I live in a house built in 1905, so you can imagine the closet space, and even in the newer upstairs addition, there's not much storage. No walk-ins, that's for sure! So, twice a year, the off-season clothes get bundled into plastic tubs in the attic. That's on my agenda for the coming weekend--the late date is astounding for Texas--usually it's the end of March, not the middle of May! We've had a very cool spring here.
But it's not just the clothes that get a seasonal change--the house does, too. Out comes the sea-glass-blue runner for the dining room table, and the hurricanes filled with seashells and sea glass. In the living room, away go the heavy, furry throws and dark, velvety pillows. Out come the bright quilts and bird-printed cushions.
A fun hour's work, and the house feels lighter and brighter.
But the thing is, my husband thinks I am completely, utterly bonkers. He can't imagine why anyone would bother. (Or why anyone needs that many throw pillows. He's actually counted them...)
So my question, REDS, is whether you indulge in this seasonal pastime?
And for the gentlemen among us, do you agree with my dear hubby?
HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: Oh, I completely change the throw pillows! (Debs, I will send photos) And the slipcovers on the sunroom couch. And the throw. I change the duvet cover on the bed from winter white to blue seersucker.
Harley Jane Kozak taught me to change dishes, too...to use one set of dinner plates in the winter (more formal and serious) and a bright and sunny one in the summer. I love that idea!
HALLIE EPHRON: Scratching my head... seasonal change?? We sit outside a lot, put out the patio furniture, keep the shades raised, move from the front of the house to the back where there's more light (cooler and less 'cozy'). But change slipcovers? Throw pillows? TWO sets of dishes (where would I put them?)
I get out the lemonade pitcher. Does that count? And FOOD is completely different. But that's another blog...
LUCY BURDETTE: Let's see, I did put away the Christmas throw pillows week before last. Does that count Debs? We are too busy working out in the vegetable garden to do much of anything, other than haul out the porch furniture and put up the screens.
But I have to say that your bright quilted throws and bird pillows sound wonderful!
ROSEMARY HARRIS: Ah yes! I can remember my mother changing the curtains three times a year and I swore I would never do that. But...I do a version of that. I have cotton curtains and velvet. Every year during the French Open I change the curtains. Sounds strange but in CT it's cool at night until late May. I'm a linens junkie so the bedding changes from velvets to matelasse to cotton matelasse to light cotton blankets. (Someone stop me before I go to Bed Bath and Beyond or Home Goods again...in Italy now and getting dangerously close to Frette and Pratesi.)The plants go out and so do we. The hundred or so cushions, throws, etc. are unearthed. The hammock comes out. The firewood gets used up or stashed elsewhere out of the living room.
But dishes? That's not a seasonal thing for me. But if Hank does it...maybe I should...
DEBS: Dishes? Really? Okay, I don't change dishes, although we do use the Fiesta Ware from the dining room more in the summer. It's just so... summery. (Or I would if I could get in the dining room, but the dining room is full of books from the project I started back in January....another blog...)
And don't get me started on all the outside stuff; plants on deck and porch and new hammock and new pillows (more throw pillows!) for the deck furniture. I move into the sunporch, even to write, and live in the room most of the summer.
I want to hear about Hallie's summer food, and Ro's adventures in Firenze (and the linen shopping.) But in the meantime, although it would be nice if we all had winter cabins and summer beach front cottages, we'll make do.
What about you, Readers?
