With unusual weather, certain areas of the world are seeing flowers blooming early. In the south east of the United States, daffodils are shooting out of the ground and cherry blossoms are forming on bare limbs. The famous Pennsylvanian ground hog, Phil, did not see his shadow this year, thereby accurately signifying an early spring in the United States.

Spring is here, which means watching your flowers come up and getting a little “spring cleaning” done. While you are cleaning out household closets (and maybe even the garage this year), you are likely considering bringing spring back into your home.

Redecoration doesn’t have to be a hassle. Often, it can begin with a simple element to focus the color scheme on. Since we are on the subject of spring and flowers, here are five floral paintings that may inspire your spring fever:
 

1. Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom 
    Rendered by Van Gogh in 1890, as restless as the painter’s mind this work’s color scheme would soothe a dynamic home. Pull the gray-green and blues along with the pale peach for a serene appeal, especially great for wall or fabric palettes. 
2. 
    Artist’s Garden in Giverny
   Rendered by Monet as a part of his famous garden and water lily series at his home in Giverny, France, these bold and impressionistic colors are sure to inspire those with a love life and color. Each brushstroke is unique unto itself. This piece is wonderful to consider for gardeners with a passion for cultivating plant life as did Monet and his rendering of it.
3. Field of Poppies considered a favorite of Van Gogh’s works, Field of Poppies was originally rendered in 1890. Petals may be almost any color, and some have markings. Two primary colors in art–blue and red–sky and earth–are calmed by the green hues of the work. Movement is suggested, a spring wind. Take a hint from the poppies and let red be the color that pops in your home.
4. Orchard most of us are familiar with Klimt’s lovers and extravagant use of pattern. His rich, advant-garde brushwork is still evident in the yellows, golds, and the highlight of the sun on tree trunks in the orchid. Flowers begin to bloom among the trees. Spring overcomes even the branches, and the view is left feeling at peace and in restful seclusion.
5. Red Amaryllis - Rendered by Georgia O’Keeffe in 1937, the artist was one of the rare prominent female painters of her time. She rendered flowers, bones, and landscapes. Many see feminist aspects in her flowers, the empowerment of fertility, vigor, passion, the feminine, and life.

These five floral paintings will assist you in finding artistic ways to welcome spring back into your home. Discover more famous spring paintings by master artists at overstockArt.com.

Get rid of the winter blues and brighten up your home décor for springtime. Design Expert Dawn Kail of overstockArt.com, makes it easy to freshen up your look with a top five list of decorating trends and tips for the season.

The easiest way to reinvent your space without making a huge commitment is by updating your accessories seasonally.” said Kail. “Liven up the look of your home with an assortment of accessories that bring in the spring color trends, which are driven by vivid hues and serene shades.”

Refresh your home for spring with Kail’s top 5 decorating tips:

1. Brighten up with Bold Colors – Let the light in and brighten up your home with bold colors and vivid hues this spring. Spring color trends include bright colors like classic red, hot pink, apple green and orange. Accessorize with brightly colored draperies, wall treatments, throw pillows, an arm chair and art work to liven up your look.

   The red interpretation of Vincent van Gogh’s famous oil painting “Branches of an Almond Tree in Blossom” is a wonderful example of a fine art piece that will bring a burst of bold color to your room. By using white and crème base colors you will keep these vibrant shades from overpowering the space.

2. Serene Shades – Experience tranquility with lighter shades of turquoise and white. Bring a light and airy look into your space with a variety of throw pillows in your favorite subdued shades and different shades of white. Add a touch of color with an accent piece in the color of the year – turquoise. Do it yourself and repaint a chest or picture frames in your favorite subdued turquoise hue.
3. Print Designs are in – Print designs are very popular this season and you can easily make them a part of your home. Choose from big prints to smaller prints, from stripes to floral patterns and incorporate them in your space with wall treatments, curtains, pillows, upholstery, wall décor, carpets and whatever else you like. Use the print designs as highlights for your home or go the whole way and make them the feature of your design.
4. Retro: The wheels of fashion are turning – We saw it first in fashion and now in home design trends – the 70’s are in. Orange is back and in a bright and bold way. Bring the sun-drenched shade into your home by painting the walls in a citrus shade or carefully placing a few orange décor pieces here and there. If you’re still not sure get used to seeing the color in your home by displaying orange flowers or hanging an oil painting, such as one of Mark Rothko’s masterpieces, that incorporates the color in your room.
5. Homespun Charm – The texture of homespun fabrics are in. Vintage print laces, knitted patterns and crotchet detailing are the trend this spring and can be seen on furniture and in accessories ranging from pillows, doilies, tassels, wall decoration and more. Now is the time to bring out Grandma’s homespun handiwork and put it on display.

You don’t have to spend a fortune to reinvent the look of your home,” said Kail. “If you start with a neutral base you easily add seasonal décor trends to your home for a low cost.”

With winter on the way, now is the time to focus on winterizing your home with design and décor fit for the season. Design expert Dawn Kail of overstockArt.com, has come up with a top five list of decorating trends that will keep you cozy on those cold winter nights.

When redecorating for winter you will ideally emphasize two things: warmth and comfort,” said Kail. “It doesn’t take transforming the entire room to warm up your look, just add a few key accent pieces to give that warm winter sensation to your décor.”

Winterize your home with Kail’s top 5 decorating tips:

1. Introduce warmer colors: Bring visual warmth into your home by introducing seasonal colors. This year, designers are using warm hues like red and brown, coupled with cool colored accents. A new paint job isn’t necessary to incorporate new colors in to your home – work them in with accent items.
2. Soft surfaces: Fill the room with thick, soft surfaces that give it a comforting feel. Keep your family and guests warm with throws, pillows, slipcovers, and area rugs made of popular winter fabrics like chenille, fleece, velvet and wool. If you have laminate, hardwood or tile flooring, thick winter area rugs will provide added insulation, warmth and comfort to your home. Don’t be afraid to layer. Drape one throw over the back of a coach or chair and then add another over the top to add an additional layer of style.
3. Winter window treatments: A quick way to add warmth to a room is to swap sheer curtains for heavier drapery. Use winter draperies that can be opened to let the sun in and can be closed up to help keep out any chilly winds that might penetrate the windows.
4. Winter wall art: Give your home a warmer glow with artwork. Decorate with photos and paintings that feature wintry images or the rich winter hues. Georgia O’Keeffe’s famous oil painting “Red Cannas” would be a good fit because of its vibrant crimson colors and Paul Cezanne’s “Melting Snow, Fontainebleau” would be a good fit for its reflection of winter. overstockArt.com makes it easy to find winter wall art for your home with its Seasonal Winter Gallery.
5. Cozy lighting: Create an ambiance of warmth with indoor lighting and candles. Place small lamps in each room to bring a soft light into your home. A flickering candle creates an inviting atmosphere for you and your guests, while providing light and heating at no extra cost. Use seasonal colored hurricanes to cast a warm glow in the room or display white candles on a silver tray to add to your wintry décor.

The best way to keep redecorating expenses down is to keep your mainstay furnishings neutral, that way you don’t have to replace everything to give the room a whole new look,” said Kail.

I want to thank Dawn for sharing a few decorating tips with us! I hope these tips will spark your imagination and help you kick-start your winter decorating endeavors. Would love to hear your thoughts!

As the days get shorter and colder and the snow starts to fall, many people stop worrying about how their homes look from outside, instead concentrating on how it looks on the inside. However, decorating your space for such a festive season can very well be a very costly experience.

Regardless of whether you are decorating for Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, it can also be fun and easy to do! All you need is to use some of the resources that you have in your disposal and you could be well on your way to form a holiday theme that will be remembered for the ages!

Pick a Color Scheme

Unify the home with a color scheme, regardless of how a room is decorated. Popular color schemes for the winter holiday season include:

• Red & green
• Pink & green
• Blue & gold
• Green & white
• Red & white
• Purple & blue
• Blue & white
• Silver & red

Use Neutral Colors for your Big Elements

If you’re going shopping for wall paint or even new bits of artworks, consider neutral colors for both. Doing so makes changing to a new color scheme for spring or summer later on a lot simpler, as you will only need to swap around the accessories.

Dig Out your Old Christmas Cards

And then glue them onto mat board to make an excellent piece of holiday artwork that can be hung on the walls. You could either trim the board to a single card size or just attach dozens of cards to a bigger piece and line it up along the wall or place it on a table top.

Pillow Presents

Tie your throw pillows with a few different colored holiday ribbons, either round the middle once or in a bow just like you do with Christmas gifts, creating pillow presents!

Get Creative with Colorful Cranberries

One great idea is stick some fresh cranberry plants in large vases, adding a seasonal red splash of color to any room. If you don’t have vases, you could use clear wine bottles instead. You can also use cranberries to fill candle trays as well, putting them on the dining room table, mantelpiece and voila!

Try Some Vintage Accessories

The thing to avoid is having your room looking just like a home décor store catalog, so to do this you should try to get hold of some vintage accessories. For instance, if you see lots of little cardboard houses appearing in the catalogs, maybe you could go out and get some Vintage Putz houses instead. You can search online or in thrift stores for vintage items, and even though it may take you a while, the stunning effect this twist has on things can make your room feel really special.

If you have any crafty skills at all, there are lots of vintage materials you can use for making Christmas décor:

• Fabric
• Buttons
• Ornaments
• Pom-poms trim & other kinds of edgings
• Quilts
• Chenille bedspreads
• Old letters, postcards, newspaper ads

You can also create a modern twist by making new accessories by using bits from vintage supplies. Paint new designs onto glass ornaments or even crush them and use the powder as a cheap glass glitter replacement while quilts and bedspreads can be used to make holiday pillows, tree skirts and stockings. The possibilities are limitless!

Use Christmas Cards to Make a Swag

Another way to make last year’s cards useful, simply hang them all over a long piece of string or twine, tacking the ends to the mantel’s corners, or string it up along a long corridor or hallway.

Go Branch Hunting

Take a walk outside and see what branches and twigs you can find. Spray painted with gold or silver and placed in a vase, they make for very elegant seasonal décor.

Create a Focal Point

While your house might look festive already, with ornaments and other touches scattered around, nothing else quite carries the holiday spirit like a major Hanukkah, Kwanzaa or Christmas indoor display. The ideal spots for this would be banisters or mantels, but you could also set it up in a corner or on a table. The trick is to decorate the area really well, so follow these tips:

• Swags
• Bowls of ornaments
• Group Christmas trees, Menorahs, angels and other festive items, mixing up different styles and sizes as you go
• Use miniature houses, fake snow and toy people to make winter scenes.

Add a Plant

For the perfect finishing touch, add a plant into the room. Winter plants such as Poinsettias are the obvious choice, though you could also go for orchids or forced bulbs which look just as good!

You could spend a small fortune decorating this Christmas, and it will look swell, or you could make something that might take a bit more work, might not look as hip and trendy, but it will make for a very special occasion. By making decorating a family affair and involving everyone in the efforts makes the holidays extra special.

Whether you run a major cooperation, rent a suite at the Ritz (Boardwalk Empire reference) or work from home, your environment is important for a productive work day. That, and maintaining your sanity.

There are many options to choose from when considering an aesthetic and functional appeal. Keep it modern and simple, with clean lines and open cabinets for the non-confidential materials. The theory is that most of us try to hide our messes and if we see how horrible our office looks, we will begin to “clean office” and keep it that way. There has to be an order to the chaos, and that order must suit you.

A simple way to distill the chaos and find a direction is choosing one element to focus on, such as artwork. At overstockArt.com, we have a list of our most popular choices for office art. You can also search for an original reproduction of a famous artist that suits your professional personality.

Take these three paintings:

1. Paris After the Rain

If you are looking to evoke a feeling of romance, finery, and leisure, Paris After the Rain, would be a viable choice. I see this painting placed inside a fine restaurant over a two-top table for a couple, or in an office that doesn’t get much of a view. Cherry furniture, or wood with a dark finish, would suit the office nicely, particularly in a conference room. Accents of orange and red will compliment the painting, or a satin blue (colors that remind you of rain) would make the artwork be the focus of the room with contrasting colors.

2. Poppy Field in Argenteuil, Claude Monet

Poppy Field in Argenteui by Claude Monet is a classic choice of artists for their studios and certainly would provide inspiration for florists and landscape architects in their creations. Monet’s studio in Giverny was where he spent much of his old age as an artist and rendered his greatest works. Such a painting is wonderful to draw inspiration or for a professional who would like to be reminded of beauty in their environment. Again, if your view is of a brick wall, a poppy field would add zest to your work space. The vibrant red of the poppies would work nicely in a room painted in a country yellow or similar red.

3.Persistence of Memory, Salvador Dali

Whether you despise or love time, Dali’s melting watches over a desert landscape are certainly unique and attention grabbing. A popular choice, simplicity and shades of one or two colors would work nicely with this work of art. Dali was a forerunner in the Surrealist movement, which reevaluates perceptions of our so-called reality. If you have a particular since of humor, you could place this in a waiting room if you expect your clients will have some time on their hands to peruse magazines.

These three paintings are simple suggestions to get you started. You can search by artist, style, subject, or season at overstockArt.com for an affordable and original reproduction. What look are you considering for your office?

Fall has always been a simple holiday to decorate for – gather vibrant red and yelow-gold leaves from the backyard, tie the individual leaves to some hemp thread and string over doorways or across a mantel. Winter is a bit complicated with such holidays as Christmas, Hanukkah, and Yule to decorate for, and shoppers base decorations around these religious holidays.

There’s something even more magical about decorations taken from nature and handmade than the garlands gotten from craft stores or using cotton balls for snow in the winter above the fireplace. Some aspects about the holidays never change – garlands, wreathes, or statues of Santa. However, there are some things you can do to shake up your holiday decorations.

1. Forget the fake. Fake decorations tend to pile up and one home begins to look like another.
2. Use Nature.  Gather pine cones and leaves from a walk. You can create your own wreathes or tree decorations. After you carve your pumpkin, make pumpkin pie!
3. Go bright and bold. This season looks toward making colors pop. Emphasize the colors of fall and winter with simple decorations – such as a new painting, pillow, or a few candles. Light blues are especially popular for winter this year.
4. Consider alternative shopping. Forgoe the craft, Halloween, and holiday themed stores. Consider shopping online where artists, jewelry makers, clothing designers, and more gather to create handmade and unique gifts not only for you, but for your home! Add a painting to your seasonal decor from overstockArt.com!
5. Forget Themes. Leave it for your daughter’s wedding. This season looks away from theme and celebrates the “if you like it, find a place for it” as design shifts toward the unexpected. Have you ever felt like you walked into your aunt’s house to only feel like you were holiday shopping again? Too much can overwhelm.
6. Choose a focal point. If you have a love for themes, choose a central location for it. Most decorations focus on table top decorations–pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving, lanterns, cobwebs, and candy on Halloween, and snow and chill during winter. Consider making the table top your focal point, as family gathers and shares the holiday season together.
7. Repurpose. Artists have been doing it for years. From Duchamp to Picasso’s assemblage collages, don’t be afraid to take apart some old decorations or recycle unused figurines. You’ll either get great decorations or handy gifts for unexpected situations. Remember popcorn wreathes for the tree? 
8. Go Green. For a season that is known for browns and whites in nature, the decorations favor reds and a lot of green. Take it to an environmental level and use the season to make small changes in your home to spruce up the look and cut costs while saving the environment.
9. Shiny and Metallic? For some reason, consumers gravitating towards metallic wall art this year. Sconces with a metallic finish will set the mood for your home. Choose a new frame to go with those bright and bold colors, or invest in metal sculptures.
10. Personalize your decorations. A new look may fall flat on the senses unless you have a love for what you are creating. Take photos of the family and create decorations. Choose decorations and gifts which inspire childhood memories.

These ten suggestions will get you started on innovative ideas to shake up your holiday season. This fall and winter calls for your unique touch!