by S. Bates

Created on: October 24, 2008

Everyone longs for that first day of sunshine and a short sleeved shirt after the dreary, cold days of winter. Most activities, the past few months, have been inside where it's cozy and warm. Now the warm rays of sunlight, little green sprouts starting to burst through the cool brown earth, fresh, rejuvenating air is drawing everyone outside. The crisp and cool colors of spring are a welcome reminder that there is another dimension to living.

Spring has always given me a since of beginning. Everything is starting new; new leaves are budding out, new flowers are shooting up, new grass is growing, pretty birds are flying collecting twigs and scraps for their nest. Soon, new baby birds will be chirping, everything will be glowing in fresh and crisp colors. These colors make us feel revived and energetic. We like seeing these colors; they make us feel good, light hearted, and full of life. Why limit these colors to just spring?

I love the feeling of being warm and cozy in the winter time, however, having these spring colors around my house always help me from getting the winter blues. That's why I don't save the spring colors for just spring! Cool blues, light yellows, and crisp greens are always good colors to use in at least one room of your home year around.

Spring colors can be used in any room of your home, at any time of the year. You may have a warm glowing fire crackling in the fireplace in the middle of winter. Try using light, cool yellow throw pillows as accents on your couch and chairs. You still have the cozy feeling but the accents add a fresh feeling to the dcor. And they remind of that renewed feeling you get in the spring time.

In bedrooms, where more relaxing colors are desired, use cool blues along with deep, dark navy blues. Throwing in some more light yellow, or crisp green accents, take the dark and dreary edge off and offers a more calming effect to a room that makes you want to linger longer.

In spring months, when the weather is still cool, but the sun radiantly warms floors and rooms, using light colors always gives you thoughts of beaches, flowers, blue skies, and soothing rain showers. It's always easy to add touches of flowers in bright colors to any room of your home.

Textures also play an important role in spring decorating. Using thinly woven fabrics, smooth textured pillows, rugs in woven grasses, help the imagination; thoughts of spring automatically jump out at you. Who can resist the crisp look of white sheets on a freshly made bed?

In climates that have more sunshine than cold, cloudy days, the use of lighter colors is used prolifically. Even though it may be the middle of the winter months, the lighter colors can still be dominant. It sometimes actually tricks your mind into thinking it is warmer outside than it really is. When warm, or hot, weather does arrive, cool color palettes can bring your body temperature down, and cause a calming, soothing effect.

Using cool, light, breezy colors shouldn't be just for the months before summer. They can actually play an important part in mentally keeping you balanced. You don't have to jump from one season into another. Simply keep hints of spring around all year around with subtle touches of color, texture, and even smells. Scents of fresh flowers or new plowed earth wake up everyone's senses.

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