I’m just going to put it out there. I love love.

Yup. I’m a true romantic.

I can never resist a sappy movie, romance novel or happy ending.

In fact, I just finished watching Little Women, the latest adaptation directed by Greta Gerwig. (What a rock star, by the way – creating an Academy Award nominated film by age 38!)

Having forgotten much of the story from childhood, I couldn’t believe how the characters’ lives ended up!

I won’t spoil it for you, but it made me think about this story from such a different angle: that the happiest and most genuine love came from the sisters being together.

It was lovely, and beautiful and gave just me the closure I needed from a movie or book, especially when the ending doesn’t match what your heart desires.

I can’t resist the joy of adding a little love throughout my home during this season.

If you’re busy like me, though, you don’t have a lot of time or energy to load up your home with more décor – especially having just cleaned and put away all the Christmas stuff.

The good news is, even small touches can make a big difference (which is good, because while I’d paste red and pink hearts all over my home, hubby prefers things a little more subtle).

Along with making sweet Valentine’s boxes and cards with my boys, here’s what I do in my home to remind myself of romance and the power of love and how much it inspires everything I do.

Best of all, all of these projects can be done in less than 25 minutes, so you can easily squeeze a few of them into your own busy schedule.

Let’s jump right in!

Tip 1: Add in a few blooms

I absolutely love adding flowers throughout my home, and specifically on my countertop and my dining table. They are the perfect replacement for my now long-gone holiday centerpieces.

My favorite tradition: picking up fresh flowers once a week when I shop for my groceries.

Don’t overthink it, just pick up whatever inspires you. I don’t wait for hubby to do this for me, I love doing this and do it for myself and our home all the time!

If you find arranging flowers to be challenging, I recommend getting vases that make it easier, like this:

Available at Village Antiques

What about artificial flowers?

In my younger days, before I juggled work, children and the many other things I’m busy with now, I would have said NO WAY! Stay away from those.

I’ll be the first to admit – I have changed. If you don’t have the time to maintain fresh flowers, go for a bunch of artificial ones like these:

Available at Village Antiques

Available at Village Antiques

Just be sure to treat yourself to the real deal every once in a while!

Tip 2: Add something fanciful

This is a great time of year to add something delightful that’s maybe a little over the top.

For instance, I need a little tray on top of my drawers in my closet to house my perfumes.

I could easily opt for a basic clear tray to hold it all.

But instead, I’m swapping that out for this beautiful glass and antique brass filigree tray.

Available at Village Antiques

On that note, you can also add a few little jeweled bottles onto a tray like this as well.

Available at Village Antiques

Available at Village Antiques

Seriously – you’ll feel like royalty!

Tip 3: Table decor

If you follow me, you know I’m the queen of tablescapes!

While I was planning my spring tablescape, I let romance drive my decision.

I thought about what I could add or do differently in my dining room.

I immediately fell in love with this gorgeous silverware and knew it would make the perfect addition to my collection.

In all honesty, I don’t need it. We have plenty.

But I loved the old style charm and romance so much that I could not stop thinking about them. So I took the advice I often give my clients when you can’t stop thinking about something – go for it!

I know this will complement my decor for years to come.

You can easily do this with the addition of paper napkins like these:

Available at Village Antiques

Or even linen napkins like these:

Coming Soon to Village Antiques

Coming Soon to Village Antiques

Speaking of table decor, my boys ended up loving the candles I had on our table during the holidays! They told me they felt so adult and romantic. So I will be adding a less seasonal pair to my table this spring.

Year-round candle stands like these offer an easy way to add a little more to your own table decor:

Available at Village Antiques

Tip 4: Add pops of romance to your existing décor

While I love the colors associated with romance – soft pinks, whites, even reds – I don’t want to change my entire décor to this palette.

Instead, I bring in little pops of these colors that I can use to blend with my existing home décor to feel inspired by romance.

Just look at these gorgeous natural beads that can be placed over a stack of books or across a tray.

Coming Soon to Village Antiques

Or these lovely pillows.

Coming Soon to Village Antiques

Or how about a little romantic rug beside the bed or in a little sitting area?

Coming Soon to Village Antiques

In my kitchen, I’ll be adding a few of these gorgeous embroidered towels. They say it all.

Available at Village Antiques

By the way – these are customizable, so you can even order them with your family’s initials!

Tip 5: A set of old books

Available at Village Antiques

Nothing says romance to me more than a set of old books. Whether you read them or not, they offer the potential of a great story waiting to unfold.

In my own home, I have loads of books, but some of my favorites include the classics.

I will admit, I don’t read them often, but they remind me of yesteryear; the days of when I was a young girl without a care in the world, playing endlessly with my little sister and brother and dreaming of what my adult life would be like.

Tip 6: Photos

Speaking of old school, I’m going way back with this tip.

I’d love for you to do this in your home.

Nowadays, as you know, most of our photos are taken and stored on our phone. And don’t get me wrong – I love the convenience of finding photos at a moment’s notice and being able to cherish memories of when my boys were babies, or special moments with family and friends.

But I miss looking at old framed photos on my nightstand or coffee table reminding me of those cherished moments as well.

The good news is, you can very easily order photos from your phone, as I recently found out.

And when you do, why not add 1-3 throughout your home in a lovely frame like one of these:

Available at Village Antiques

Tip 7: A little fun

Available at Village Antiques

Last but not least I grabbed a pair of these heart earrings from Village Antiques. I wore these for Valentine’s Day and will be sporting them all year round! As I told you before, I love love, and jewelry is always a great way to express your heart!

Now, over to you! Which of these tips are you going to incorporate into your own home?

Leave a comment and let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

And in honor of this being the season of love, don’t forget to spread the joy by sharing this post with your friends and family.

With love,

Amitha