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The change of season is a perfect time to spruce up a home, inside and out.
As Niki Panagiotopoulos, principal designer and founder of Wish Decor Interior Design, sees it, it’s an important ongoing ritual, “a way to re-evaluate your home and keep things that are meaningful to you and make you feel comfortable and safe” while letting go of “any pieces you feel your space has outgrown.”
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It’s also an excuse, she adds, “to experiment with different colours and styles. You may be loving a certain colour palette or interior design trend but are uncertain about committing to it. Seasonal decorating allows you to experiment with these trends on a smaller scale to further help cultivate your home’s style.”
And trading a bit of the old for something new doesn’t have to be expensive. You can start with textiles, says Carmen Ciesielski, director of home furnishing and design at IKEA Canada, pointing to an easy seasonal update. “That includes things like window treatments and pillows, as well as bed linens like duvets and sheets. Consider swapping (some of these) out each season,” she says.
Panagiotopoulos agrees. “Linen and cotton are the preferred fabrics for spring and summer, and a lighter-weight throw in an earthy neutral or bright colour looks great on a sofa, an accent chair or at the foot of a bed,” she says.
She also suggests pulling out colourful dishes or ones that have a botanical motif when serving meals; setting the table with a colourful tablecloth, napkins or placemats; and styling with plenty of fresh foliage. “For outdoor spaces, furniture with light, warm tones and injecting some rattan and bamboo in your furnishings and accessories really help create a relaxed vibe for outdoor entertaining.”
Ciesielski also recommends looking to sustainable options when changing out decor seasonally. IKEA has a new sellback program where IKEA Family members can receive in-store credit for gently used items based on their condition, which passes unwanted furniture on to new owners. She points out that buying second-hand no longer carries a stigma: “In fact, 66 per cent of Canadians find it helps them stay on budget,” she says.
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