KIM MECKLER
I’m sitting here watching the snow fall and wondering when spring will get here. I’m sure we are all finished with winter and will surely embrace the warm weather when it eventually gets here. Soon it will be time to open the shades and clean the windows and start raking the yard as we probe for new green plants coming out of the ground.
Spring restoration is a vital part of design both inside your home and outside. It is time to let the bright sunlight shine on your home and take care of those little items. Spring-cleaning is a ritual that most of us partake in but it can go deeper into paint touch ups, renewal of decorative items and even some new items for your home.
Baseboards and walls take a beating during winter with heavy boots, snow and salt. It is a good practice in spring to grab some paint and touch up those areas that have been damaged during the winter seasons. My mom used to go around every year with a plastic container filled with white paint and a small brush as she touched up all the woodwork in our heritage home. My dog Cuddles used to without fail try to dip his nose in the container thinking it was milk and ended up with a spot of white paint on his nose. It was a huge task because we had 12-inch baseboards and a great deal of woodwork but the house always looked pristine after she was finished crawling around on the floor.
Spring is a great time to inject a bright colour into your place. Some people rotate seasonal items including bedding, area rugs and drapery to give their home a new look for the warm season. Just like we pull out our favourite decorations at Christmas, we can have a spring palette ready and waiting for brightening up the home. Pack away the heavy blankets and invest in light cotton or silk duvets or remove heavy light blocking draperies with sheer flowing fabrics which are perfectly designed to catch the spring breezes.
Let spring be your inspiration in adding decorative items or art to your home. How wonderful would a new sofa picture feel if it gives you the sun and radiant colours of the Greek Isles? A bright palette of tulips, whether real or painted would certainly brighten up the feel of your bedroom. Choose those bright colours, don’t be afraid! These perky choices will boost your mood and give you hope that warmer temperatures are on the way.
Choose scents for your home that remind you of spring. We all know how delicious Christmas scents of gingerbread, pine and sugar cookies are. The same can be applied to spring scents of citrus and fresh linens. Coordinate your scents with your colour palette; walking into a room trimmed with bright yellow is only enhanced with a fresh citrus aroma that rises up to greet you. It is a treat for your senses both visual and olfactory and the combination is very stimulating.
Shake off the doldrums of winter, this is the time to get excited about spring and to boost your home’s interior to match your anticipation. Good things are just around the corner!
Kim Meckler is an interior designer in Red Deer with Carpet Colour Centre.