I was never quite sure why Spring has been so explicitly associated with cleaning the house.
Maybe it’s the freshness in the air and a feeling of new beginnings. Or perhaps it’s just the change in season and it’s a good excuse as any to make your home fresh as a daisy.
But no, I’ve figured it out. It’s all in the shadows.
It’s that morning sun finally shining through the blinds and NOT having to wake up to complete darkness before the commute – a shimmer of hope that Summer is just a hop, skip and a jump away. And along with the beauty of that sunshine comes a spotlight on everything that you probably missed in the depths of Winter. The questionable stains on the couch, suddenly with its very own spotlight. The sticky fingersprints on the glass window now completely magnified through the sunny rays.
I’m not kidding either. Exhibit A below…
OH GOD MY HOUSE IS DISGUSTING, I’M SO SORRY READERS.
If you’re already in an actual tidy home, without a toddler who just adores to kiss glass doors and lick mummy’s glasses, you might be in for a shot at taking this gorgeous natural light, and really embracing it. Utilise the wonderful shapes of the shadows and try to find interesting ways to make them a feature in themselves. Here are 3 things you can look to change in your home this Spring:
Walls in a South Facing Room
Take a look at any south facing rooms you may have. They’re going to receive a huge burst of direct sunlight, so take notice where it shines. If you have patterned windows or blinds, try not to clutter up the adjacent walls too much with images or furniture. Those accents through the glass will add dimension to your walls and sometimes, it’s enough of a feature on its own! It’s also a good time to take a look at what’s on the wall. Direct sun will show up every little paint stroke and uneven wall, so try and opt for textured or thickened wallpaper, or endurance matt paints.
Nature is Your Friend
Whether it’s layers of overgrown ivy or the spikes in a fake cactus, any jungle vibes in your home can create the most beautiful shadows, and if the sun hits them in the right place, can give them the most gorgeous glow. Place plants on or near a window to really get the most out of those rays – as long as it’s a plant that can cope in direct sunlight of course! If you’re a plant killer like me, best to stick to faux florals. I won’t tell anyone…
Rejig Your Vignettes
There’s still one spot in my bedroom where a strip of light peeps through the curtains and lands right on my dresser. I’ve read before that this is the perfect opportunity to place a mirrored surface to bounce that light around the room and maximise the heck out of it. My experience of this has been different and created nothing but irritating glare – kind of like those moments where you finally get comfortable in bed only to have a street light shine into your eyes. URGH. Don’t do it! Instead, place a variety of ornaments in these lines of light, either with metallic colourings or battered finishes. They’ll still bounce light off but in a non-invasive way. Choose different textures for more interesting shadows.
So they are my tips on how to make the most of Spring making its grand entrance. Now, pardon me whilst I scrub the windows and do some overdue dusting.
* This post was written in collaboration with Network VEKA. All words and opinions are my own. Thanks so much for supporting the brands that support this site.
