It’s a joy to be simple, by stripping away clutter and simplifying your life. With summer here, it can be as simple as rediscovering the romance of sleeping on crisp white cotton sheets or eating on the patio with a bringing out indoor furniture, and setting your al fresco dining table with fine bone china.

Remember when you’re planting in the spring to place your plants in the path of breezes so that when you open the doors or windows the fragrance of heavenly-scented flowers, fresh herbs and spices can drift through your home. And when you are inside, surround yourself with fresh flowers to rekindle the wonderful memories of familiar outdoor scents.

Use a French farm table featuring a mixture of china that you have collected or flea-market finds to create an afternoon tea in your back-yard. Invite your friends over…it will be an afternoon that they will be still talking about next winter!

When you think of flowerpots – think again: colorful pots can become decorative containers to help organize items, and instead of becoming clutter, they become a significant part of your décor. Think of flowerpots to hold makeup, accessories, or soap in your bathroom or cutlery in the kitchen. Of course, you can always use them in every room for plants!

Natural woven baskets – a very creative way to organize your space so it not only looks well but works well… helping to create a space that is not only pretty but versatile.

Create every-changing vignettes that display a light-hearted mix of antiques, and other special furniture pieces, baskets, bedding, linens, china, candles and collectibles both inside and out.

Let your home tell the story of who you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going. If you love to collect, display your collections- but the key is to group your accessories. Change your accessories or collections with the season!

When picking ornaments or statues for your yard, purchase items that reminds you of people and things you love Consider the style of your home; choose ornaments in your yard to complement it. Remember, too many ornaments outside are worse than none. Watch your background where you place your ornaments or artwork. What would this piece look like when plants are not surrounding them?

Consider fences, walls, or evergreens as your backdrops!

Size and scale are important factors. A small urn can be a delight, but can be lost among a large grouping of flowers. Garden ornaments should be neither too large nor too small for the space you are decorating. Look at all sides, when placing your ornaments or sculptures, as it should be pleasing from all directions.

A very important aspect of decorating outdoors is to anchor your objects safely in place, securing them against wind and, in our climate, take into consideration freeze/thaw cycles.

Decorate inside with birdhouse, watering cans, shutters, and worn trellises to bring the outdoors in.

Use vintage floral linens inside as a colorful reminder of the beautiful garden waiting just outside.

Decorate your outdoors as if it is an inside room—place an old wash basin, chairs without seats, and children's wheelbarrows and table sets amongst your flower beds and vines, so they peek out from behind the leaves.

Use a collection of vintage pillows to adorn your outdoor furniture.

Remember to display your collectables, but more than displaying: USE YOUR TREASURES!