Most of us leave seasonal decorating for the holiday season and are often relieved when our homes get back to normal after the decorations have all been packed back up and put away. But what if there was another way; a better way? One of the newest trends in home decorating is to create a specific look for your home that is specific to each season. This way you’ll feel like you have a summer home, a winter cabin, etc. Here are some tips from the pros on how to do this–especially when you’re on a budget.
Color Scheme
The colors you use to decorate your home play heavily into the overall feel of the space. So, as you shift from season to season, change the colors you use to add personality to your space. For instance, during the winter, you and your roommate might use a dark red curtain to separate your studio or loft into private living areas. When spring shows up, switch that out for something in a pastel shade. The lighter hue will brighten up the space. Then in summer switch from solid colors to a bright pattern.
PRO TIP: Don’t just tack up these dividers. You can find affordable kits and stands to hold your room dividers at sites like https://roomdividersnow.com/. Trust us: tacks and tape scream dorm room.
Fabric Shift
In the colder months, you likely use thicker fabrics throughout your home. Thick drapes, thick and cozy blankets, flannel sheets, etc. This is fine, but during the warmer months, don’t just switch your sheets out for something lighter. Go through your home and exchange thick and fluffy blankets, pillows, bedding, towels, etc for thinner and lighter fabrics. This lightens up the room both physically and thematically!
Material Changes
In the spring and summer, bring out your delicate decor. Glass figurines, water color prints, fresh flowers in dainty bud vases, etc. Use glass based dining ware. This makes your home feel more energetic and spontaneous. Switch from the fuzzy fleeces and wools of fall and winter to linen and cotton in the summer and spring. This tip isn’t just for the easily changed out pieces, but for larger items as well. For example, while you probably don’t want to bring in a new sofa, you can put on a different sofa cover. You probably don’t want to switch out those heavy wooden bookcases for bamboo alternatives, but you can change the tchochkes that you tuck into its nooks and corners. Obviously, you’re not going to rip up your flooring every few months, but you can put down different area rugs.
Seasonal Touches
In addition to the more subtle changes we’ve been talking about, it’s good to include some overt changes as well! For instance, if you have a pinecone wreath up on your front door during the holiday season, put up a straw/hay wreath during the summer. Use the fall leaves to create prints and window dressings. Bring out all of the heart shapes in February. Have fun with it!
Furniture Placement
One of the cheapest ways to give your home a new feel is to move the furniture around. Create shifting and seasonal floor plans. For instance, when it’s cold, make your fireplace (if you have one) the focal point of the room. When it’s warm, arrange your furniture around the windows.
Saving Money
You’ve probably been thinking that’s great but who has the money for that? You do! No, seriously, hear us out. Sure, each of these ideas seems expensive but you likely already do many of these things anyway.
For instance, you probably already have a few sets of different sheets and linens, right? Instead of using them according to what’s easiest to reach in the closet, arrange them seasonally.
Join your neighborhood swap site. For example, in Portland, Rooster is an incredibly popular neighborhood-based free stuff swapping portal. Post your needs as well as the pieces you’re willing to give away or trade. You’d be surprised at how many people are willing to give away stuff in exchange for your helping them clean it out and/or picking it up.
Decorate Sparsely. It’s easy to look at the tips we’ve listed above and picture a very fussy and cluttered home. But if you go with a minimalist approach, you only have to change a few things each season to get a whole new look. Resist the urge to fill. It will save you money and time as you shift your home from one season to the next.
You might not be able to buy an actual summer home, but there’s no reason you can’t feel like you live in one! Use these tips to help you renew your home every season.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
This is a great article on seasonal decoration.