How to Make Your Home feel Calm & Safe | Our 2020 Spring Home Tour
You don’t have to buy anything new or be amazingly skilled at decorating to make your home feel calm and safe. Here are some simple ways to create a sense of calm in your home, and how I’ve styled our home for Spring using items I already had on hand!
This week I’m joined by some of my talented blogging friends who are also sharing their Spring Home Tours with you. Make sure to check out all of their beautiful homes linked at the bottom of this post.
During this time of uncertainty and discomfort, making our homes feel like a safe haven is more important than ever. Not only does it help our family feel calm and relaxed, but pouring love into our home is a wonderful way to keep US happy and occupied!
Here’s a look at how I’ve decorated our own home for Spring with some simple tips on how to create a calm and safe feeling space during this difficult season.
Re-use decor from last year
I can feel you amazing minimalists rolling your eyes right about now, but for us serial decorators and lovers-of-knick-knacks this tip needs to be communicated. There is NOTHING WRONG with using last year’s decor in this year’s Spring home styling! I feel like it’s a big part of my job to share all of the latest decor trends with you and how you can translate them into your own home & style, but I also need to remind you (and myself) that there’s truly no need to buy anything new to make your home feel fresh and ready for the season.
If you go have a look at my Spring home tour last year (click here), you’ll see I’m re-using many of the accessories in this season’s styling like the lavender faux florals, neutral pillows, artwork, basket etc. Placing accessories in different rooms and shifting things around will make everything feel new again. Shop your home and experiment with different locations for things!
A huge bonus is that the familiarity of these decor pieces will also add a sense of familiarity and calm in you and your family as you remember the items from before. It’s truly a win-win.
Decorate with colours that make you feel happy
Speaking of dismissing the trends this season, ask yourself: what colours make ME and my family feel happy? Once you have your answer, use those colours! In our home, we love happy pastel colours like aqua, purple and pink, so I’ve used lots of those this Spring.
One of the only new items in our living room this season are these printed floral pillows. However, they’re not really “new” since they’re made with cloth napkins I bought last year. Get the full DIY tutorial for these no-sew pillows from napkins right here!
Another example of a room I decorated in our Spring home with uplifting colours is our dining room. The warm shades of coral, pink, and the bright carpet bring a smile to my face. You can get the full tour of this tablescape right here, but between you and me this table has now turned into a mess of papers, Chromebooks and pencils for our new homeschooling adventure!
Use the softest textiles and layer them everywhere
I realize layered textiles is usually a Winter thing, but when the world feels upside-down there’s nothing better than cuddling in a fuzzy blanket or cozying up to a soft sheepskin. Plus, it’s still incredibly cold here in Alberta! In times of stress, put out lots of soft textiles that you and your family can touch and wrap around yourselves for comfort.
It also doesn’t hurt to stack a basket full with squishy, woolen yarn to remind yourself it’s OK to zone out with a knitting project.
Create empty space
Are you laughing at me after you read that? I’m definitely a lover of layers (as noted above), decor accessories, and patterns everywhere, but leaving some “white space” in your rooms will help give your minds a break too.
We had a couple of lovely faux leather club chairs in our living room last season, but I swapped them with this vintage rattan rocker I had in my work studio for a couple of reasons.
The first reason was because rocking in a rocking chair gives us a sense of calm, and the second was to have less furniture in our living room.
We’re loving this extra space to enjoy afternoon dance parties, lay out a ton of paper on the floor for colouring sessions, and simply to let our minds have a break from all the furniture and accessories elsewhere.
Add a sense of life & hope with plants
Whether real or faux, plants and flowers can add so much beauty and life to a home. Flowers make me hopeful for Spring and that this rough season in our world will eventually come to an end. Live plants are a joy to nurture, to feel and to look at.
Even this simple Dollar Tree wreath I made a little while ago (get the tutorial here) adds a splash of hopeful colour to our living room that we all love.
My little collection of live houseplants behind our sofa give me a sense of calm and hope, too. (Man, are fiddle leaf figs testy, am I right?!)
A simple vase of faux purple flowers (from last year, of course) by the door looks elegant and cheerful.
A faux olive tree and tiny bird’s nest on our entry cabinet are sweet reminders of the hope Spring brings, too.
Here’s how you can make your home feel calm and safe this Spring:
- Re-use old decor for familiarity and savings
- Decorate with colours that lift your spirits
- Use lots of soft textiles to cuddle in
- Create empty space for a calm feeling
- Add plants and flowers for a sense of hope and life
Virtual hugs to you! May you and your family feel safe, loved, and calm as we all face these difficult times. I hope these tips help you create a home that gives you a sense of peace.
XO Christina
This week I’m joined by some of my talented blogging friends who are also sharing their Spring Home Tours with you. Be sure to see what they are sharing by clinking the links below the images.
Also sharing with me today, are…
Thursday
Cherished Bliss
Tatertots & Jello
Deeply Southern Home
Rambling Renovators
The DIY Mommy
Sharing the rest of this week…
Monday
The Happy Housie
Grace in My Space
Life is Better at Home
She Gave it a Go
Amidst the Chaos
Tuesday
Cassie Bustamante
All Things With Purpose
Modern Glam
Lemon Thistle
Zevy Joy
Wednesday
Amber Tysl
Life is a Party
Town and Country Living
Finding Silver Pennies
Joanna Anastasia
Friday
Home Made Lovely
Willow Street Interiors
Sincerely, Marie Designs
Rooms FOR Rent
House by Hoff
The Tattered Pew
PIN ME:
what a pretty tour! love your gray walls with that sofa!
You have a beautiful home!! It’s so bright and cheery! Just what we all need right now!
Christina, your home looks fantastic. Your living room continues to evolve in a wonderful way, and is particularly spirit lifting at the moment. I hope you are all finding a way to flourish personally, as your home clearly is. Cheers, Ardith
Your house looks amazing. I love all your pretty spring touches, and great advice too.
Where did you get that entry cabinet?! I LOVE it!!!
Hi Bonnie! That’s from IKEA! Here’s how she customized it for her entryway: https://thediymommy.wpsc.dev/small-entry-makeover-with-tons-of-hallway-storage/
Would you tell me the paint color you used on the upper wall of your dining room? Your home is lovely.
It’s Distant Valley by VALSPAR. You can find all of her paint colours here: https://thediymommy.wpsc.dev/our-diy-house-modern-farmhouse-paint-colors/
Hello, You have a beautiful home that is serene and calm, yet color splashed. I absolutely love your dining room rug, could you share the link or info. Thank you!
Where did you get that lovely ottoman? Love the sense of calm in your living room!
It’s from the Brick!