Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Heart and Home is Fresh For Spring !



Hello everyone. Thanks for visiting! If you're here for Transformation Thursday, I hope you'll take a look around, and then go read my Wednesday Gratitude post from yesterday (scroll down or go here). It's a little thank you note to all of you! Also, remember to leave me a comment.  I read each one and  love to know who came visiting!

Do you have Spring Fever?  I do! I get it every year. I start feeling restless, and I want to mix things up a little. It helps motivate me to get some things done around here!  So, I'll be celebrating Spring all month long, and showing you different projects as I complete them. Last week I switched things around in the living room, to freshen up for the sunnier days ahead. This is what the room looked like for most of the winter:




I had thick, soft tapestry covers on the pillows, lots of warm throws, and a wool rug thrown on for extra warmth and color. With a fire burning the room felt very cozy on cold days.


When we turned the clocks forward I knew it was time to renew and refresh! I threw the windows open, let the fresh breezes in, and got busy! I like to change the color scheme of the room with just the quick switch of a few slipcovers and accessories. I made these white and blue pillow slipcovers a few years ago. I bring them out every year when winter has ended. I popped them on every pillow I could find, and then plumped them up so they would be nice and comfy. They're all down filled, so they are soft! 

Here's the room in a very minimal Blue and White (well, mostly white!):





The new slipcovered chair is working out great! It's really comfortable, and a great spot to put up my feet to read and relax. I brought in an extra lamp, and moved the little triangle, three legged table to this side of the room.


I removed the throw rug and some of the accessories too, just to make it feel a little lighter and brighter in here. There's a  wicker "butler's tray" on a stand next to the sofa, that holds books and the lamp. I use the stand as a side table, since there's no butler in sight around here, unfortunately! It was used as the "coffee table" in here for a long time, until I moved the trunk in.



The white metal tray corrals some of my favorite magazines. I have to recycle pilesof them every couple of months, or the house would be taken over by them. It's bad enough to have stacks of books everywhere! But that problem will soon be taken care of with my next project...stay tuned!



All the little tweaks add up to a subtle change,  just enough to feel "Springy" in here! We don't live a "fancy" life, so this is not a fancy room - all the light colored slipcovers on the loveseat and chairs go in the wash and can be bleached, feet go up on the trunk, the dog and cats sit on the furniture. This room (like every room in our home) is filled with mementos, books, candles - things we love.  




We gather in here to sit and talk, or play games, or to eat dessert after big family dinners. The steps down into the room are a great place to sit when we have extra people over! I like to use all the rooms in my house, and I try not to worry too much about things getting messed up! Because we do live here, after all. For us, this works!



Awhile back, I cut a few branches from the downed Japanese Maples (more about that disaster, here!), and put them into a tall vase. They were just bare branches, I didn't know if I could force any growth but thought they might bud eventually. I thought I'd bring some Spring inside!

Look what happened after two weeks:


Spring growth! Pretty little maple leaves and blossoms, the final blooming of this tree! The vase sitting in front of the fireplace makes it look less dark and cold. Like the daffodils in vases in different rooms of my home, those green leaves make me smile every time I walk by. Do you have any special things you like to do to your decor to bring Spring in?

Have a great day, blog friends! I hope you'll come back soon for another visit. Why don't you join Heart and Home for Wednesday Gratitude sometime? I would love to have you at the party.

Until next time,
XO
Heidi

Go check out these other fun blogs! I'm linking to Transformation Thursday at  Shabby Chic Cottage, Thrifty Thursday at Tales from Bloggeriteville, Show and Tell Friday at My Romantic Home, Beautiful Life Friday at The Inspired Room and Finer Things Friday at Amy's Finer Things.  I'm such a party-hopper!! Thank you one and all, ladies!

26 comments:

Jemsmom said...

Wow!! Those few changes really made it so light and bright! I have to get my tail in gear and get some spring going on in the house! My trees are budding and azaleas are blooming! It was 77 degrees today so we hit the beach and had a ball! The housework will wait!!

Jemsmom said...

BTW... you would never see those Eiffel Towers again if Jemma came to visit! I have those exact ones and they are now in her room!

Rose H (UK) said...

What a great spring time room. The changes though subtle make quite a change. You've given me the motivation to have a go here too -thank you :o)

Kim @ Savvy Southern Style said...

Heidi, I see you are lightening up things, too. I love your fitted slips you made. I wish I could do that, but will settle for the loose ones for now. Hope you come by again some time.

Kim

Keetha Broyles said...

It's beautiful!

cjvierow said...

Hi Heidi--Like the changes you've made. It looks so nice and fresh--but it looked great before, too. How wonderful you were able to force some of the branches from the Japanese maples. They are such pretty trees. When I live in CA I had a laceleaf maple which I loved. It didn't make it here in Utah--sniff--but maybe someday I'll get the chance to have another. With spring here, you'll have quite a time redoing what was destroyed by the falling 'grannie' tree. What a great opportunity to make changes if you had any in mind. Maybe some Japanese laceleaf maples would like to live with you again!
Have fun! CJ

Debbiedoos said...

So fresh and bright and cheery! Amazing what slip covers can do....I enjoyed the gratitude post yesterday very much. It made my Mom feel great too! I hope to see you again soon:)

Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings... said...

Great spring changes Heidi...
Fresh and clean...Happy to!
There...now don't you just feel better!!!!
xoxo~Kathy @ Sweet Up-North Mornings...

vignette design said...

Your house looks Spring ready Heidi! I love all your white slipcovered furniture and the blue pillows lighten everything up. It's a little bittersweet to think of those branches being forced for Spring from your fallen Japanese Maple. It's like the last hurrah for that poor tree. They look gorgeous in that vase in front of the fireplace.

Cavaliers Corner said...

Hi Heidi, I love the changes you've made for Spring. It's Autumn in our part of the world but since we live in the tropics it's still very warm. I love to make colour changes with the seasons too and love neutral colours for that reason. I absolutely love that cream tray you use for your magazine and have been looking for exaclty that for ages now. I've seen oval ones, rounds ones, small square ones but nothing big enough for my magazine collection. Please share with me where did you source it? Thanks

Lori E said...

This is a very inviting room. My MIL always had clippings of some sort on her table. Mostly flowers but often she would have some branches of whatever her yard or landscaper husband would have lying around.
They were so unexpected but pretty when they opened up their leaf buds and the bark on the branches was so cool.

Marty@A Stroll Thru Life said...

Isn't it wonderful how just a few changes in pillows and accessories can change the look and feel of the whole room. Your home is gorgeous and your changes are fabulous. Looks like spring to me. Hugs, Marty

Unknown said...

Heidi,
Everything is just beautiful. Primarily because it has been put together with love, and that shows.
What a warm and welcoming home you have! Tea would be nice...

Unknown said...

I like the changes you made. Very fresh for spring. The slipcovers and pillow fabrics are lovely. I also really like your chest for a coffee table.

Teresa @ Grammy Girlfriend said...

Love the changes....I would love to join you on Wednesdays. Will you remind me early next week...I would also love to tell about your blog to my readers...Hope that is Ok...

Cindy said...

It looks great! I love your blue and white pillows!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

It all looks so Spring fresh! I need to take the time to do a little fluffing and puffing around here.
Enjoy your weekend.

Sandi@ Rose Chintz Cottage said...

Just lovely, Heidi! Love the blue and white pillows. Very fresh for Springtime. Thanks for sharing.

Blessings,
Sandi

Crystal said...

I completely agree about bringing spring inside! Even small changes can brighten your spirits. Good job!

Glenda/MidSouth said...

Me again! :) Thanks for stopping by. Actually the store was not hard to make. i used left over pieces of balsa(?) wood from a previous doll house project to make shelves & used a glue gun to put them in, then brushed on some dark stain to make it look old. I have made a few things, however I did not make any of little minis in this project. I had been accumulating minis for many years before I actually did anything with them. Always buy on sale, estate sale, etc.

Low Tide High Style said...

Your room looks like it's all set for warmer weather! I love the blue and white pillow covers and how fresh and pretty everything is! I love rearranging and cleaning out each spring!

Kat :)

Wanda Lee said...

I love this! Such a fresh look and that blue and white is so fresh and lovely!..,

Do pop by for a visit!

Cheers from Wanda Lee @ The Plumed Pen

Acanthus and Acorn said...

Love all the blue and white pillows and the branches! Just those two things alone make such a pretty spring welcome!

Amy @ Finer Things said...

So pretty. I'd have to visit WITHOUT my children, though. ;)

The Single Nester said...

What a warm and lovely room! Great job!

Jane said...

Your home is just beautiful and I love the light and airy feeling you have achieved for Spring. I particularly love that you were able to get the Japanese maple to bloom...what a wonderful gift for your family to enjoy those final blooms.

Glad I found your blog, by the way. I know I will enjoy catching up on your posts!