Seasonal nesting
Studio Home design blogger Julia Atkinson-Dunn shares some ideas on how to create a home that responds to the changing seasons.
The only interior design book in our house when I was growing up was The Seasonal Home by Kristin Perers. The author offered a really rustic and romantic set of decoration ideas around transforming our homes in reaction to the changing seasons. It was bursting with changeable linen loose covers on sofas and open fires with artfully crumbling plaster surrounds. I mean, it looked stunning, but, alas, we don’t live in Italy.
Aside from some of the inspiration the book offered, the actual concept of having a reshuffle and rotation of my homely contents for each season is actually very appealing.
As Kristin states: ‘Let what’s going on outside influence what’s going on inside.’
We all feel the itch for a Spring Clean, but have you considered a deliberate Autumn Nest? I believe a level of this happens with little consideration! Coats and gumboots start fighting for space at the back door and log burners change from a great spot for a pot plant to the human, pet and clothes drying centre of the universe.
Speaking from experience, as the resident of a charming, but freezing Christchurch villa, interior furnishings have both a physical and psychological warming effect. With this in mind, I started pondering some more ideas to shift our spaces from static to seasonal, just like Mother Nature.
Seasonal styling ideas for your home
+ Just as we start reaching to the bottom drawer for our cosy jersey and favourite pair of jeans, perhaps we should allow our living areas to do the same! Instead of having blankets and throws out on your sofa all year round, why not file them away until you really need them. Replace a light linen or cotton one with a thick woolly one for frosty nights. It does its job and visually looks cosier because of its texture.
+ Instead of replacing that white linen duvet cover why not slowly gather a range of bedlinen choices that reflect the feeling of each season. Keep your lights and brights for the summery months and swap out for deeper tones, plush velvets and chunky texture to layer for the cooler ones. Let’s face it: a heavy winter bed is a good winter bed.
+ Take stock of how you use your rooms differently each season. Perhaps your sofa could move in front of that sliding door to capture the lower winter sun, then back again to make way for your summer foot traffic. Maybe you can position your armchair with more of a focus on the fireplace this season, to turn its back on it for a sunnier aspect later in the year.
+ Just as we recognise the arrival of spring with the first bunch of bright yellow daffs on the table, why not instil some year-round symbols of the season. The autumn months offer us big branches of golden leaves, rose hips and seed heads, all of which can be just as enticing to display as summer blooms. Over winter have go growing hyacinth bulbs on a bright sill using a special bulb vase. It’s addictive to watch the process!
