How To to Start Spring Early At Home

In fact, this should be entitled, “How To to Start Spring Early Because You Suspect You Have Seasonally Affected Disorder and You Are OVER This #BeastFromTheEast”.

So I have this weird thing where I am very much in denial about January-March.

I take down the Christmas decorations on 27/28th December and then in my mind, skip straight to Spring. Neighbours and people in the street comment on my bare ankles. My husband, now accustomed to my ways, just laughs as I gleefully unpack my summer brights from the top of the wardrobe in early January. Now I’m not for a moment going to try to seduce you to join me in this weird lifestyle choice. However, if you too are completely done with Polar Vortexes, here are my three ideas to bring Spring into your home right now.

ARTIFICIAL FLOWERS, PLANTS AND TREES

Now these used to be awful. But if you only associate faux flowers with bad B&Bs, have a look at retailers like Abigail Ahern and Wyld Home. All your favourite succulents, ferns, eucalyptus and flowers are now available as good reproductions and will last for years, not days. 

Advantages include:

• they can be placed in dark corners of your home, stairwells etc – unlike the real deal which may demand some sunlight
• some designs can be wiped down with a damp cloth, though flower heads will need a shake to remove dust.
• some stems can be placed in water-filled vases, so you can mix in with real flowers to plump out a bouquet. Perfect to upgrade a bunch of supermarket flowers. 

 

 

2. PICK-ME-UP PURCHASES

This doesn’t need much explanation, but a quick coat of paint or one freshly-wallpapered wall can be so refreshing and transformative. Some of my favourite brands I’m currently coveting:

• Cushions by Bivain

I used to work with Rachel Fong, co-founder of this beautifully eclectic and colourful brand. She was at Agent Provocateur HQ, while I was agency side – but we’d share many giggles and a love of Grecian holidays. She’s amazing, so is her brand.

• Wallpaper: Lucy Tiffney

Lucy, who will perhaps always be subtitled as “Finalist on BBC 2’s Great Interior Design Challenge”, had great advice for me while I was considered starting up my business. She’s funny and kind and I greatly admire her playful style. Plus, if the wallpaper blows the budget, tea towels are £14. 

• Glassware: Serax at Amara

Serious design doesn’t need to be boring. This jug is always going to be a talking point on the dinner table and really makes me smile. Fill it with orange juice at breakfast time and Spring is served.

3. INDOOR GREENHOUSE

 

 

Now this one I am really excited about. The severe weather is messing with our planting schedule, so we have to decided to buy a raised planter to keep in my Studio. If you follow my Stories on Instagram, you’ll know my south-facing workspace suffers from serious overheating. Bad for me, great for tomatoes. We bought one from B&Q by Elho at £28 for the base and lid, and it’s smart and streamlined. (Shop around for the best price though, as B&Q has a different price in-store to online). It has drainage through the legs, which is an innovative feature for outdoors  – and we’ll just invent something to protect the floor indoors. So far, we’ve planted tulips, peas, tomatoes, chilis and coriander seeds. In your face, “Beast From The East”! We have genuine Springtime excitement with the first little sprouts peeping through, despite the snow laid thick upon the ground outside. 

So there you have three ideas to beat these winter blues. I’d love to hear your ideas too.