Hey Owlets,
I know it’s only the end of January, but the sunny days and unseasonably warm weather in the UK has me wistfully looking towards the warmer days and desperately wanting to open up the house and make it feel brighter. With this in mind, I’ve been trying to think of some ways to make the house feel refreshed for the seasons ahead - here are a few tips I’ve picked up along the way.
Swap Heavy Fabrics for Lighter Alternatives -
Over winter we fill our homes with cosy fabrics, fluffy blankets and warm lighting to make the cold days and dark nights feel a little more comforting. These heavy fabrics are great for the colder months, but they should be the first thing to be packed away when you’re ready to welcome spring back into your home. Swap the snuggly blankets for a lighter throw - woven throws are a great replacement for the warmer months, but they’re still something cosy to curl up under of an evening. If you’re the kind of person who likes to swap out their cushions with the changing seasons, consider swapping fluffy cushions and velvet textures for lighter textures like cotton.
Change Up Your Lighting -
With the winter months we tend to shy away from bright lights in favour of smaller table lamps and fairy lights in an attempt to make our space feel a little more cosy. With the brighter nights around the corner, it’s time to swap out any lights that make your room feel dark. Cosy lights still have their place in spring and summer - fairy lights are a mainstay of gardens on warmer evenings - but lighter lampshades and brighter bulbs will help to bring the feeling of spring into your home ahead of time.
Adjust Your Colour Palette -
Winter is the time for deep amber, emerald green, burgundy and navy blue tones - the richer colours help to bring a sense of warmth to the colder months. As the days stretch longer, consider either adjusting or completely changing your colour palette. Swap deep amber for lighter mustard or brighter yellow tones, swap navy for a pastel or duck egg blue, and bring in pops of bright colour for a modern and summery feel. Snug have some great colour options at the moment.
Swap Your Artwork -
One of my biggest sources of joy in our house is the artwork. Looking at our travel memories and prints always makes me smile - but have you considered swapping these out during the lighter season? I’ve used a few different print companies in the path - they’re usually delivered in a large cardboard sleeve, so I have a selection of darker and lighter prints, and simply keep the packaging that they were delivered in for storage. The artwork in your space goes a long way to setting the mood, so swapping more wintery scenes for lighter and more summery artwork will make a huge difference with minimal effort.
A Note on Sustainability -
This is only my first year of switching up my decor, partially because I loved our old home so didn’t feel the need to but mainly because I was worried about storage and sustainability. When swapping your cosy blankets for lighter throws, packing your wintery items into a vacuum bag will minimise the amount of space they take up, so they can be easily stored in a cupboard, in the loft or even under the bed. If you want to switch out your cushions, consider buying cushion covers rather than full cushions to minimise the amount of storage space required.
When choosing new items to make your face feel more bright and breezy, try sites like Vinted or eBay or take a walk around your local charity shops. Not only will you be more likely to find something unique, but it’s much more sustainable than buying all new items. If you see something you love that's new from a website or in store then it's perfectly ok to treat yourself, as long as you know it's something you'll appreciate for a long time to come and you make efforts to minimise your consumption.
Love and Feathers,
The Owlet 💛
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