Add romance to your home

Summer might be made for lovers — but if you bring a romantic spirit to your home, you’ll be able to keep the sense of passion year-round. Here are seven ways to add romance to your space.

Appeal to the senses

Having a romantic home isn’t necessarily about frills and the colour red (although many reds are simply gorgeous) but about creating a luxurious mix of textures and surfaces. Consider replacing or recovering plain throw pillows in richer fabrics – silk pillow covers, or a chenille throw. Mix gleaming cold surfaces with natural objects, like a glass bowl full of pinecones.

Play with light

Light is one of the key components to a romantic mood. Adding a dimmer switch or two; replacing an old and merely functional light fixture with something with a bit more panache; or replacing overhead lights with warm lamps can all help to set the mood. But if you’re feeling even more playful, try getting out a few strands of white holiday lights and stringing them so they fall down inside the corner of a room, or around the canopy of your bed.

Create a spa

Although it might be ideal to take out an old bathtub and add in a Jacuzzi instead — and if you feel like tackling it, go for it! — there are other ways to make your bathroom feel like a spa. Remove old shower curtains and window treatments and opt for calm, neutral fabrics. Clear out the clutter and look for bathroom accents made of natural materials like bamboo, sea grass, or wicker. Invest in a few new, luxurious towels. Splurge on some new and luxurious bath products and soaps.

Reflect on this

Add mirrors to enhance the space in your home. A mirror placed behind a plant on the bureau makes it into a rich indoor garden; a mirror that reflects part of a room increases the sense of openness. And here’s a quick-fix tip: if your mirrors are reflecting too much ceiling, tilt them down to show objects in the room instead.

Layer linens — not to-do lists

You don’t have to add lace to make your bedroom into a more luxurious-feeling retreat. Layer sheets, a comforter, and a throw to combine a variety of hues and fabrics. Add in some plump pillows and you’ll be ready to dream of romance – or attract some. Also be sure to clear the bedside tables of any bits of ‘business’ than may have made their way into the bedroom -– this is not the place for the chequebook!

Bring the outside in

Bring garden furniture indoors to create a cozy nook, or choose furniture with a garden-friendly feel, such as a bistro set and iron plant rack. There’s something about space with an outdoor feel that adds possibility to a room. Add a few potted plants or some fresh flowers to provide greenery and scent.

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Make your home a celebration

Romance is personal, so be sure to take the time to add things to your rooms that speak about you — your hopes and dreams, and what’s important to you. Family photographs, rocks from a moonlit walk on the beach, shells from a romantic trip, or mementos in a curio cabinet all add that touch that says life is a journey to be enjoyed. And that’s the source of real romance!

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