My Primitive Pick

It's a miserably rainy day here and I've recently gotten all of my spring decorations up (which isn't much), so my primitive pick for today is...

Spring Decor!!

Sounds a little generic, I know, but decorating for has always been difficult for me (I'll explain why), so I wanted to lay out a few things that I've learned on how to decorate for spring.  

So what's so hard about decorating for spring?  Pull out some bunnies, eggs, and flowers and that's it.  Or is it?  If you have a very specific decor in your home, especially a very specific color palette, then you (like me) may have a hard time figuring out how to include some spring colors and decorations without it totally contrasting the rest of your home.  My living room, dining room, and kitchen are all mostly made up of neutrals (thankfully), but I do have some things that get in my way: a wine-colored recliner, a deep red color under the chair rail in the dining room, and a big sage green jelly cabinet (to name a few).  The things I decorate with cannot clash with these pieces because they are all so BIG!  So... here are a few suggestions (along with a link to where you can find a few of these things, since I don't have pictures for everything).  

1.  Glass - Bring in the light, whether it's a mirror, an old window pane, or some pitchers or other glass serving-type pieces.  Put it on display in a prominent place in your home - on a shelf, an entry-way wall, a mantel, or the table.  

Country Sampler

2.  Garden Items - You may not be able to get out and do much yard work yet, so why not bring the great outdoors in.  Decorate with some watering cans that match your existing decor, clay flower pots (with/without flowers in them, maybe even nested somehow), faux birds (can be found in a huge variety of colors, textures, and sizes), and birdhouses.  

Country Sampler

3.  Baskets - Since I've recently discussed baskets, I'll simply say this... Wicker or woven baskets in particular are nice this time of year because of their resemblance to nests and tree branches.  So if you haven't included more baskets in your decor yet, now is the time!

Pottery Barn

4.  Flowers - A few flowers in some strategic places go a long way.  For me, these places are my entryway (where people enter my home) and the dining room table.  Wherever the focal points of your home are, flowers easily brighten (and warm) up a stuffy, cold house once spring is on the way.  My particular choice is daffodils for two reasons: 1) I can get a small bunch of them from my grocery store for $1.99 and they are more than worth the money; and 2) They come in yellow or white, so if you want the ambiance of the flowers but can't handle the yellow in your decor, go for white.  There are, however, numerous other springtime flowers to choose from.  

Country Sampler

So, this is all I've learned so far.  Any other suggestions would be marvelous.  Stay tuned for some pictures of some pictures of my house with a few spring decorations.  For now, I think I'll wait to until the sun comes out before taking any.  

Check out the Flower and Craft Warehouse Outdoor and Easter sections for some of these very things that I've suggested... at really great prices, too!

~ Carrie ~

My Primitive Pick

I thought long and hard about what this week's primitive pick would be and it was right under my nose the whole time!   

Baskets

Yes, baskets.  It may not seem very primitive to some people, but they don't have to be.  Baskets are a great way to organize when you are short on space.  What will blend in better with your decor - a plastic tote or a basket?  I don't know if I can think of a better multi-purpose decorative item.  I'm going to share some ideas and pictures with you (some from my home and some from the professionals) that will hopefully spark some ideas of your own.  

Closet Solutions

My linen closet

When we moved into our house, one major goal I had was to organize the nice-sized linen closet that we now had.  These baskets were the perfect size for all our extra personal items.  


Clutter Baskets

Better Homes & Gardens

My house (also notice in the background the wire basket for all the cars and trucks)

Better Homes & Gardens

My house (A basket used for bills and/or mail and documents to be filed away)

Let's face it - we all have clutter in some way, shape, or form.  Baskets are a great way to disguise it a little.  Whether it's mail, toys, craft supplies, or magazines, put those things that tend to pile up in a basket to keep in out of sight, but not far away.  

Stow & Go

Better Homes & Gardens

Front hall bench at my house

There is about a 6 sq. ft. area just inside my front door where everything tends to land when we come in the door.  Anyone else have this problem?  Oh, and we have a coat closet immediately to the left when you walk in the house.  Yet somehow there are always those odds and ends that are always kicking around but you never want far.  This storage bench solves this problem for us.  One basket has Jadon's shoes, another has extra winter hats and gloves, and the third has some church odds and ends.  The best part is, Jadon knows exactly where to find his shoes and where to put them away - they are in his reach!

Kitchen Organization

Better Homes & Gardens (I have no baskets in my pantry... It's definitely an area in my house that could use some love!)

A basket in my kitchen to hold wet wipes and some of Jadon's table activities, like Play-Doh.

We are blessed with having a fairly new kitchen.  Unfortunately there isn't a ton of cabinet space.  Getting creative with some baskets on the counters or in the cabinets can help to maximize the limited space you have and keep things looking tidy.   

Gift Baskets

 
Gift baskets are a wonderful idea for any gift-giving occasion - Christmas, baby shower, Mother's Day, even Valentine's Day.  One word of advice... give a quality basket.  So often the baskets given with gift baskets are cheap and useless (believe me... I've thrown out plenty!).  The basket is part of the gift, so give one that will last.  

Decorative

I'm proud to say this is my house!  This grungy basket was an $8 thrift store find, and the faux foliage was found at a primitive store. 

Even though baskets are such a great way to organize your house, you don't always need them to serve two purposes.  Sometimes a basket can be there just to look nice! 

Is it no surprise that my 22-month old toddler has been saying "basket for about two months now?  I love them!  Hopefully you've been inspired to tackle some of those unloveable areas of your home and make them cared for and organized! 

~ Carrie ~