Pillow covers. Once you have built up a nice stash of pillow covers that fit the inserts for your sofa and bed, it's easy to give your rooms a quick makeover. Keep an eye out for sales throughout the year to find the best deal. Here are a few ideas for not-strictly-seasonal pillow covers to consider adding to your stash: Burlap feed sack: great for a rustic fall and winter look, but can be used year-round Sparkly, metallic hues: perfect for a festive feel Velvet in rich jewel tones: for cold fall and winter nights Golden yellow: can be mixed with seasonal oranges and reds in the fall, but also feels fresh in spring and summer. DEFINITELY CHANGE SUMMER LIGHTS FOR WINTER BRIGHTS!
A tall container for branches. Having a really tall cylinder vase on hand is essential for filling with colorful foliage in the fall and budding branches in the spring, You may want to pick up a few of these — a shorter version, like the one shown here, is perfect for a tabletop; a taller vessel can be placed on the floor. YOU CAN'T HAVE TOO MANY CONTAINERS, BUT ONCE AGAIN CHOOSE SIZE/SHAPE/COLOUR CAREFULLY! (ALSO REPAINT ONES WE HAVE ALREADY)
Fresh artwork. Your home has a finite number of walls, but does that mean you must limit yourself to the same artwork year-round? No way! Pick up fresh artwork as you find it, without worrying if you currently have a place to hang it. At the beginning of each new season, you can simply swap out art on a few walls for a completely different look. YES!
Gleaming accessories. Gold and silver objects are a natural choice (see the shiny gold stools above), but the shades in between are even more versatile — think shimmering platinum, bronze and rose gold. These subtly shimmery hues fit right in with fall leaves and acorns, look glamorous around the holidays and echo the sheen of seashells in summer. Try them with a cluster of vases, candlesticks, bowls or trays. BUT CHOOSE HUES CAREFULLY!
A faux-fur throw. It's warm and cozy, and makes any seat or bed you toss it on look incredibly luxurious. Spend enough to get a faux fur that feels really plush and has a natural-looking color; cheaper versions will fall apart over time, but a good one will hold up for many years. I have a faux fur throw much like the one in photo 3 and it is the softest textile I have ever felt. It's made by Tourance, their channel pattern.
Don't buy small, cheap throw pillows with solid forms. Pillows should be generous, overstuffed and formable, like these. Use soft, plush, down-filled pillows that can take a shape. There are great synthetic fill options, too. Use the classic "designer's chop" to determine if they will shape up: a quick karate chop to the top edge to break up the pillow's blockiness. Get rid of any dead pillows that sit like a lump. Say goodbye to postage-stamp-size pillows and matchy-matchy ones that came with the furniture. Instead, overstuff an 18-inch pillow cover with a 20-inch insert for a professional look.
Light up the night. Candles are an inexpensive way to add a sense of wintry romance. Group them together in clear glass hurricanes or on crystal candleholders to allow the glittering candlelight to reflect off the surface. Put large pillar candles in oversize lanterns on the fireplace hearth or front porch to welcome guests. Tip: Set different-size candles on a large silver tray for the perfect centerpiece or scatter votives in unexpected places, like on the bathroom counter or an entry table.
Group themed artwork — maybe even your own. Go shopping or search online for prints or paintings with a summery theme. Or get out your camera and snap away — try taking a series of photos of clouds, water or palm trees, and have them all framed. Hang them horizontally or in a grid for the biggest impact.
Find the Hidden Gems The same goes for wedding photos. Newlyweds tend to coat their homes with photos of their big day. Five years later those photos are still on display. Every single wedding photo isn't the most beautiful or meaningful of the bunch. Pick two and add those to the mix. I had a couple who had framed and displayed very formal, serious wedding photos of themselves in their family room. After meeting them once, it was clear those were the wrong photos for the room. I asked to see the album. The photos that best represented who they were, were hidden in the massive wedding book. We switched the overly stoic images for ones of them laughing and dancing with their friends, holding hands and posing jokingly and caught in a candid moment. Those were the images that filled the space with joy. The staircase gallery shown here is a great example of a curated collection of meaningful photographs that each make an impact due to their large-scale format and minimalist frames. Having fewer but larger photos invites you to stop and admire them, as opposed to being overwhelmed by their multitude. BUT STILL TOO MANY FOR ME.
Looking for a mobile for the nursery? This puffy cloud with sparkly raindrops looks pretty magical to me.
Egg cups make perfect little vessels for holding flowers. You can create a collection of vintage cups or choose a simple option like these white ones. They would be so cute on an Easter table as a centerpiece or even as a place setting marker.
In Denmark they have hygge, in Germany it's gemütlichkeit and in Sweden you might get mysig. Loosely translated, all of these words mean "cozy," but it is really much more than that. Hygge is about relaxing, slowing down and enjoying time spent together with friends and loved ones. It is about bringing light and warmth to a dark night, sipping hot drinks around the fire and creating a cheerful, peaceful, welcoming mood at home. And the beautiful thing about a hygge home is that it depends much more on the care you take than the cash you put into it. Give every room a welcoming touch. So often it's the small things that make the biggest difference. Don't you agree? More than having the "right" sofa or a perfectly coordinated rug and throw pillows, coziness comes from the sense that someone is caring for you. Think a small vase of fresh flowers, a well-cared-for green plant in the window, candles lit and coffee brewing.
Waterworks Studio 'White Marble' Bath Accessories - $45.00 » White marble, which is stunning year-round, is an amazing way to evoke that winter-white feeling in your home. I love this classy bath accessory set. I can imagine a paperwhite bloom in the cup.
Wall Mounted Stag Bottle Opener - $14.99 » Serve up a cold beer in holiday style. This stag bottle opener will leave a smile on your face all winter long.
natural!
great idea; and can use on other things too!
green & white work so well
what does this say?
like the horses!
pretty lavender
could use water to similar effect; captivating if moving
make a shoplist/memo board for utility
Use outdoor pots and urns indoors. These pieces help add wonderful texture from materials like iron, concrete, terra cotta and ceramic. Oversized pieces make a big statement.
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