Just because it may still be winter outside, it doesn’t have to be inside. Here are a few touches for your space that can make spring feel like… well… spring.
Proud Mary, Keep on Burnin’
Take care to let the inner wax of these artful Moon Alley candles burn down evenly, and the outer wax will glow like stained glass without melting. Cooler yet, after the inner wax is gone, you can simply drop in a fresh wick and candle wax (both available at
craft stores) to get the glow going happily forever after. Lotus, $51; Tree, $69. Cali’s, Traverse City, 231-947-0633.
Stunning
A clue from Mrs. Peacock: Candlesticks should have some heft … to keep from toppling over, of course. By the by, truly killer candlesticks also need a striking silhouette and standout color. This pair from our latest favorite house of style, Traverse City’s new Urban Diversions, has it all. Get a hold of ’em before Mrs. Peacock does. $79 a pair, Traverse City, 231-946-6600.
Lie Like a Rug
Dash and Albert Rug Company’s Kaffe Fasset line is bright, boisterous and befitting the spunky style of the kind of Northern cottages we love to call home. Micro-hooked wool Bed of Roses rug. 3’-by-5’ ($150) to 10’-by-14’ ($1,485) Cedar Creek Interiors, 231-933-4321.
Seed Starter The late-winter ritual that sustains me until spring? Curling up in bed with a stack of seed catalogs, dreaming up this year’s garden. I can’t think of a better way to fall into that reverie than to fall into a bed brightened with this Petal Pushing quilt and cushions. Queen quilt, $190; cushion set, $55; pillow sham set, $56, available too. Jetton-Miller At Home, Suttons Bay, 231-256-7855.
Spring Love Potion
Some say pomegranate juice is the best thing to hit hearts since Cupid himself. Put the super juice to the test and pour a pomegranate Spice and Sweetheart cocktail into these platinum-dotted glasses for you and your special someone. If the juice doesn’t get your hearts a’pumping with passion, count on the vodka. Otherwise, you’ve got these gorgeous platinum-dotted glasses to love. $18.75 each, Nest of Grand Traverse, Traverse City, 231-946-0232.
Sign, Seal, Deliver—He’s Yours
Plant a love note in your sweetie’s mailbox that blooms with a beautiful bit of the North. These note cards from eco-conscious Wastenot Paper showcase a cherry blossom print almost as pretty as the real thing. Set of eight. $12. Michigan Artists Gallery, Suttons Bay, 231-271-4922.