Bye bye winter design blues

Right about this time of year, we’re all really feeling the hold winter has had; short days, dark nights, and heaps of cold and gloomy days.

It’s no surprise I’ve been looking for something – anything – to help brighten and cheer me up in anticipation of warmer months ahead.

I’ve put together a quick list of my top five design items you can add to your spaces this very second to help boost your mood while waiting for spring to show up.

Modern Greenery

Adding hits of live greenery not only purifies your air quality, it helps to boost your focus and reduce feelings of stress and illness. I love to keep things simple when it comes to indoor plants; these are some of my favourites:

• succulents
• air plants
• orchids
• fiddle leaf fig 

Lighter Accents

Perhaps you’ve got a bunch of heavy looking, darkly patterned accent pillows on your living room furniture; take the plunge and swap them out for something lighter and more airy feeling. The change will instantly shift the mood from drab to delightful.

This might be the perfect time to change your area rug and throw blankets away while you’re at it. Accents in creams, tans, lights greys, silvers, pearl, and linen all hint at summer and will instantly brighten up existing furniture and colour schemes.

Refresh Your Bedding

White, white, and more white… swap out dark and heavy coloured linens for sheets, duvets, and coverlets in soft white. The psychological effect of slipping into a bed of bright, fresh, and calm will have you feeling lighter and more relaxed instantly.

Play With Yellow

Get yourself some lemons. You read that right: head out and pick up a big bag of the zesty fruit. Place all your lemons in a glossy, white bowl atop your kitchen counter or island and enjoy the sunny and energizing effect they help create.

Also consider adding fluffy, mellow, yellow towels to drab bathrooms, and toss a bunch of brilliant tulips in areas that don’t normally get any direct sunlight (like an office corner, bookshelf, or powder room).

Mirror Magic

If you want to take advantage of as much natural daylight as possible, you can double the effect by adding several mirrors cleverly placed throughout your home. The reflection of your rooms not only tricks your brain into thinking your spaces are more expansive, the light will also bounce around and lighten everything up at the same time.

Tuck a freestanding, floor-length mirror by a corner window, or lean an oversized piece atop a console table to help open up a dim entryway… you’d be amazed just how spacious and bright your rooms will become.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.