Inherently - especially after a recent visit with my grandmother - I tend to have the urge to switch things up in my home and often! Whether seasonally or because I grow bored of the way things feel, refreshing my spaces are kind of my thing. For that reason, most of my base and larger design elements in my home feature colors and patterns that make it easy for me to change the decor as often as I see fit.

Although I’m pretty happy with the way my home looks and feels now, I did feel like it was time to make a seasonal change in my bedroom. I recently got a chance to work with Arhaus - they’ve been amazing partners in my bedroom’s redesign and furniture sourcing. And for spring, they reached out to send me some items that would breathe a little fresh air into my bedroom’s current design.

Below is a shot of my bedroom before the refresh. I LOVE it here, too!

Photo Credit: Sarah Rossi of Selavie Photography

But while we’re here, let me just mention that a refresh of a space is making small, yet impactful changes to your home’s current aesthetic that cause that space to look and feel brand new. Most times, a refresh can be a change of a light fixture, adding an accent wall through a new paint color or wallpaper, or if in the powder/bathroom or kitchen swapping out a faucet or knobs (pulls) for new ones! The hope is to make these effective changes to your space without having to break the bank.

And since we’re heading into my favorite season - summer - it was time for me to lighten the visual weight of my room a bit; transitioning the vibe from the warm and cozy oasis it proved to be during the cooler months into my light and airy retreat I’ll need during the warmer half of the year.

Want to see what I did?

A Transition to Summer

Since the bed holds the most visual weight in my room, I started to lighten the load by switching out the golden quilt for this luxe sateen duvet cover (which has just been marked as “last call” on the site) Lighter in color and feel, adding this duvet feels like the sigh of contentment one may express when walking outside on a dewy, cool morning as spring is about to change into summer. And did I mention how soft it is?!

Upon changing out the linens, naturally, I’d also want to change the throw pillows. The previous ones were velvet and tweed; PERFECT for fall and winter. But as I’m setting my bed during the warmer months, I wanted to bring in fabrics that not only felt lighter but also looked lighter! Linen was the way to go here!

Including the cotton throw that simply feels like butter, all other items sourced from this refresh came from Arhaus. Here are the pillow covers I receieved:

Holton Pillow Cover in Terracotta
Kayce Lumbar Pillow in Terracotta
The Tehama (striped) pillow is no longer in stock. But, the Cantarra Pillow Cover is a good alternative whose colors mix well with the two previous pillow covers and would add even more depth to your overall look!

Hot tip: Since these are just the pillow covers - which are a little higher in cost, but are good decor investments - you can balance things out with these low-cost options for the inserts that can be found at Ikea or Amazon!

Even hotter tip: For your 20x20 pillow covers, for a fluffier look, add a 22x22 insert. And for your 18x18 covers, fill them with a 20x20 insert for the same effect!

Another area I focused on for my refresh was my bedside table’s accessories.

Again, I LOVED the look and vibe of my bedroom before. I simply wanted to liven things up a bit more while introducing a bit of whimsical luxury - my favorite aesthetic, to be honest!

To achieve that feeling of whimsical luxury, here are the decorative items I incorporated:

As my base, I chose the Angel Jasper Tray. It’s something about this particular shade of green that caught my eye. With three of my bedroom walls being green, and the many shades of green brought in by the plants, it was easy for me to simply add in this rich compilation of jewel tones. And those brass handles? Divine!

Replacing my wavy terracotta vase that . . . broke while recording the reel of my refresh reveal, I sourced the Taddeo Low Pot. Speaking to that touch of whimsy I wanted to bring into my space, I love how the handles of the vase somewhat mimick cat ears! Fun fact: I’m a dog person through and through. BUT, deep down, I’d LOVE to have a cat. However, I’m very much allergic to them (their dander). So, I’ll have to settle for catlike decorative touches!

Lastly, to add another touch of luxury - and to pay homage to my love of jewelry making - I layered in Variegated Onyx Beads. Before placing them, I polished them with a fragranced, sandalwood oil. Because the beads have slight openings, or exposed pores, the strand will act as a natural diffuser, periodically releasing the scent of sandalwood in the air!

I absolutely LOVE how adding in these small decor elements completely changed the look and feel of my nightstand, which is from, you guessed it, Arhaus!

Last, but definitely not least, I believe that no space is complete without defining its signature scent for the season; especially since the sense of smell is the strongest tied to our memories!

So for this summer, I want my memories of this space to be tied to the scent of sandalwood, cardamom, herbs, and earthy musk. To do that, I selected the Earth candle from Arhaus’s Elements collection. Because I’m pretty set on this being the only candle I burn in my bedroom this summer, I opted for the large-sized candle.

The mix of all of my favorite scents both relaxes me and motivates me to get out of the bed and start my day the moment the sun kisses my eyelashes in the morning!

Hopefully I’ve been able to share some fun tips and beautiful sources with you that will inspire a refresh in your space. Remember, it doesn’t take much to make a big impact. And the beauty of designing our homes is that it is something from which we never graduate! As long as our style and taste continue to evolve, so will our homes!

My bedroom continues to be my sanctuary; a place for me to dream, relax and truly give gratitude for each day by resting. I hope y’all enjoyed our latest blog and really did a deep dive into how I approach design! Any tips you’re excited to try out? Tell me below!