As the season shifts from winter to spring, your home’s outlook should reflect the freshness of the season.  Put away the candles and the coziness of pillows and fireside logs to make way for longer days of sunshine.  Cut branches of forsythia, quince and pussy willow to force in vases inside for simple floral arrangements.   Clear your tabletops and shelves of excess.  You may find new places for accessories and small furnishings when you strip away the items that have become commonplace to you.  It will give you an uncluttered, fresh approach to spring; perhaps even prompting you to try a fresh new paint color for rooms that have grown “tired”.  Keep things alive and changing.

Investing in well-chosen furnishings and fabrics has never been more relevant than in this current economy.  Furniture and items for the home should never be chosen as “temporary” or “disposable”.   Furnishings can truly last a lifetime; the same thing applies to artwork and accessories.  A well-made chair or sofa can always be reupholstered, furniture that you may tire of can always be moved to a new location (basement or family room), and you can pass fine furniture on through generations.  It is always best to purchase the finest you can afford.  It may seem like a steep price initially, but consideration should be made for the lifelong value.  And, think of how often people drop exorbitant amounts on a pair of shoes or another handbag (only to tire of them by the end of the season). Don’t forget to give your home equal respect.

Attention to detail in the fabrication of fine window treatments is key to every design project with “Nina at Home”

Properly scaled furnishings are key to good design.

Original artwork lends sophistication, style and personality to a home.  Starting a collection need not be intimidating (nor does it have to be expensive).  Visit local galleries (they are plentiful in Bucks County, PA) and find what interests you.  If you choose artwork that you love, your collection will grow over time and your personality will be expressed within it.