This article may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy here
The putter has been one of my favorite hobbies for as long as I can remember. It’s been a while since I’ve putted though. With all the subsequent moves and vacations, I feel like I have a few key things settled into our new home enough for us to function.
To putter is to take care of a number of small tasks in a pleasant and quiet way, without concentrating on anything in particular.
The putter is therapeutic for me because there is no end goal or expectation of what needs to be accomplished. It’s about the joy of being in the moment and just making things prettier and more enjoyable with what you already have.
My daughter Courtney was here visiting for a few days last week and we were inspired one afternoon to take a tour of the house. We decided to start with the living room, so we moved some furniture, shopped around the house for things I already had or wanted to use in this space, and thought about future possibilities.
It’s good to put everything aside for a bit and be creative! Puttering always makes me feel more connected to my home and my life too. In my book A Lovely Life (available for pre-order now!), I talk about the value of refreshing your spaces and finding small ways to celebrate the start of a new season. So that’s exactly what we did, we ushered in spring! We had the fireplace on and the door open…it was nice outside but cold enough for the fire to be cozy. It is important to set the mood so that you are inspired.
(By the way, at the bottom of this article you’ll find a mood board with some of our living room sources and others like them!)
We swapped a few things over the fireplace, including blowing out the new twist taper candles Courtney gave me for Christmas!
We put away our winter pillows and realized we didn’t have the spring pillows we wanted for this room! So we sat down and ordered a few, I’ll share when they arrive.
We wrapped a scarf around the bench seat to see what it would look like with stretchy fabric. I love the idea of having a few different covers for this seat to change to each season, but using a scarf to change it from dark gray to green was a simple fix so far!
We’re still enjoying the wall sconce we hung without wiring (with that rechargeable bulb). See my post on how we did this here! It really made this place so cozy and welcoming.
When we remodel our kitchen, this room will also get a bit of a refresh, but in the meantime, we’re having fun making it our own. We brought a table for a lamp in the corner and hung some artwork we had on the wall. The corner already feels cozier! I’ve often said that if you don’t know where to start, start at a corner.
A few books, a bird and flowers. My favorite spring mix.
Another simple trick I use to change a room is to lay a blanket over the back of our couch. It’s an easy way to get a new look! I have this striped throw for sale here – it’s out of stock now, but they have so many attractive throw blanket options at great prices!
This big round basket was on our wall in the old house so it was fun to see it again and use it in a new way while sitting on the leather ottoman.
A few weeks ago, we changed this corner. We moved the big black bookcase to another location and replaced it with this cabinet (which we also had in our old house). We knew we wanted a mirror here, so while we were talking, we tried one we already had (this one was in our guest room). We weren’t sure the size and shape we had would work here, but hanging it in the center and balancing the whole vignette with the lamp made it work! I love it when you already have what you planned to order.
A little creative tinkering with what we already had saved us money and it brought in more light and expanded the water view and room features!
We also replaced the hall table lamp with our beloved rattan shade lamp. (Click HERE for a similar lamp in white and rattan. If you missed our article on mini lamps and other accent lamps, check it out here).
While we were talking in this area we got inspired for something in the entry, so stay tuned and I’ll share it soon. (or head over to my Instagram reel for a preview!).
The best part about puttingter is that you often start to feel re-inspired for your home! You could just keep going! We did it. Not only did we feel inspired to change something in our entryway soon after, but we’ve already moved one of our mirrors and added another to the mantel after taking these pictures!
Stay tuned for more puttering and spring changes in our house! Subscribe to my free newsletter here to stay up to date and follow it on Instagram and Facebook.
Sources above:
Rattan mirror
Island Fantasy Book
island hopping book
Scalloped Arch Mirror
Set of twisted taper candles
Bamboo and brass candlesticks
White Fringed Pillow
Blue pillow with tassels
Shuttered cabinet in whitewashed wood
Ceramic table lamp with rattan shade
Brass Wall Sconces with Shade (Set of 2, also available in Black)
White artificial tulips (many color options)
Blue and white ceramic ginger jar with lid
Blue and White Chinoiserie Square Decorative Bowl
Navy Polka Dot Lidded Basket
Thick Seagrass Round Basket Tray
leather pouffe
Blue patterned rug (robust machine washable)
Woven rattan and glass container
Dip Dyed Stool
Navy Patterned Runner (Heavy Duty, Multiple Size Options)
What are you doing to freshen up your own home this spring? Come share with us in The Inspired Room Community (my free group to share your homes, ask for decorating tips, find encouragement, and connect with other home lovers).