Home Decorating Tips

For Every Season of the Year

Refreshing and tidying up interior decor with the change of seasons not only perks up your home, but helps to brighten emotions, too.

Regardless of where you live, from California to Timbuktu, let the change in seasons reflect throughout your home. Whether or not leaves outside turn amber and gold in the fall, or snow dances its way to the ground in winter, your home is your exclusive domain; so decorate with "season essentials" any way you like.

Perhaps you're not in the mood or don't have the extra funds for drastic changes. By adding just a few season-specific accents with subtle color changes, you can hallmark the various festivities and activities associated with the various seasons:

Spring

St. Patrick's Day and Easter; green grass and 4-leaf clovers, flowers, and pastel colors

Summer

Bright, clean colors and sunshine, with beach themes of sand pails, shells, starfish, and sailboats; the 4th of July with red, white, and blue

Fall

Halloween and Thanksgiving; warm earthy color schemes of amber, gold, and orange-red falling leaves

Winter

Christmas and Valentine's Day, reds and greens; snowflakes, snowmen, evergreen trees, and hearts

Every season has unique color combinations and themes you can take advantage of decoratively throughout your home. A little creativity can go a long way. Decor changes could be as basic as a few new accent pillows, a special sofa throw, and a decorative scented candle centered on the coffee table. Or, by changing various items with those that offer a seasonal theme, the room could take on a whole new look.

For instance, for a summer theme you might fill a small pail with fine beach sand, and position a few scattered sea shells on top. Place it in the corner of the living room next to a beach ball or a rustic buoy. Replace the regular sofa pillows with sand colored accent pillows that have a lighthouse, whale, or seagull motif. Or try something fun - colorful circular inflatable pillows, reminiscent of beach balls and bubbles!

What about a decorative fishing net with shells, coral, sea sponge, and dried starfish and sea horses hung on the wall behind the sofa? An accent rug with a sun or sail boat design could go on the floor in front of the sofa. Especially if you have children, a couple of bright yellow, red, or blue bean bag chairs will provide extra seating, and help carry the fun "beach home" theme. Special accent candles with sea shells on the sides might help to add the finishing touch. Or floating candles in fish or star fish shapes, placed in a shallow bowl of clear or aqua-tinted water might be something fun to try.

A lamp in the shape of a lighthouse, or a new lamp shade with lighthouses on it, and curtains in colors or patterns reflecting summer things could tie everything together nicely. Don't forget to place a few silk or real semi-tropical plants around the room in strategic places, to fill "empty holes," or to hide ugly places in the room.

A nature CD with seagull and surf sounds playing softly in the background will "decorate" the room's atmosphere and make it soothing and relaxing.

It's really quite an innovative idea, if you think about it. How many times have you heard someone complain about how "dreary" their house looks, or how "out of sync" they feel in regards to seasons, or seasonal holidays and celebrations?

Refresh your interior by bringing the newness and expectancy of the earth's changing seasons, right into your home. Sometimes, change can be a very good thing!