Inspired Spaces...Bring on Spring!!
I really do cherish my weekends at home as they're few and far between. Some gal pals were coming to visit last weekend, but due to some crazy weather, we had to cancel our plans (insert sad face here). With the change in plans, I thought I'd take advantage of my time at home to freshen up the space a bit and start bringing in some Spring.
February is such a 'funky' month....we're well into winter, have snow up to our knees, the fun and festivities of the holidays are long over and we see Spring starting to pop up in fashion and decor. All of the bright and airy Spring looks and pieces have us yearning for warm sunshine filled days, green grass, patios and flowers. Seeing as I don't see green grass or drinks on a patio happening any time soon, the way I like to start bringing Spring into my home is through flowers. Tulips happen to be one of my favs and they're in abundance right now...and...they're oh so reasonably priced! When you can find them for $10 a dozen, I can't think of a more chic, fun and cheap way to insert some Spring and colour into your home!
I also like to turn to magazines for inspiration, especially this time of year, because part of the February Funk also can bring with it a bit of a lack of inspiration. It's a transitional time when it comes to fashion and decor...we want to bring out all the light and airy Spring pieces, but they seem out of place with snow still on the ground. I find turning to magazines helps with finding that balance right now and I owe a huge THANK YOU to House and Home Magazine for the article, A Study In Contrasts, in their March 2015 issue. The kitchen designed by Barbara Purdy and Olivia Botrie on pages 84-87 is the epitome of my dream kitchen! Every...single...detail and element from the exposed beams, to the colour palette, to the cabinetry, that island (swoon), the windows, the pantry (those doors)....EVERYTHING is absolute perfection.
When it came time to freshen up my sideboard, I pulled my colour scheme from the pantry in this article...the muted, earthy tones...the creams, beiges, mochas, straw, winter white, light wood tones. These colour and tones are a great transitional colour scheme for this time of year. They're still warm and cozy, but have a lighter and more airy feel to them too.
The final product is very simple and has a natural, earthy feel to it. The grapevine wreath I made from vines in my backyard adds a bit of whimsy, the antique postal scale a dear friend gave me adds a sentimental and historical touch, the feathered wreath from Hive of Bayfield adds softness, the golden metallic tea light holders from The Garage add some *bling* and the oil cans from The Aberfoyle Antique Market add something unexpected and industrial. They all come together in a muted, rustic chic way to slowly start to welcome in Spring.
I hope you can take some time today (it's a holiday here in Ontario) and read through some magazines and get inspired. Go down to your basement, open up some dusty boxes of home decor items and see what you can bring into your home to welcome Spring. Oh....and don't forget to treat yourself to some flowers!
I arrived home yesterday to a beautiful bunch of tulips from a great friend! Talk about a wonderful Galentine's Day! I can now spend the day relaxing, enjoying my space and continuing to get inspired!
Cheers to inspiration, great design, friendship, Spring and fresh flowers!