Embrace the Seasons: 5 Creative Ways to Refresh Your Home Decor
In Colorado, the Vail Valley in particular, we are fortunate enough to experience four distinct seasons. Though some are longer than others, each comes with its own beauty and unique challenges. Admittedly there is nothing I love more than the refreshed sense of inspiration that the start of a new season brings. Whether it's the warmth of summer, the crispness of fall, the coziness of winter or the renewal of spring — here are five creative ways to incorporate seasonal design into your home decor.
1. Color Palette Evolution:
Around late April, the snow is (mostly) gone and a fresh layer of vibrant green grass starts to pop through. The Aspen trees start to bloom and in the lower elevations, the valleys burst into bloom with wildflowers of every color imaginable. It’s truly a breathtaking sight! Everywhere you look new life is springing forth and you can’t help but feel that sense of rebirth.
Just as nature transitions through a spectrum of colors with each season, so too can your home. When it comes to the color palette within your home, I believe in a 60/30/10 approach that fosters intentional choices and easy seasonal changes that will keep your space feeling fresh.
The 60/30/10 method ensures that the colors are balanced and there’s a cohesive flow throughout the space. The rule can be adjusted depending on the style and function of the room, but it generally helps to prevent color from overwhelming the space or feeling too sparse.
Dominate Color
This color serves as the primary backdrop for the room and will occupy about 60% of the space. It’s usually applied to the walls and large accent pieces like area rugs or large sofas. This dominant color sets the overall tone and atmosphere of the room, and it should be a relatively neutral or subdued hue that you won’t tire of easily.
Secondary Color
The secondary color supports the dominant color but provides enough contrast to create visual interest. It should take up about 30% of the color used in your room. This can include drapery, accent chairs, bedding, or an accent wall. The secondary color should complement the dominant color but be distinct enough to give the room a sense of depth and variety.
Accent Color
This final color adds a pop of personality and flair, taking up about 10% of the color in the room. It’s often found in accessories like throw pillows, artwork, decorative items, and small pieces of furniture. The accent color can be bolder or more vibrant, providing a visual spark that draws the eye and ties the whole design together.
If you follow this method when it comes to your seasonal design approach, your dominant colors will always remain on your larger items like the wall color and upholstered furniture season after season with your secondary colors changing on smaller items like bedding, rugs and draperies. Where the biggest change will happen is in the accent colors found in throw blankets, artwork and decorative items.
Try these suggestions next season:
Switch out a few of your smaller throw pillows on your couch or chairs to include the accent color reminiscent of that season. I am loving Pantone’s Peach Fuzz mixed with a pale Sage Green as we head into warmer months.
For vases, change them from darker hues or wood tones in the Fall/Winter for lighter or glossier versions in the Spring/Summer. Add in some fresh greenery, and floral accents to bring that life into your home!
When it comes to the linens on your bed, you may not want to change everything out. By simply subbing your white, ivory or a soft pastel set in the Spring/Summer with a warmer, more cozy color come Fall/Winter, your space will automatically feel transitioned.
2. Textiles & Fabrics:
Changing out your textiles and fabrics based on the season is a great way to adapt your home decor to the changing weather and create a space that feels comfortable and inviting year-round. Changing out your throw pillows and blankets is a quick and easy way to adapt to the changing seasons, but don’t forget about the table runners, napkins on your table or the hand towels in the bathroom.
Here are more ways to use your textiles to reflect the season:
In the Spring and Summer, replace heavy winter fabrics with fresh and airy options such as cotton, linen, and lightweight knits. Pick patterns like soft florals and pinstripes that keep the space feeling fresh and airy.
In the Fall and into the Winter, as the weather is cooling down, switch out those lightweight fabrics for cozy, warm textiles such as wool blends, faux furs and nubby boucles. Choose textiles in earthy tones and rustic patterns to evoke the cocoon-like atmosphere that's perfect for snuggling up on chilly nights.
By changing your textiles and fabrics based on the season, you can create a space that feels comfortable, inviting and perfectly suited to the weather and mood of each time of year.
3. Nature-Inspired Elements:
Bring the beauty of the outdoors inside by incorporating natural elements into your decor. Most of the time these can be found in your own backyard so keep a watchful eye! Finding treasures in nature during your travels adds another layer of meaning when decorating and they can transport you right back to the place you first discovered them.
Every Fall our family goes on a camping trip to Palisade, Colorado. The Colorado River runs right along the campsite and depending on how slow the river is running, we usually are able to take our chairs down to the bank and plop them right into the warm water. Last year while enjoying the sunset, I watched a perfect piece of driftwood come floating down and stop right in front of me. It was like it had made an amazing journey from somewhere unknown just for me. I originally took it up to the campsite to inspect it a bit closer and finally, I decided it had to come home with me. There was something about its twisted shape that was so mysterious and beautiful. Now, I have it sitting on our shelf in our den and it reminds me of Palisade and all the many more family camping trips I look forward to taking.
Other trinkets from nature make beautiful decor, keep an eye out for these:
Layer shells, of all sizes, in a large, clear decorative vase that you find while on vacation and use it as a book end.
In the fall and winter, pinecones instantly fill in large centerpieces, or even look beautiful placed in a bowl surrounding a candle. Add some sticks of cinnamon to engage all the senses.
Throughout the year, grab your gardening shears and walk around your yard. I am always amazed how beautiful some weeds are. Bunch them together with some grasses and you have a lovely bouquet to scatter around your house.
Pro Tip: In the Spring when the trees start to drop their pine cones, gather them up and store them in your garage for your wintertime decor.
4. Set the Scene with Scent:
Engage all the senses by introducing seasonal scents into your home. Light candles or diffuse essential oils with fragrances that evoke the essence of each season, such as:
Citrus and floral scents for spring and summer
Warm spices for fall
Woodsy or pine scents for winter.
Not only will these scents enhance the ambiance of your home, but they can evoke fond memories and create a cozy atmosphere.
Some of my fondest memories as a child are Christmastime when my mom would put a large pot of cinnamon apple cider on the stove. I don’t even know if we really ever drank much of it or if it was mainly for the smell but that fragrance tells me it’s Christmas and time to start decorating the tree!
Candles and room sprays are also a favorite memento I like to bring home from a trip. And while not all scents have to be tied to a certain season, they have a way of transporting you back to the place you first experienced them.
While on my most recent trip to Paris in October for my daughter’s school break, the weather was just starting to feel crisp, making Paris even more magical. I will never forget walking from one side of the city to the other, watching my daughter skip through the streets holding a giant baguette and I myself getting to experience the city for the first time (again) through her eyes. One of my favorite places to dine is the restaurant inside Hotel Costes. The ambiance is filled with dark wood, velvets and real taper candles scattered amongst the intimate tables. You are instantly welcomed with the most amazing scent of what could only be described as old-world mahogany, orange and some kind of spice, which I now know to be paprika. When I found out you could bring home this amazing smell, I knew any time I sprayed it, I would be taken back to Paris in the fall and that special trip.
5. Rotate Art and Decor:
Keep your decor fresh and dynamic by rotating small art pieces, textiles, and decorative accents with the changing seasons. Shadow box frames make it easy to switch out art and photographs based on what is inspiring you that season.
Also, most smart TV’s allow you to upload your own images or there are many subscription services that allow you to rent their images on a monthly basis. Projecting a snow-top mountain will instantly get you ready for winter or seeing a palm tree-lined street will bring the beach to your front door.
Here are a few Pro Tips for Rotating Your Decor :
Have a large storage bin labeled for each season that makes the rotation of items easy and allows you to not forget about something. (I can’t even count the number of times I’ve put something in the back of a closet and then found it right after the season.)
Look for throw pillows that have zip off covers so that you only have to store the seasonal covers instead of the entire pillow, it saves big on space.
By embracing a seasonal design approach, you can transform your home into a dynamic and ever-changing reflection of the natural world around you. One that feels welcoming to dwell in. Whether you're seeking warmth and coziness or freshness and vitality, there are endless opportunities to infuse your home decor with the beauty and essence of each season.
So go ahead, let the seasons inspire you, and refresh your home with creativity and imagination!
Need a second opinion?
If you’re still not quite sure how to make seasonal shifts in your home decor I’m happy to help! And if you’re not located in or near the Vail Valley then we can certainly consider a Virtual Design day.
