Spring Refresh with Violet
I’m a Wisconsin Girl and while winter can be lovely and has its positive attributes, there’s nothing like the beginning of Spring here in the Midwest. The sun feels warmer, the flowers start to bloom and the trees begin to form leaves. Colors seem brighter and everyone’s smiles seem easier and more relaxed.
After the past year we’ve all had, the promise of the upcoming summer feels even more exciting! Thoughts of summer, then, of course lead to beginning to spend more time outside. Our outside spaces may currently look a bit dingy after the snow and ice and now it’s time to refresh and think about the warm months ahead.
Before I dive into that subject however, while staying focused on Spring flowers, I want to take a moment to introduce you all to the newest member of our design team, Violet! We fondly refer to her as our unpaid intern and she is a great addition to our staff. You will be seeing more of her in the months ahead!
Backing up for a moment, like many of you, I did get on a puppy waiting list last fall and this January she finally arrived and was ready to come home to me. I’ve known what her name would be before I even sent in my deposit check. I thought it would be fun to choose a color, given how I earn a living, and Violet felt right. For any of you who have dabbled into mindfulness, or not, my inspiration for the name came from the color represented by our crown chakra. What the heck is that? In laymen terms, it’s an age-old methodology whereby locations in our bodies are tied to energy and color. The crown chakra is the lightest and most spiritual and the closest to the heavens and is represented by the color purple. As the name Purple didn’t seem to roll off the tongue very well, I went to our old school acronym of ROYGBIV and decided upon Violet! It couldn’t be more perfect, nor could she, as a female black Labrador Retriever puppy!
Since she and I will be spending lots of time outdoors on our deck and patio, this time of year also brings to mind getting out the cushions, heading to the local nursery and sprucing things up to be able to relax outside whether it’s with a good book or a group of friends.
As you're beginning your Spring Refresh, I want to share a few things to keep in mind when evaluating your outdoor space:
Evaluate your furniture: Does it need cleaning and/or do you need to upgrade or add more seating or accent tables?
Consider painting dated furniture black and update with new cushions.
Adding an outdoor rug adds warmth and texture.
Clean and refresh all cushions and pillows; do some need replacement?
Add pillows with a new, fun accent color.
Add hurricanes with outdoor rated flameless candles for ambiance in the evening; many are available with timers and remotes.
Planters, planters and more planters! Evaluate planters for updating and add where needed.
Outdoor wall art and outdoor clocks are also a nice accent.
The team at Ann Kottler Home is here if you need us to plan your outdoor space, or any indoor space as well!
We look forward to hearing from you!
Happy Spring,
Ann
P.S. I've included some of my favorite violet-themed outdoor spaces below for inspiration!
