Make Sure you are ready for Summer at your place......

Spring in to action for a summer

As the days get longer and warmer (well we can hope J) many of us start to think about Spring Cleaning and giving our homes a new lease of life. As we say goodbye to winter and gear up for a new season, it's the perfect time to purge, clean and re-organize our homes and give everything a good Spring Clean. However, I got to wondering where did the idea of having a deep down clean and clear out come from and it seems this tradition has been with us for quite some time.

Some believe the origins of spring cleaning go back to the ancient Jewish practice of thoroughly cleansing the home in anticipation of the spring-time feast of Passover. Also having a good clean in the spring in anticipation of Easter appears in many religions and nations including the Catholic and Greek Orthodox Church. In fact, in Greece, the first week of lent is referred to as ‘Clean Week.’

For some of us, spring cleaning seems daunting and boring, but it doesn't have to be. I am very much from the Mary Poppins’ school of thought that “In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun,” and changing round your living space and re-organising can make your home feel fresh and new again.

6 Sassy tips to get your interiors spruced up for Summer coming

Prioritise

As a starting point take a pen and paper, stand in each room and close your eyes. When you open them take a look around and quickly write down the 3 objects in the room that visually bother you the most and use that as starting point for re-decorating. By this focusing on the top things to change rather than having a long overwhelming list makes the job of much easier and chances are a theme of what you like and don’t like will start to emerge as you go through each room.

Re-use

We often have things sitting in cupboards and shelves which can easily be re-used and help change a room. White or glass bowls and vases look great on your kitchen table filled with a lemons or and a couple of silk trendy looking jabbers which are daisy-like flowers. Yellow is a very cheerful spring colour and can be co-ordinated through your house easily, using your list of ‘3 things to change’ as a focal point.

Replace dark with light

Removing your dark curtains and blinds and replacing them with light fabrics or consider leaving some windows bare not having for the summer can really make a room look much lighter and fresh for summer.

Perk up with patterns

Add colour and vibrancy into your home with patterned pillows, cushions and seat covers. This spring I have used red, white and cream nautical deckchair type material and re-upholstered my seat covers in my dining room, to give whole room a fresh new look which is bang on trend. Don’t worry if you are not handy with glue gun or sewing machine, you can simply buy new cushions or seat pads instead.

Accessorise

Adding a bold accessory or item of interest can really help get that designer inspired look into your home. A beautiful candlestick or sculpture or unusual vase can all make a feature of a windowsill, coffee table or dresser. These don’t have to be expensive pieces, take look in places such as Next, Marks & Spencer and Dunelm as well as local shops such as the Lakes Home Centre Cockermouth , Ashbridge & Brown Carlisle etc. try local places across the County.

Go potty!

A medley of differing coloured plates and china look great both inside and when eating alfresco. Again these don’t have to be expensive and many second hand shops have some really good buys. Adding spring coloured china can give a pop or much loved colour in the summer as well as a sense of individuality.

Goodbye grey skies hello blue…

If you have read my past e-newsletters and blogs, you will know that blue is the hot new colour for this year. Whereas greys and muted colours have been popular for a few seasons, now the colour of the moment is navy blue. The nautical theme is a key summer look in both homes and on the high street and I have been updating my own kitchen at home. With the addition of some new cushions and accessories to my existing red and white kitchen I have created a fresh on trend navy nautical look with minimal cost.

If you would like some help with refreshing your home, I offer services from helping you pick paints and decluttering to full room and house redecorations. Please check out my website or get in touch by email or calling 01697 320 762 or 07725 246 434.

Anne Sowerby