Let there be light
Lighting in a space is so important; with the change in the seasons, natural light can become abundant or equally scarce. Last winter, I wrote the article ‘The light of your life’, which will give you a deeper insight into how to maximise lighting throughout your home all year round.
Windows are used to create natural light in spaces. When considering how you are styling the windows in the home, we consider not only light but energy efficiency. We often add a film on the actual glass, to help the transfer of heat in the hotter months and avoid unwanted glare.
Plantation shutters are an excellent example of a fixture for windows that can easily allow for varying amounts of light, whilst helping the home remain energy efficient. I personally love curtains; in a bedroom, for example, I would consider a sheer blind or curtain, with a much heavier blockout curtain layered next.
Designing with fabrics for four seasons
When we consider fabrics for the home, we need to ensure that they are suitable all year round for the climate. Wool is a beautiful fabric, but as much as it would be wonderful in winter, it certainly wouldn’t be welcome in the summer months. So it’s best to find fabrics that would work in different temperatures, so the home is consistent all year. In the winter months, that’s when it is time to add a wool throw to the lounge or outdoor settings for comfort and warmth.
Tips for the seasons
Our first tip when you are designing your home – do things at the start of the design process that you can’t add afterwards. A great example of this is underfloor heating. Interior design is not just how a home looks, but also how the space works for the people living there. By considering elements such as underfloor heating for beneath the tiles in the bathroom, or beneath a carpet in the living space, you can ensure that the design is not aesthetically pleasing, but practical throughout the year.
Autumn
Things are getting cozy. If your house has warm colours, you’ll see them highlighted this time of year (tans, greens, browns, taupes). There’s no need for bright lights on an evening, so why not light a candle. Candles can create a unique ambience in space, whilst filling the air with appropriate scents for the season.
Winter
Think adding extra blankets and throws, down duvets or even an electric blanket. If you have a fireplace, it’s now time to light it. I prefer natural or gas fireplaces, as I don’t like smoke inside of the house (although I don’t mind in an outdoor fireplace). Even when they’re not in use, fireplaces can make a stunning feature of your space (inside or outside) throughout every month of the year.
In the spring then you can remove the heavy blankets and replace them with light throws for decoration purposes. And in summer, relax in the natural light pouring through your windows on the fabrics that feel comfortable. Change your candles to lighter airy fragrances, that suit the changing scents of the spring and summer flowers outside.
Speaking of flowers…
A trick to change the look and feel of your home suited to the time of year; seasonal flowers. Using seasonal flowers in the home is the perfect way to transition with the seasons and colours of that season. Spring flowers are light/pale colours, whereas Autumn brings coffee colours and deep purples. Australia has some stunning native flowers. Dried native flowers for the home you can enjoy every day, and complement them by adding fresh seasonal flowers periodically.
I hope you enjoyed today’s blog, please let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
seasoning designs are amazing….I really like it very much….
Thank you very much, and thank you for taking the time to comment so generously. Much appreciated.
Regards,
Marylou Sobel