I never really considered myself a person who changes their home according to seasons – it all sort of happens organically. In the winter, my white faux throw goes on the bed, simply because it’s difficult keeping an older home warm and my feet get cold. In the Spring, I want to cover every available surface with flowers and greenery because spending time outdoors makes me feel good and I want to bring that feeling inside as well. It’s not planned or strategised, it just sort of happens.
And so when the temperatures rose this weekend and for the first time, we were able to leave the doors open for the kitties to run in and out and to lazily take our drinks outside to soak up those desperately-missed rays, I decided I needed some flowers. Off I trotted to my local florists and then realised, rather foolishly, that all the prices had been jacked up because it was Mother’s Day on Sunday. Bad timing really especially with the selection of overpriced bouquets on offer for those who’d waited until the last moment to treat dear ol’ mum, but I pulled up my big girl knickers and chose a few inexpensive bits to dress up my dining room.
I’d realised in doing so that my vignettes needed a serious refresh, not really having been touched since around January so I played around with a few bits and changed some items – this sort of ‘faffing’ as Wayne likes to call it is probably one of my favourite ways to give a room a little boost without having to really spend much money and it makes it feel fresh to my eyes again.
That little gold lidded pot I’d purchased in the sales in H&M about a month ago. There’s nothing even in it but I’m a bit of a magpie when it comes to gold (it says it’s copper on the website but trust me, I know gold when I see it and this is definitely gold).
I used some inexpensive greens along with a few spray carnations (don’t underestimate the carnation, they are lovely flowers, honestly) for a shot of bright pink and lime.
I moved my Dragon tree plant from the side of the console over to the window along with my succulent that used to sit on my kitchen window sill. Since then, it’d gotten way too big so I need to repot it (at the moment, the smaller pot is just sat inside the bigger one – another little thing I should have gotten to this weekend!). So I moved them both near my window on my little nest of tables from Zara Home which used to sit in my living room.
The mantle of course couldn’t be neglected. I went a little mad on that one with big tall crazy arrangements flanking either side. The florist told me what that big pinky flower was in the middle but I’ve sadly forgotten it’s name (sorry) and I used eucalyptus and those same spray carnations in my blue and white jars.*
*Update: I’ve just been informed it’s called a Protea. Thank you, Laura! :)
My elephants are all marching in a little line now which I quite like (like a momma and her babies! Aww!) and resting behind my little elephant family, the Evenings in Quito side plates from Anthropologie I’d received from Wayne for Christmas.
I took the curtains down ages ago with a new kitten running around but now that she’s getting a little older, I could probably put them back, I just didn’t really want to block all that glorious sunshine.
Speaking of stripping back, I normally show the table with a tablecloth but I do remove it on occasion – one of these days I’m going to have to treat myself to a new dining table but spending the money when I don’t actually need one seems a bit superfluous – not that that’s ever stopped me before, mind you… I’ve been keeping my beady eyes on eBay for something fabulous but no joy just yet.
For now, a simple tray with a little pot of flowers and yet another lidded pot from H&M brightens it up.
The sideboard got a bit of a change around as well although I’m less happy with the arrangement than I am with my other vignettes. The problem I find with this surface is that with the television, I can’t really create the height that I think it needs as anything tall will block the TV. I suppose for a photoshoot it wouldn’t really matter but for our everyday lives, it needs to be practical. A couple of stacks of books has been a mainstay in this spot for quite some time, it’s only the little display objects that get moved around.
And finally, the barcart got a few new little palm leaves which I’m sad to say are already starting to fade. I love the backdrop they’ve created for the dried Chinese lanterns.
So those are the little changes in my dining room that I made now that Spring is here. Obviously flowers fade and I move things around pretty much constantly so who knows how long it will stay exactly like this. But for now, it reminds me that more sunshine is ahead and I for one, couldn’t be more excited.
Do you do seasonal refreshes? Or does it just sort of happen like it does for me?
Don’t miss a thing!
Your house is the kind of place I want for my own! It's colourful and you have lots of lovely things :)
Aww thank you! :) xxx
It all looks so lovely! I've decided I want to makeover our bedroom to look like your dining room (paint and mirror-wise anyway – I'm not planning to swap our bed for a table :p) after spotting this beauty yesterday – http://www.maisonsdumonde.com/UK/en/produits/fiche/magellan-golden-metal-mirror-126080.htm <br /><br />I imagine it would look like the sun rising up over the bed. Said
Oooh go for it! Imitation is indeed the sincerest form of flattery – think it would be a fab combo in a bedroom :) xxx
So beautiful!
Thank you! :) xxx
Love your home! Could you please please please consider writing a post on bar cart styling? Yours is stunning! I have one I adore but I just cant seem to style it right! Please help! <3
Sure, let me see what I can do! :) xxx
Make sure your elephants are marching into your room. My mum used to have a little set of elephants and there's some old wives tale about how they take their luck with them. So, if they're marching into your house they're bringing it in and if they're marching away they're taking it out. xxx
Oooh I didn't know that! Thanks for the tip! I shall reverse them so they are marching into the room when I get home :) xxx
feng shui
That's interesting, Lojo! My mom used to collect elephants, and she said that those with their trunks pointing up were also good luck; she avoided those with trunks turned down. Looks like Kimberly has lucky elephants. More feng shui advice, I guess. :) <br />
I've heard that too about the trunks, Kat! :) xxx
I LOVE your pendant here… where is it from? <br /><br />Love your blog!
oh! Habitat! I found it :)
:-D
Hello! It all looks lovely. Those H&M trinket boxes are wonderful aren't they? H&M Home do come up with the goods from time to time….<br />As for flowers – I have no idea what the local Morrisons supermarket is like near you – but the ones in Edinburgh are fantastic!! I always use them for cheap and beautiful seasonal flowers. They have a great range. Also – our local LIDL does
Ya know, I often hit up my local Morrisons and Aldi for flowers but for some reason, I decided I wanted something a bit more special – I should have just stuck with my norms and would probably have paid a lot less! lol xxx
– ooops, that last comment was from me, not my boyfriend! Although he likes the Morrisons & Lidl flowers too ;-)<br />J x
lovely little sparkles everywhere! I love zhoozhing when the mood hits me, nothing planned–JT in TX
How freaking awesome is this! I love the gold everywhere. I can't wait until we have a real dining room :(
Yep. It's official. I have a crush on you. What can I say? I like the way you put things together. Your dining room is incredible. <br /><br />And hell yes – the humble carnation. I used to hate them, but those babies are budget-friendly and will last a week or three. Represent.
Aww shucks *blush* You can buy me some carnations to woo me if you'd like ;) xxx
I'm in love with your style. There's not a single thing I don't like!<br /><br />Sound of Chic<br />http://soundofchic.com<br />Classic style set to an indie soundtrack
I'd love to hear your rational for the function of having a television in this room. Why it works for you guys. Or have I missed this in another post?
I have spoken about our rather odd decision a few times before but this rather old post explains it best ;) (bear in mind this is before I decided on a gallery wall) xxx<br /><br />http://www.swoonworthy.co.uk/2010/07/snap-decision-choosing-wallpaper-for.html<br />
ah, I totally see how that makes sense for the two of you! thanks! (and fun to see how the dinning room has evolved – whatever happened to that wallpaper you bought?)
It ended up in the kitchen! ;) http://www.swoonworthy.co.uk/2012/06/progress-report-wallpaper-and-couple.html<br /><br />Which is soon to be replaced by another paper! (It never ends around here, seriously lol)<br /><br />http://www.swoonworthy.co.uk/2014/03/kitchen-shelving-plans-new-wallpaper.html<br /><br />xxx