This past fall I did a post on decorating with nature and finding ways to bring the outdoors, in. Since this theme can continue on throughout all the seasons, I thought it would be good to cover how you can give the illusion of bringing spring, or even just the fresh feeling of it, indoors this year as well.
Clean Windows:
One of the best ways to brighten up a room and give the illusion of bringing the outdoors in, is by getting all of your windows, inside and out, cleaned. When windows are crystal clear, it gives off the feeling that almost nothing is between you and the outdoors.
Around season changes you can usually find great deals on window cleaning services, but if you want to tackle cleaning the windows in your home all on your own, below is a simple formula for a great window cleaning solution.
Ammonia and Vinegar Cleaning Solution:
Ammonia is great for breaking apart grime and vinegar eliminates streaks. Mix together and put in a spray bottle:
- 2 quarts of warm water
- two cups of rubbing alcohol
- 1/2 cup ammonia
- 1/4 cup vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of hand dishwashing detergent.
Fresh Linens:
Who doesn’t love the feeling of cuddling into a bed full of fresh, lovely smelling linens? I know I do! A lot of the time we don’t realize how worn out our sheets and pillow cases are, until we purchase new ones.
If your linens are fairly new, and don’t need replacing, you can simply give them a once-over with a slightly scented linen spray after the wash. This will give your sheets a light, beautiful smelling aroma for a few days.
Fresh Flowers & Potted Plants:
Of course we can’t talk about bringing spring indoors without mentioning fresh flowers and greenery. Both lend themselves wonderfully to any sort of display.
The best part about nature, is that you can choose how much or how little you want to incorporate into your space. A single flower and a stem of unopened blooms, or a small potted tree. There are so many natural elements to use during springtime, that the sky’s the limit. Greenery helps to anchor spaces and give them a warm, natural feel. Florals add pops of color and can do wonders for softening an area that you may feel is a little too dark or masculine.
Terrariums & Herbs Gardens:
A hot new trend that showed up everywhere last year was terrariums. They’re basically like mini gardens, usually inside of a glass orb, jar or dome. Depending on what sort of greenery you use in your terrarium, these interesting, natural displays can last for months, with just a little water and sunlight.
Nicole from Making it Lovely has a great tutorial for creating your own terrarium, along with tips and tricks on how to care for them.
Herbs, planted in small pots indoors is another easy, inexpensive way to bring natural elements into your home. Instead of tossing your fresh herbs into a plastic baggie after a trip to the grocery store, display them in a pretty jar by your sink or on the kitchen table. They can serve both purposes of decor and function.
Finding ways to bring the essence of the outdoors inside this spring really isn’t difficult. All you need to do is think about what your favorite parts of spring are, and then try to incorporate a few of those into your own home.
