Spring. It always seems to take a little extra time to show it’s much anticipated signs here in Wellington, but when we glimpse the first peonies of the season we know it’s finally arrived. And oh how we love peonies, they never disappoint. We could stare at them for hours – the slight variations in colour and texture from pure white to pale pink to deep crimson, rounded petals, ruffled petals…*happy sigh*.
Shaking off the cosiness of the colder months, Spring is a great time to cast an eye (or two…or more!) around your home in preparation for the warmer months. In this month’s blog we’ll run through some Springtime suggestions for sprucing up your interiors, and also showcase a few things we love about this time of year.
Image via icontextiles.co.nz
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, wallpaper is a great way to update or completely transform a space. There are endless gorgeous spring-like wallpapers around. This little number is by Boras Tapeter and comes in three beautiful colourways - Natural, Grey and our fav this striking Green. Wouldn’t it look amazing in a powder room?
Image via Pinterest
It’s easy-peasy lemon-squeezy to give your bedroom a spring update. New bedding is always a treat but just add a new cushion, a throw and some pretty flowers and all of a sudden it’s spring! Blush pink is huge in interiors (and fashion) at the moment and lends itself perfectly to the spring months. It pairs well with grey, green, blue, gold…the list goes on. Plus it’s so pretty and pleasing on the eye, you may just keep it round through all seasons.
Talking of cushions, we recently read a quote saying ‘cushions are like soft toys for adults’ – how brilliant is that? We couldn’t agree more (although Katy has recently been having some ‘time away from cushions’ after picking them up off the floor one too many times!). Cushions are such a great way to give your space a new lease on life and you don’t have to spend a fortune. We approach it a little like we approach fashion – invest in a few beautiful pieces you love, and supplement with some budget friendly options.
Image via becraftyworkshop.com
You could have that fresh spring feeling all year round with a little paint! A new lick of paint really does do wonders for your walls - inside or out, and it’s relatively cheap and easy to do. We love this mix of cool and warm colours; they work perfectly together and would make a beautiful scheme for a girls room. It’s such a pretty feminine spring inspired palette, just bursting with good vibes…right where’s the paint brush!
Image via apartment34.com
As the temperature warms up, we also start thinking about outdoor eating and entertaining. While we might not all be lucky enough to have such a stunning outdoor space as this beautiful spot, it’s worth dusting off the picnic rug, washing the windows and getting rid of any outdoor cobwebs in anticipation of some alfresco eating. We believe that lighting plays a huge part in creating atmosphere inside and out. You don’t have to spend a fortune either - string lights or candles in glass vases are cost effective way to add a touch of magic to your outdoor space.
Image via donnahay.com.au
Asparagus anyone? We love springtime produce! It lends itself perfectly to fresh, lighter meals, rather than the rich, comforting dishes of winter. This recipe for Chicken and Coconut Rice Paper Rolls from the super clever Donna Hay is one of our favourites. Shame it doesn’t feature asparagus but it’s still pretty delicious! And once you have the process down you can play around with the fillings. There are so many delicious combinations. A great vegetarian option is avocado, peach and spinach. Pair these babies with a chilled glass of Pinot Gris, or Gewurtztraminer for the more adventurous, and voila, it’s springtime!
Image via becomingminimalist.com
Spring is a good time to declutter any excess ‘stuff’ that may have crept into your home. We’re not quite converts to the minimalism of the KonMarie method, but we steer away from hoarding as much as we can!
- Do you have piles of magazines that need sorting through, or repurposing as part of a display on a shelf (refer last month’s blog on perfecting the ultimate #shelfie).
- Is some of your crockery chipped, cracked or faded? Perhaps it’s time To update the all important coffee cups?
- How about sorting through that ‘clutter’ drawer we all have? You know the old saying, ‘a place for everything and everything in it’s place’!
- Cupboards can so easily get out of hand – out of sight out of mind! We try to go through ours once a year donating or repurposing what we can and keeping the good stuff in labelled baskets or containers, ready to be used when needed.
- Time to go through your kids toys and donate any they have grown out of. Sometimes we involve the kids in this process…and sometimes the toys just magically disappear (wink emoji).
And that’s a wrap! Thanks for tuning into this months blog, we hope you are suitably inspired to freshen up your interiors and exteriors for the warmer months. Xx Katy and Sarah