Brightening up your home in the dark of winter

[monkeywrangler71]

Dreary day here today, and got me thinking about seasonal decorating. Most people decorate their houses for the holidays, but what do you do after the holidays? Does anyone else feel like their home needs a big bright burst of colour to cheer it up in the dead of winter? Does anyone decorate for January ?

Maybe that's why Valentine's day is all about the colour red - bringing in something bright, warm and cheery to offset the dark and dreary February.

What do you do to bring colour into your home in the winter?

[photogal06]

We celebrate birthdays in January, so I decorate the dining room with lots of color and then leave it up well into February (and sometimes March or April---whenever it's time to decorate for Easter!)

[Ali Lee]

I made homemade hearts & decorated my door window. I used a Valentine bag & cut out 2 large hearts, used the sparkly handles to tie them together, that's a decoration for my outside of my back door. I also ironed the hearts to take the wrinkles out-be careful. I put 2 red rose bouquets, held together with a hair tie, wrapped it in gold tissue paper, stuffed into a basket for a table decoration. (cute) My Valentine flag is flying today, in the snow! Everyday I open the curtains. Most days I will burn a candle. I also have lights on a grape vine tree I will turn on. I also will bake something soothing ..cake or cobbler with the smell of spices..... (pumpkin cake cooling...)

[ravenmaniac]

I still have my Christmas lights on my bushes out front, and yes the timer is set so they still turn on. I can't bear to take them down. Maybe soon I will.

I have 3 snowman flags up outside for the winter season. I have spring/summer flags and fall flags.

I am currently crocheting hearts to hang on my 3 1/2 foot "Christmas" tree. It is going to be a Valentines Day tree. I wanted to have a tree I could decorate for the seasons.

A few snowman decorations grace my living room. For spring and summer I don't put out many decorations. I do get out my lanterns for my decks and the tiki torches, plant flowers and such. Now for fall I love my pumpkins and a few small decorations.

During winter I make sure my blinds are open in every room to let the sunlight in.

The comforter in my bedroom is covered with a juniper and pinecone duvet cover. I put a different quilt on for the spring/summer and another quilt for the fall.

I enjoy all the seasons and am trying to add a few decorations for each one like pillows and chair cushions. I am waiting for a cheap source of fabric.

For me I love thinking about and planning my decor. Thinking is cheap, I don't buy something just because it's a decoration or I think it's is okay. I only want things in my home that I love.

[shoiji]

My ficus christmas tree is still decorated. Will take it down tonight. I usually like to buy fresh flowers or flowering plants that are cheap to liven things up. Maybe I will do that in February.

When the sun is out I try to open up the shades and let the light in for a little bit. It really does help to make the place happier. I think the cat will agree to this.

[waterbaby77]

I like to put a bright, cozy throw on the couch, with coordinating jewel-tone pillows (I use cooler-colored pillow covers in the summer). I also put a colorful woven cloth on the coffee table. Sometimes I get flowers for the house if I do really good on the grocery budget and there is money left over or DH treats me

I agree with what previous posters said about opening the blinds. I open all the blinds in the house as soon as I wake up so we can enjoy some rare winter sunlight. It also lets us benefit from solar heat, so we can leave the heat off in the morning as we get ready for work.

[madhen]

I am fortunate enough to have a livingroom that is all windows and faces southwest, so it is typically bright and warm, even in the winter. Some years ago, I painted the walls a very light blue and the ceiling an ultra-gloss white. The end result is that the blue in the walls picks up off the blue in the sky and seems to bring the whole outside in. (My sister says the effect is that she always feels like she is at a beachside resort when she is at my house. ) The shine in the ceiling picks up the sunlight, and helps reflect it into the house.

[Momto5RN]

i leave out anything that is red or burgandy that doesnt look christmas-y like cloth placemats etc and have some frugally done valentine decor . its also my youngest and my b-day in february

and once V-day is over i do some in St Patricks day and then Easter which is also around 3 of my kids bpdays ( oldest 3 born in April) and after the Easter stuff goes away its just spring decor .

i have found that buy buying a few things at 75% to 90% off ater the season i have after a few years a nice - frugally bought
group of decorations.

i find that having a few things be changed up every month or so makes me feel happier a less bored etc

[rosey7415]

at this time of year i decorate with snowmen. i have snowmen on my fireplace mantel and a little felt snowman family on top of my cabinet near the tv. we have 2 snowmen throws over the furniture( dogs) and a little pink lady snowman on my bathroom vanity. i make wreaths so of course i put one outside my front door it has snowmen all around with ice crystals and snowballs etc. cute actually if i do say so myself. i don't decorate with valentines anymore.

[lisaflex]

i have lots of plate holders and very colorful plates! i change them often. they add a splash of color to the rooms! fresh flowers help - frugal, no...but, gorgeous and brighten the mood

[krbshappy71]

I have a large potted African Violet with 4 different plants, which blooms all year. Its the center piece. I open the shades to let in natural light. I don't decorate but after Christmas I'm happy to have a little less visually going on around me.

Oh, and candles, I love having candles around.

[Lynn4]

Here in the Pacific Northwest we have a long grey period. I painted the rooms in my home in light warm colors and all the ceilings white. I have a simple style but carefully selected accessories that bring color into every room. It took a while to get to this place as every room in the house was "antique" white which just looked like a cold grey when the sun was not out. Paint sure does wonders!