchase cut or potted narcissus or hyacinths to bring spring’s lush fragrance into your home a little earlier.
• Branches for forcing are beginning to be available now. You can choose from cherry, apple, forsythia, quince, or several other varieties depending on your geographical area. Cut branches at an angle and mash the ends with a hammer to increase water uptake. Put branches in lukewarm water and place in a dark, cool room. Mist daily and change water often. When the buds begin to swell, arrange the branches in a vase and move into a well-lit room, but NOT in the direct sunlight. The branches will blossom in two to three weeks, and will keep for a week or longer. Enjoy and remember spring will be here soon!