Living in a climate that experiences four seasons – including a long winter – Canadians hold a special excitement and affintiy for Spring!
While you’re busy replacing all of your winter woolies with lighter, more colourful clothing, why not do the same with your living space? It’s pragmatic and instinctual for us to change our wardrobes with the seasons, so why not do this with your home décor?
Here are 5 ways to Spring-style your home, using décor to reflect the bloom of fresh beginnings:
1. Paint: An economical way to freshen up any space is to add new colour – perhaps on an accent wall! Sico, a Canadian paint company, has some wonderful shades that are perfect for Spring. Try soft pastels, or go all out with vibrant shades. Mozart Violet, for instance, as seen below, is Sico’s 2017 colour of the year and, as an interior decorator, I just love this color for the ease with which it matches existing furniture and decor. It has a grey undertone, making it neutral enough to allow artwork and mirrors to take centre stage, yet it still has just the right amount of violet to make a statement when needed – on an accent wall, for example. (Check out this past Houseporn Post on popular interior colours for Canadians by region.)
Professional Tip: Avoid overly bold colours (unless used to highlight an alcove or other small focal point) as you may find it difficult to tolerate day-to-day and over time.
Image courtesy of Sico.
2. Window Treatments: Being in the Northern Hemisphere, Canada is beginning to enjoy longer hours of natural light – so, let as much sun into your home as possible! I recommend sheers (over blinds or heavier window coverings) as they provide privacy and protection of furnishings without sacrificing illumination. Most fabrics used for sheer window treatments are synthetic, which are reasonably priced, easy to clean, and wear well!
Professional Tip: You don’t have to go the custom route as there are some excellent ready-made curtains and drapes available. Check out the online selection at Urban Barn, a 100% Canadian-owned company. Below, the Malini Slub Sheer in Ecru.
Image courtesy of Urban Barn.
3. Throw Pillows: An easy and efficient way of updating your living space is to change your throw pillows. Instead of going through the expense and hassle of recovering or purchasing a new sofa or armchair, just add a pillow, or two, or three! Seriously: this is my tried and true method for transforming any space. Pillows on chairs and sofas should be colourful – the brighter, the better! Dining chairs that use seating cushions can be replaced with bold, striped fabrics or solids. Below, see the amazing colours and selection in-store and online at The Pillow Shoppe, located in Toronto.
Professional Tip: Be certain whatever you choose as a pillow is something you can live with for the long-term.
Image courtesy of Pear Studios Inc. for the The Pillow Shoppe.
4. Flora and Fauna: Living things always perk up a room! For example, many designers and decorators tend to prefer orchids, as they add a living element and their particular aesthetic is elegant and ‘upscale’. The next time you’re reading a magazine editorial, you’ll likely notice the use of large orchids as a home staging technique, as they tend to make any space look more chic. High-quality orchids, especially the ones with 2 stems, keep their flowers for up to 4 months if cared for properly. The arrangement below is from EverSpring Orchids in Winnipeg, and is bound to put a smile on your face! If you’d like to order from EverSpring’s online catalogue, you can do so here.
Professional Tip: Make your own impressive arrangement by planting 2 tall orchids of the same colour and 2 shorter ones of a different colour. Besides the 4 orchid plants, you will need a china or pottery bowl, and orchid planting supplies available in any garden store.
Image courtesy of EverSpring Orchids.
5. Home Fragrance: Scented candles, incense, and soaps are wonderful for bringing beloved smells of the outdoors, indoors. For Spring, choose light floral scents that mimic the latest blooming flowers (like tulips or daffodils in May) or a clean scenet like linen or fresh cotton, which is reminiscent of breeze-dried laundry on a clothes line.
For spring time candle scents, you may want to check out Earth Elements Farm Products which make GMO-free soy candles in country-chic jars. With scents like Honeysuckle, Lilac, and Country Clothesline, you’ll think you’re living beside a country meadow!
If you prefer incense, Smells Like Canada has incense sticks in a scent called Cape Breton Clover, shown below, which the company says has “notes of calming lavender and a soft undertone of floral violet” to make you feel “relaxed and happy”.
Image courtesy of Smells Like Canada.
Replacing hand soaps in the main bathroom, ensuite, or powder room is another great way to bring Srping fragrance indoors. Based in Stittsville, Ontario, French Country Soaps offers many unique soaps (available online) that come in shapes matching their scenets – like fruits and flower petals! The company also makes classic carved soaps shaped like hearts, Celtic knots, and roses, that are also available in gift sets for the perfect house-warming gift.
Professional Tip: Liquid soap for the powder room is now considered a no-no. The current trend is all about displaying one or more petite artisanal soaps in designs so exquisite that your guests may never want to use them.
These 5 simple and cost-effective décor refreshes are great not only for those wanting to reinvigorate their living space, but also those looking for inexpensive and cheerful ways to make their house or condo more marketable; Spring brings a surge of new homebuyers who will appreciate updated, fresh spaces to match the weather outside.
To learn more about the products featured in this article, visit Sico, Urban Barn, The Pillow Shoppe, EverSpring Orchids, Earth Elements Farm Products, Smells Like Canada and French Country Soaps.
Interested in reading about more décor ideas and products to refresh your home? Check out these past canadianrealestatehousingandhome.ca articles:
– Colour Coding Canadians
– Aurora Candles By Canada’s Hartmont Candle Company
– Contemporary Landscapes Woven By Toronto’s Studio Eeuwes
Researched and written by Namrita Kohli, student in the Interior Decorating Certificate Program, George Brown College.