It’s finally spring! The days are getting incrementally longer and the thermometer is slowly but steadily rising. At the cottage, the sound of steady water dripping from the snowmelt is like music to our ears. Before you know it, it’s time for that much-anticipated summer ritual: opening the cottage! After the winter there is always an all-too long checklist of things to do, but as far as decorating goes, there are some simple and relatively inexpensive ways that we can help our cottage transition into the season. It’s all about bringing nature in – and sometimes we just have to help hasten it along when our Northern winter is reluctant to loose its tenacious grip!
TIP #1: This is a good time to start spring bulbs on a warm, sunny windowsill in pretty ceramic or glass pots. Once the flowers finish blooming you can dry the bulbs out to plant outdoors for next season. Glass cloches are great ways to protect more delicate blooms from the lingering chill.
TIP #2: Bring in several large potted plants to bring the outside in. I like the heartier types like a Peace Lily or Areca Palm. Once we’re in mid-summer, I usually pull these out on my deck or patio to help make my outdoor space cozier.
TIP #3: Yellow is a great accent colour for spring. It brings in the colour of sunshine after a long, grey winter. Try painting a bedroom in a shade like Benjamin Moore’s Lemon Sorbet (#2019-60).
If you’re not ready to commit to a whole room, new pillows on your bed are a quick and easy way to liven up your look – like these, from Villa. Layer onto crisp white bedding to add a pop of spring colour to your bedroom. Or add a bright and cozy throw to take off the chill from those spring nights.
TIP #4: A new doormat at your front entrance or in front of your kitchen sink will brighten your first impression of your space. It can also be something as simple as bright new tea towels and pretty hand soap and lotion as a little personal luxury to indulge in. The cottage can smell a little musty after being locked up all winter – try leaving out a new scent diffuser to welcome you back on your spring weekend visits. Or try our new line of soaps and candles, with refreshing smells like Fir, Milk, and Moss.
TIP #5: Lastly, don’t forget to put out a bird feeder to encourage wildlife of a feathered variety to your cottage yard – nothing says spring like the sound of birds chirping!
