Setting the mood for love does not necessarily mean dimming the lights and cranking up the Barry White. Sometimes it means decorating a pink tree or switching out some throw pillows.
Nobody says you need to go to Christmas-decorating lengths to celebrate Valentine’s Day, but it is much too fun of a holiday to completely ignore. Here are a few ways that I and some other clever bloggers get in the mood for love in February.
Image: Public Domain via Pixabay
Change Out Your Picture Frames
I love seasonal picture frames, mostly because I love pictures. Changing out my frames and photos with each holiday gives my family and me a chance to recall different fond memories throughout the year.
I have a digital picture frame that changes constantly, but I also love my colorful fun frames. I try to match the photos to the holiday with red and pink clothes, pictures of hugs and kisses or (of course) photos actually taken on Valentine’s Day.
Why not make your own Valentine's Day frame?
Frame and Hang a Free Printable
The blogosphere is swimming with free printables. There are plenty of adorable Valentine’s Day-themed ones to choose from.
Add one of these babies to your gallery wall, mantle or bookshelf and say it loud and proud: I Love You.
Katie from Up-Cycled Treasures has several cute (and free) ones on her blog, like this one that says “Always Kiss Me Goodnight.”
Decorate Your Mantle
If you only have the will to change out one area in your home seasonally, why not make it the mantle? It’s small (read: you don’t need a ton of stuff) and in most homes the focal point of the room.
Set the mood for love in your house with a quick mantel change=up like this adorable one from Rachel at Like a Saturday.
Recycle Those Pink and Red Christmas Trees
You might recall that I have over 100 artificial Christmas trees. For Valentine’s Day I like to give my pink and red trees another go.
I have a 7-foot tall pink tree sitting in the corner of my room as I type. When trees are grouped together by color, the Christmas connotations wash away and the Valentine’s love takes over.
Throw Pillows
I have an entire linen closet stuffed with throw pillows. No, really I do. I use them on the rare occasion I make my bed, when I’m trying to hide my hideous black leather sofas or when I am trying to set the season.
Shari at Let’s Get Together has some adorable pillowcase examples on her blog perfect for Valentine’s Day.
Unexpected Pink and Red Items
I’m a collector. Okay, maybe I’m a borderline hoarder. The one thing that helps me from going over the cluttered chaos edge is that I tend to rotate my collections seasonally.
My pink, red and white vintage radios do not take center stage in my bookshelves all year long, but come Valentine’s Day they get displayed.
Love in the Kitchen
I have mugs with Santa for Christmas and owls for Halloween, so it only makes sense that I would make a mug with hearts and sentiments for Valentine’s Day. I love these adorable mugs from Leigh-Anne Wilkes at Your Home Based Mom.
Even if you have not mastered the lettering trend, she has a great tutorial that will make even the poorest of penmanship look Valentine’s Day-gift-worthy.
Hang a Wreath
Wreaths are so easy and fun to make. I just went to a Valentine wreath-making party where the hot glue guns and champagne punch were flying.
The end products made for some seriously awesome Valentine decor. Wreaths are easy to store and don’t have to be hung on your front door.
Mine always hang inside on a wall, because I love them too much to let them brave the elements outside. Plus someone might steal the false teeth and vintage ladies razor off my Valentine's wreath if it were outside.
Lather Up in Love
Don't forget the bathroom when decorating for holidays. A quick hand towel switch up and maybe some scented soap is all you need.
I for one want to eat, I mean make, a batch of this Chocolate Covered Strawberry Soap from Cari at Everything Pretty. Good hygiene has never been more romantic.
Wardrobe
Add a little love to your wardrobe. Whether you have socks with sentiments or cardigans with cupids, take the love with you when you leave the house.
There are oodles of DIY projects out there, but my fave is always the heart-shaped patch. I have seen them on knees and elbows.
You can stitch them like a real patch or you can fake them with paint like I did here.
How are you setting the mood for love around your house?