Many people have a season they prefer over all others. For some, fall brings to mind the magic when trees first change colors and then lose their leaves and the weather starts to snap. Others love winter with the opportunity to ski and play in the snow. Spring has its own magic when trees blossom and spring flowers bloom.

For those that love the summer, with lots of sunshine and weather that ranges from warm to warmer to too warm, this room helps carry the season with it all year round.

The first summer choice comes from the bright yellow paint on the walls. Yellow is a really tricky color to get right. You want it to remind you of flowers or sunshine, but with the wrong choice your room can look like the inside of an egg yolk. Take the time to test out several choices on your walls before making your final choice. Remember, an entire room of yellow will look darker than a small sample.

This couple chose white for the fireplace, bookshelves and molding. A white ceiling is also a good decision. With yellow and white together, this room looks even more like summer. The mid-range color on the wood floors also helps to create a fresh look. A dark floor would bleach out the look of the room, and too light a floor wouldn’t provide that much-needed contrast. If you want to go with yellow, think about that color choice as you select flooring and other permanent fixtures.

A neutral couch and clean-lined coffee table let the yellow stay the focus of the room, and a few casual yellow elements bring the wall color throughout the space. Spots of green and red – added in a natural way with fresh flowers and plants – echo the summer theme. With the right color and design choices, you can have a summer home all year long.

Spring gardening may still be several months away for most of us. This doesn’t mean that you can’t start to dream and plan your summer garden. Soon enough it will be time to start seeds indoors for those summer flowers and vegetables.  If you can’t wait for seedlings, you can always start a small herb or lettuce garden on your window sill.

This kitchen has the typical window right above the kitchen sink.  If the sill is wide enough, this makes an ideal spot to start seedlings or have a container for lettuce and herbs.  You’ll be able to monitor the progress every time you are at the sink, and this will help you remember to water the plants.  Should you not have room on the sill but have counter space in a sunny spot, you can have an herb garden there too. Be mindful of water from the pots or container leaking onto the countertops, especially if you have butcher block wood counter tops.  Placing a tray underneath the pots can help prevent spills.

Placing seedlings or an herb garden on the floor should be avoided if you have pets or small children. Cats are notorious for eating house plants and herbs are no exception.  It’s best to keep your little kitchen garden up off the floor and on a counter or sill.

If you are like most of us you may have hung your outdoor Christmas decorations over Thanksgiving weekend. Or maybe you didn’t. Maybe you put it off until now because you didn’t want to deal with the ladder, the weather and untangling the mess of lights from last year.  There is no time like the present to overcome all of those obstacles and get the outside of your home looking perfect for the season.

Gather all the items you will need to begin your outdoor lighting project. The ladder, extension cords, timers, clips, hooks and clamps, power stakes, work gloves and a few basic tools like a hammer, a screwdriver and some pliers. It’s also a great idea to measure everything you want to adorn with lights. Also measure the distance to each power source. It’s a pain, but so worth it.

Decide where you want to hang your lights. Some of the most popular spots to hang lights are on the eaves of your home, or along your roofline. Atop bushes, hedges and trees. On pillars, posts and railings. Around windows and doorframes. Near driveways and pathways.

Unwrap all lights and untangle cords. Swear to yourself that this year you will put them away neatly. Test each light strand before you hang it. Replace burned out or missing bulbs. Toss any light strand with fraying cords. Hang your lights during the day as climbing a ladder in the dark is not very safe. If you can, bribe someone to be your partner. Hanging lights goes much faster with a buddy.

The rule of thumb for how many lights you need is 100 lights for every foot and a half that you want to cover. A 6-foot tree would therefore need 400 lights for the basic lighting. If you want to get a little more ‘blingy” you can double or even triple the amount of lights you use.

Should you need to purchase additional lights for you project make sure you pick outdoor lights, as indoor lights are not meant for the elements. If you can spring for LED lights you should. LEDs are more costly to purchase, but they’ll save you money in the long run. They’re 90% more energy-efficient and last thousands of hours longer than comparable incandescent bulbs. Icicle lights are great for rooflines and eaves. Net and blanket lights make it easy to cover bushes and shrubs.

Start high and work your way down. For safety reasons never connect more than three light strands together. After you’ve hung your third strand go back to your power source for your next set of lights.  Use clips to attach lights whenever possible. Please don’t hammer or staple through cords as this can cause damage to the light strand.

And viola – you are no longer the only Grinch on the block without Christmas lights. Take your buddy out for a beer and breath of relief that your holiday decorating project is done.

When we think about seasonal decorating, we usually think of the seasonal holiday colors; red, white and blue for summer; foliage colors for fall and so forth. For winter decorating, think outside of the typical red and green for Christmas or blue and white of Chanukah for inspiration. Winter white is a warm white that is less yellow than cream, but lighter than a beige.

Taking a cue from fashion, winter white is a terrific choice for richer tones of white that work well with the deeper tones typical of winter: deep green, crimson, and jewel tones. Or you can create a winter white wonderland and layer this rich neutral with other neutrals and textures. Like the picture, mixing in different textures in the form of textiles, pillows and throws can make a monochrome palette interesting and far from bland. Thick throws inspired by winter sweaters and knit covered pillows in winter white create a cozy feeling that is perfect for a bedroom or a room with a fireplace.

Winter white accessories are also easier to live with than crisp, pure decorator’s white. Soft, warm whites on walls and trim can give a nice hint of color to a room. If you are afraid of white carpet, wood floors with a winter white area rug might be the answer. You could choose a light or white washed wood floor to keep the space monochrome. A dark floor in a winter white room would be much more dramatic.

Whether you chose to paint or just add a few accessories, consider using winter white for a seasonal color that is sophisticated and subtle.

The Four Seasons of Decorating: Winter

Is winter your favorite season? Create the warmth and coziness of our coldest time of the year year-round with your own winter room. Just a few touches can bring the season to life in your home.

A winter room is all about coziness. Start with the softest flooring option – carpeting. Imagine sinking your toes into a rich soft plush in an ivory or a rich dark green. Complement your flooring with velvet curtains – hung from floor to ceiling. Sage green or a dull gold adds warmth and complements your carpet choice.

Think about a rich color on your walls. Dark tones such as a warm brown or wine red echo the feel of the season and add coziness to any space. Complement your paint choice with ivories and creams in your upholstery and pillows. Winter begs for texture. You can be more monochromatic if you let texture add personality to your winter space.

Lighting is particularly important during the season when days are short. Add extra lamps to light up the corners without completely chasing away the shadows that warm the space. For accessories, select your favorite seasonal decorations, and add candles for entertaining. And be sure to include one or two throws to warm your feet on chilly evenings.

When winter comes you can let it snow outside. Inside you are completely comfortable in your room built for winter.

For the other seasons, click here.

The Four Seasons of Decorating: Fall

When deciding how to decorate a room, why not look to the four season for inspiration? Choose your favorite and find elements that echo the feel of that time of year. How about fall? If you are drawn to the colors of fall it’s easy to bring autumn into your home through every element of a room.

With flooring, wood says fall the best. Consider a rich dark tone – maybe cherry or ash. The wealth of brown tones and soft glow will provide the perfect background to your other fall elements. Draw on other dark wood tones in your furniture, or possibly metals such as bronze or cast iron to enhance that fall feeling.

For your color choices, look to the leaves. From the rich vivid reds of sugar maples to the light golds of aspens and the amazing variety of browns and maroons provided by oaks, let the trees guide you to just the right combinations. Don’t hesitate to mix them – they look wonderful outside and they will work for you in your home.

What about accessories? Some can be found in your backyard. Cut a few branches of your brightest trees and put them in a vase. Add a few fall flowers such as chrysanthemums and you have the perfect fall arrangement. A quick stop at a grocery or farmer’s market provides a wealth of fall arrangement tools, with gourds, pumpkins and Indian corn to collect in bowls and baskets. Or you can go simple – place a bowl of apples in the middle of the table, ready for anyone to grab and enjoy.

For the other seasons, click here.

The Four Seasons of Decorating: Spring

Every one of our four seasons has its own personality. Colors, style and materials in your home can reflect one season, making a naturally integrated space. Visitors may not recognize the connection, but they will feel that the room is well put together. For our next season, let’s take a look at spring.

Every element of a room can reflect spring. For flooring, think light and bright. Wood or bamboo floors in light tones echo the feel of new growth that is so important a part of this season. Maple cabinets and light wood furniture also carry that theme.

For windows, think bright crisp white. You could choose glossy white shutters, or go simple with sheers or bleached linen in a pure white. Grommet drapes are a fresh look that complements the season.

Think spring when you shop fabrics. Colors that reflect nature at its newest such as light yellow-greens and clear pastels will work well in your spring space. Patterns such as florals are obvious, but don’t limit yourself. How about a bright stripe with lots of white? Take some chances.

Finish up the room with the best representative element of spring – fresh flowers in pots. Daffodils, tulips, hyacinth and crocus set on a windowsill or scattered on various tables bring the season inside, even if it’s still winter outside.

To learn more about decorating with the other seasons, click here.

Is it the middle of summer until you walk into your dark home? How about bringing the season inside? Any season can be used as an inspiration for your decorating, and summer provides a particularly vivid palette.

Let’s start with flooring. Tile, whether porcelain or ceramic, speaks of summer. From the cool feeling on your bare toes to the low maintenance approach to the wet feet of kids running in for a snack after splashing through sprinklers, tile is the flooring ideal for surviving summer. How about matching the family room tile with your tiled patio? Carrying the same tile through both areas creates a feeling of more space and makes that connection from inside to outside stronger.

For your couch and chairs, think of the advantages of white canvas slipcovers. They make any room feel like summer and are easily washed when you get a bit too much of the outside in your home. Cover them with bright cotton throw pillows in all sizes, and if they end up on the floor as much as on the furniture, it’s cotton and it washes, so just enjoy.

Summer is all about light, so consider some light-controlling shades at the windows. Open wide for the early morning brightness, and shade your rooms from hot afternoons.

Finally, bring the beach home with coastal accessories. Whether you collect them yourself on an ocean vacation or pick them up at an import store, a few coastal items creates a wonderful summer feel even in Arizona!