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Saturday, March 12, 2011

In Need of Some Touches of Spring

At this time of year I'm always craving some touches of spring.  I'm tired of winter, but here in Canada it still looks pretty wintery outside so I have to do the next best thing - add some spring inside.  


Here are eight ways you can add a touch of spring to your home - even when it is still cold and snowy outside.


1. Add some spring flowering branches - cutting spring flowering branches and forcing their blooms is a time-honoured right-of-passage to welcome spring.   Pussy willows and  forsythias are the easiest to force, but you can also use flowering almond, flowering quince, magnolia, redbud, cherry, pear, and apple.

Style at Home
2. Buy some spring flowers - Every year at this time I buy a pot or two of spring bulbs to enjoy or a bouquet of cut tulips or daffodils to arrange in a vase.  They have a powerful way of bringing a room to life.

Style at Home



Martha Stewart





3. Add something bird or nest or egg related - Classic, maybe even a tad cliche, but they nevertheless spell spring.


Pussy willow nest (Martha Stewart)


Birds on a wire cushion (Etsy)


Birds on the rim of a bowl (Etsy)
Watercolour Painting from Etsy

4. Lighten up the colours in your home - By removing dark coloured objects and injecting some fresh bright or pastel shades, you feel like spring has sprung in your home.  Try removing heavy rugs and drapes and dark coloured cushions and objects to make a room seem lighter.  In the following two rooms the furniture and walls are fairly neutral, but yellow, pink, blue, and green rugs, cushions, bedding, and flowers have been added to brighten them up.


Canadian House and Home


Canadian House and Home

5. Add some floral linens, cushions, or  dishes - Changing the cushions, linens, tablecloths, and dishes for fresh bright floral ones is an easy way to create a lighter, brighter spring feel in your home.


Williams-Sonoma
Etsy


Ten Thousand Villages


6. Put away the dinner candles and bring out the flowers - As much as I love having dinner by candlelight, by the time March rolls around I'm ready for a change.  I love putting a pot of narcissus, a basket of crocuses, or a vase full of tulips in the centre of the table.


7. Clean the windows -  See what happens when you clean your windows - the sunshine pours in and you can actually see the ocean.  No really it's true, you just need to clean them really well.


Coastal Living via Location and Lifestyle


8. Make a salad for dinner - Hearty soups and stews seem so wintry so try a light fresh salad for a change and make a cool rainy March day seem more like spring.

Salade Nicoise
How do you lighten and brighten things up to welcome spring?
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15 comments:

  1. Kim @ Savvy Southern StyleMarch 12, 2011 at 8:54 PM

    Great images and I am glad we are starting to have spring weather here. 73 tomorrow! I am lightening and brightening each room.

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  2. micheleMarch 12, 2011 at 9:41 PM

    i'm oh so ready for spring and loved these gorgeous images. thanks for stopping by, and i look forward to visiting again.

    michele

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  3. Ricki TreleavenMarch 12, 2011 at 11:36 PM

    Great images and ideas, Grace. I usually lighten and brighten with slipcovers, pillows, bed linens, and table linens. :D

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  4. Travel With LuluMarch 13, 2011 at 3:54 AM

    What a happy post with beautiful images! I loved every photo :) XOL

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  5. COTTAG3March 13, 2011 at 8:38 AM

    Great ideas! Love the pictures. Spring has finally started around here and it appears winter is over so I hope to be doing some of these things inside and out this week.

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  6. Meera @ firstsenseMarch 13, 2011 at 9:25 AM

    Oh yes, so so ready for spring and these images are a wonderful taster!

    Thank you so much for stopping by, I hope you enjoyed the style quiz!

    Meera xx

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  7. Alison @ The PolohouseMarch 13, 2011 at 10:10 AM

    Beautiful post!
    I wish that room with the shutters was in my house. Love the pussy willow nest too. Lots of great images!

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  8. Content in a CottageMarch 13, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    Grace...I've been working overtime at my shredder since I finished my taxes getting rid of old papers. Does this count in the lightening-up department? I have also picked almost all of the sticks on my property. Thanks for a lovely post full of beautiful images.
    Rosemary

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  9. Donna@anangloinquébecMarch 13, 2011 at 11:27 AM

    I love the idea of the branches. I wonder if I dig out my forsythia bushes from under all that snow if they would come inside and brighten up my space...hmmm....my neighbours may think I am crazy but I think it might save me from going crazy? Great post, inspirational.

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  10. AnneMarch 13, 2011 at 2:03 PM

    What a delightful post! accompanied by perfect picture, I really enjoyed reading it!

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  11. SarahMarch 13, 2011 at 2:07 PM

    Spring is not even close where I live! Can't get into it yet unfortunately.

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  12. UnknownMarch 13, 2011 at 4:13 PM

    Very fresh and spring-y. The birds on a wire pillow reminds me of your birds on the wire photo. Does washing my white sofa slipcover count? Maybe not, as the dog has already managed to put two paw prints on it!

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  13. michelleMarch 13, 2011 at 5:22 PM

    These are beautiful images that you chose!! I so need to clean my windows, they just make everything feels so much brighter. :) I hope Spring comes quickly!

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  14. sharon santoni at my french country homeMarch 14, 2011 at 4:25 AM

    This sounds like an amazing trip Grace, your head will be swimming! Hope that your Normandy stint may bring you our way, I'd love to meet you.
    Sharon
    xx

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  15. Seema Persaud, H&H Web Promotions EditorApril 4, 2011 at 4:51 PM

    Great ideas. Thanks for linking back to us, too!

    Have you seen our Spring Decorating Ideas article? Our readers came up with some great tips.

    http://houseandhome.com/design/readers-top-spring-decorating-ideas

    Cheers,

    Seema

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