A Living Room for All Seasons

Let the changes in the seasons inspire your living spaces. Making decorative changes as the seasons evolve is fun and keeps your living room looking fresh, inviting and news. Neutral colors on the walls and in major pieces of furniture and flooring make it easy to bring in seasonal color and interest by changing accessories and wall decorating art. Think about the areas of your living room that draw the most attention: If the room features a fireplace, the mantle is an obvious choice for high-impact decorative accents. But even changing little things like pillow, throws, and candles can make the room more in step with any season.

All text copyright Relica. Photo from Flikr - "Living room" courtesy of Advait Supnekar.

Autumn in the Air

Autumn beckons with cooler temperature, crisp blue skies, and dramatic foliage in burning reds and golds. Autumn also sets the introduction for the sequence of holidays starting with Labor Day and running through Halloween and Thanksgiving. The dramatic change in color outside your window can be reflected in shades like pumpkin, russet, acorn brown and paprika and easy-touch textures like brushed wool and chenille that add comfort against the advent of cooler temperature and shorter days. Add a warm area rug under the coffee table for an extra layer of seasonal contentment. Mantle décor can include arrangements that feature fall leaves, gourds and pumpkins, acorns and apples, and seed heads and leaf wall art can add an appropriate seasonal touch to the walls.

Settling in for Winter

As Thanksgiving comes and goes, prepare your living room for the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Evergreen and cranberry are the colors that come immediately to mind, but a sophisticated palette of white, ice blue and silver is another way to celebrate the season. Shimmering blue fabrics in pillows, throws and curtain fabric trims look iridescent against white walls and pale neutral furniture; add pale neutral cable knit or cashmere throws for warm, cozy texture. Bring in lots of glass and crystal accents to mimic the sparkle of snow outside your window and swap out the painting above the fireplace for an elegant wall mirror and set out a dramatic array of candles in sparkling crystal holders. Scents like pine, cranberry, cinnamon, peppermint or gingerbread can be introduced in candles or potpourri. Simple bare branches in floor vases and urns reflect the stark beauty outside.

All text copyright Relica. Photo from Flikr - "The Tree" courtesy of Ingorrr.

Welcome Spring!

Daffodils and tulips, bunnies and chicks bring lighthearted cheer after the dullness of winter. Pale yellows and greens, lavenders, light blues and pinks take center stage in crisp, lighter weight fabrics showcasing a mix of stripes, polka dots, checks and plaids. Bring in the heady scent of hyacinth with candles and pots of spring blooms and fill vases on the mantle with forced forsythia blooms. Clean the windows and swap out heavier drapes for light hued linen or cotton. Lamps, candlesticks, decorative finials and accessories in off-white painted finishes give the whole room a fresh-as-springtime appeal.

Lazy Summer Days

Take your cues from your favorite summer locale: Beach and cottage appeal is underscored by shades of sand, turquoise and coral. Country homes come alive with pops of cherry red or tomato red against white and crisp blue or grassy green. Scents like lemon, honeysuckle, vanilla and sea breeze are favorites for candles and potpourris and lightweight cool cotton fabrics in cabana stripes, classic ticking, or bold summer florals keep the living room cool on hot summer days. Dark area rugs can be swapped out for natural sisal and cool canvas off-white slipcovers are the perfect summer choice for lightening up darker furniture fabrics or contributing to a cool and breezy atmosphere.

All text copyright Relica. Photo from Flikr - "Casa De Los Arboles" courtesy of waywuwei.