Winter is upon us and here in the Northeast that means short, cold, dreary, gray days that we are just trying to survive until Spring decides to bless us again with her warm winds and beautiful flowers.

Everything seems to lose its luster in winter. Color drains from the world, even in our homes. My brightly colored quilt that I keep on the back of my sofa gets traded out for a dark burgundy fleece blanket. My flowering plants are dormant for the winter, the dark green leaves are all that’s left. It’s easy to see why so many people feel down during the winter months. There’s nothing cheerful to look at!

So how can you add some winter-appropriate accessories to liven up your home? Here are my 3 favorite winter decorating tips to help you survive these dreary days:

Make Spring Happen Now   My favorite decorating tip, no matter what time of year, is to always have plants or fresh flowers in your home. It not only adds life (literally) to your space, but it adds pops of much needed color. Orchids in the bedroom give the space a boutique vibe while succulents in the kitchen add a colorful, trendy touch. Look for plants that are vibrant green all year long such as fiddle leaf figs. Fiddle leaf figs are trendy, easy to care for, and the best part about these gorgeous giants – you can plant them in large, bright pots, adding yet more color to your space. Don’t have the space for a mini tree in your living room? Ivy has been making a big comeback over the last few months. It grows fast, needs little maintenance, and can really add a unique look as a living wall, wrapped around a ladder shelf, or draped down the side of a bookcase. Even better: try out hanging plant shelves in place of curtains! They’ll add a bit of privacy and give you plenty of room to add plants to your space while still letting light into your room (which we desperately need during these short days!)

Go Glam With Jewel Tones   The big color trend companies have all started announcing their Color of the Year for 2018 and I’m seeing a pattern: rich jewel tones will be BIG. From Pantone’s Ultra Violet to Sherwin Williams’ Oceanside, homes will be seeing lots of saturated bold colors for walls, furniture, and decor. Not ready to fully invest by painting your walls purple? No worries. You can still add a bit of cheer and keep away the winter blues by adding in a few trendy accent pieces. Bold colors naturally lend themselves to more ornate decor like this Ultra Violet wall mirror by Viv + Rae, a shiny Oceanside table lamp from World Market, or try updating your front door with Benjamin Moore’s Caliente – because don’t we all want a red front door?

Embrace the Snow and Create a Winter Wonderland  Sometimes you just have to give in and embrace the fact that we will be living in a sea of white for the next three months. A winter white home can be fun, stylish, and surprisingly cozy with the right touches. I just love the seasonal look that Meeghan from Cali Girl in a Southern World put together for her dock. The rustic lantern, white planters, warm blanket, and cute throw pillow all say “winter is here and I LOVE it!”. She proves that white is anything but boring.

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