Citrus Infusion

What do you get when you combine a 99-cent bag of lemons and a homeowner who's ready for some summer color?

Citrus-inspired redecorating, my friend, and all on the cheap! Here are all my "supplies," purchased from a dollar store and fabric clearance store that totaled $30. I knew that I could incorporate these tangerine, lemon and turquoise accents into my neutral living and dining rooms to usher in a fresh, summery look--and I wanted to share the results.

1) Cover accent pillows with new fabric. I used no-sew ironing hem tape to temporarily cover these pillows (admittedly, I'm not handy with a sewing machine...yet!)

2) Change out candles and fill glass containers with fresh fruit. My mantel got the easiest treatment, but with big impact. The fruit and candles add nice color and wonderful fragrance, too. These lemons will make great lemonade in a week or so, and I can always swap them out for some oranges or another inexpensive, seasonal fruit.

3) Add accents in the center of the room and at the corners of adjoining rooms. On the coffee table (left), I positioned this orange and white kitchen towel under the glass of a serving tray and topped it off with a tea light candle and yellow daisies in a decorative pot with river rocks as mulch. A sea-blue accent filled with potpourri sits on our record player (right), dividing the living and dining rooms.

4) Use potted annuals for pops of color that last longer than cut flowers. Reserving the brighter colors for the living room, I still wanted to freshen up the adjoining dining room, but with a more subtle palette. I brought in the outdoors with this centerpiece. A small, natural weave rug anchors the planter I found in my garage, which holds three potted flowers nestled in a row. The foliage and blossoms serve to fill in the gaps on the edges of the container without having to add extra soil.

5) Enlist the help of an adorable toddler. Here, my 2-year-old daughter reveals a shot of the whole room for you all. She loved counting the lemons to put in the glass vase and bowl, and in spite of Mommy's instructions not to touch the flowers, she's still bringing me daisy blossoms she has plucked from the arrangements...sigh. I don't really mind. :)