KATHY'S HOME & GARDEN TIPS - LIGHTEN UP, IT'S SPRING!
Can you feel the weather getting warmer and the days getting longer? Spring!
At our home, we're cleaning up the yard, fertilizing the grass and planting flowers. If you're a true plant person (you grow your plants from seeds), your plants have already emerged in your pots in the house.
If you're like me, you are planning the vegetable garden and deciding how many flowers you need.
And yet, sometimes we forget about bringing Spring into the house. Below are some great ideas to bring the sunshine and warmth which will help you really get into the spirit of this wonderful season.
- Remove any winter type of décor, such as heavy afghans.
- Simply changing heavy fabric sofa pillows for flowery light fabric ones adds a great touch.
- Buy new bed linens. My taste is a little more traditional but you can't go wrong with crisp white eyelet sheets and bed skirt with pastel or flower spread and accent pillows.
- Let the sun in! Remove the heavy drapes from your windows, blinds are sufficient for warm weather.
- If you really like window treatments, there are many options and range from pleated shades to simple fabric draped and gathered at the corners above the window.
- Add plants (it is Earth Day after all). Ferns seem to especially give the feeling of spring and summer. If you can't seem to keep the real ones alive, go for silk. The fake varieties are difficult to tell from real ones.
- Don't forget the kitchen and/or dining room table. Again, go for classics like white and light green plates and napkins. While you're at it, use clean simple patterns in cutlery.
- Since you're doing the kitchen, you may as well lighten up dinner menus too. Grill (finally!) lean meats and vegetables, pair with salads.
- Nothing says spring and summer like flowers. Buy fresh cut flowers and spread the bouquet around the house, putting a few stems in several bud vases.
- For a more chic look, float two or three blossoms in a cut glass bowl. If you change the water every day the blossoms will last a long time.
Spring has sprung! Join in!
KATHLEEN WEAVER-ZECH & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
