Friday, April 15, 2011

Revamp Your Seasonal Decor for a Fresher Look


                  With the ugly economic threats losing some steam this year, it’s time to revamp and rev-up our seasonal décor.  I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to see some all-out displays of seasonal joy!  For the past few years, it seems like the months disappear, having disregarded any visual explanations of the time of year. 
                  This year will be different.  2011 is newness.   We are now ready to celebrate the changing times, hoping for the positive turnarounds we have associated with this new year.  Mind you, we are going all-out, but the previous desire for “cutesy” and super bright colors have waned. 
                  BIG and BOLD is still ‘it’, but after the past few years, we want to feel the true essence of the seasons, their essential meanings of renewal, of time passed and time to come, their ebb and flow, which naturally guides us.  And I say “naturally”.
                  For instance, take the obviously natural color of green.   Green is a fantastic color because it ranges so widely in its varying shades and values, and by grouping several elements of green together along with other pieces that represent Mother Nature, well, Hello Spring!   And this also provides your semi-blank canvas that can have other colors and objects interchanged within it to represent the changing seasons, or your mood, whichever comes first.  Warm flora-inspired tones of red and orange partnered with a dash of pure blues will psychologically enhance our giddiness for the summer season, allowing us to forget the heat and enjoy the sunshine. 
                  This trend of portraying the essential nature of the season will surely extend through 2012, as we must make up for the recent “décor-ignore” we’ve experienced.  Be ready to start fresh, knowing that with each season, we will gain a real awareness of the time, a positive outlook, and ultimately, we will possess a true gratitude for the seasons to come.

Article by: Sally Evans (as seen in the Home & Garden insert in last Sunday's paper)