Life, Color, Comfort by Deborah Fagan Carpenter

Photo by Deborah Fagan Carpenter

So, we sprang forward last weekend, but spring didn’t come with us! Innovation may be necessary to combat the winter blahs, and a few simple decorating solutions may lift our spirits until we can actually get outside and start digging in the dirt.

It’s been so cold that even my daffodils are afraid to come out. My ferns however, have survived the winter by living inside, so I created a mixed table arrangement, and voila’, immediate spring! Combining a few ferns with other greenery has provided instant life inside and made me forget for now that everything outside is still barren and brown.

A green plant is like having an unobtrusive friend in the house. Plants are after all living things, but they require little tête-à-tête One potted palm can immediately create the illusion of life and allude to what we imagine spring will be. The addition of greenery, along with paintings or prints that evoke the colors of nature, goes a long way toward generating a feeling of comfort.

Bright, colorful art is a wonderful way to brighten the mood of any room. Don’t despair however, if original art is out of the question. Prints or posters are readily available and can produce a similar result, at least until spring actually fully unfolds. I really hate that wishy-washy groundhog.