A Room for All Seasons

Wouldn’t it be nice to change your room as each season comes and goes? For many people who live in areas of the country where four seasons are prevalent, transitioning from season-to-season is typical. They have furnishings, accessories, and even wardrobes they switch between every few months. Yet, for those people who live in climates were there is very little fluctuation in temperature, they must find a way to bring the seasons into their home when the outside landscaping does not change.

One of the most effective ways to keep your décor appropriate for the seasons – regardless of where you live - is by changing the color and look of your furniture. But, this doesn’t mean that you have to run out and buy all new furniture….because, that wouldn’t be feasible. Instead, why not use a slipcover?

A few years back, slipcovers were few and far between. They were a “mysterious, no-where-to-be-found” accessory. Yet, times have changed and you can now choose a slipcover in a wide array of styles, colors, patterns, and with a “custom fit.” A slipcover gives you the freedom not only to make a visual change based upon the season, but provides you with something to compliment your existing paint and accessories.

Seasonal decorating can be summed up in one word: feeling. So, as you set out to redo your décor using slipcovers, ask yourself what feeling you want your room to have. Here are some suggestions:

• Summer. Bring the warmth of the sun and the coolness of water into your home. For that cozy country look, select a blue or yellow slipcover. If a beach feeling is what you’re after, select a slipcover in white, gray, or light/medium blue. To keep it clean and simple, use white, black or gray. For the 4th of July holiday, how about a red slipcover with blue/white pillows, or a blue slipcover with red/white pillows?
  
• Fall. Probably the most colorful season with its deep oranges and reds as well as dark green and browns, your furnishings can make this same transformation. Use a floral arrangements as the starting point for selecting a color. If you’re looking to have a natural look, stick with green as your slipover choice. For a more colorful look, move to slipcover with an interesting pattern in either orange, red, or gold. You may even want to use a brown slipcover, and then accessorize it with pillows in each fall color.
  
• Winter. The days are shorter, the weather is cooler, and the coziness of a fire is mandatory. You have several directions you can go when it comes to your slipcover choices:
  
  Holidays. Why not slipcover in that favorite holiday color (e.g., red or green for Christmas or blue for Hanukkah) to give your holiday décor a uniform look and feel? If you’re the type who’s experimented with some “modern” holiday colors, a slipcover in such colors as purple, green, or bright blue is ideal.
  
  Cold weather. The post-holiday season can be somewhat dreary. So, try sticking with a colored slipcover – maybe in blue or white for January (because it reminds us of snow on a clear day), and red for February (to keep Valentine’s Day alive all month long).
  
  
• Spring. Here’s your chance to bring bright and sunny colors into your home, enlivening the spirits of everyone who dwells within or pays a visit. Think outside the box by choosing a slipcover in bright reds, greens, and yellows. Alternatively, you can stick with a neutral background slipcover - such as beige or tan - and then add splashes of color with pillows. Why not think green for St. Patrick’s Day or pastel colors for Easter?

Your seasonal decorating can encompass all areas of your house – not just the sofa in your living room. How about those dining room chairs, maybe that loveseat in your bedroom, or even the wonderful chair tucked into a special corner of your office? Carrying your holiday slipcover theme from room to room will give your entire house that “pulled together” look during any season.

Whether you’re using a slipcover as the starting point for your seasonal decorating, or to compliment your existing wall covering, flooring, or accessories, you’ll find it one of the easiest ways to update your home’s look.