April Recap (Looking Back at Decor, Reading & More!)

Happy weekend and welcome to the Saturday Spotlight!  Each week, I like to focus on a different theme or topic to inspire you.  This week, I’m going to share an April recap of things that didn’t make the blog this month.  From home decor projects to shopping, reading and recipes, I hope I inspire you with my look back at the month of April!

*For your convenience, please note that this post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase after clicking my links below, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you).

April Recap – Spring Visit to Pottery Barn:

To start out with some pretty inspiration, let’s take look at some store displays…

At the beginning of every season, it’s always fun to check out new merchandise in our favorite stores.  Obviously, Pottery Barn is one of my favorites.  This spring, they’re showing a lot of neutrals and coastal items…

 

Even the furniture has a coastal vibe with all the lighter woods.

 

More neutrals with subtle touches of blue.  This inviting furniture display would fit right in a Nancy Meyers movie…

 

Of course, there is still plenty of color this spring… I’m loving this block print quilt!  Not only would it looks fabulous in a beach house but I could see it in a cozy country cottage.

April Recap – Easter Weekend in Vermont:

Relaxing and dining with the family…

Every spring around Easter, we try to squeeze in one last ski weekend in Vermont with the family.  With Easter being April 20th this year, we were really pushing it.  Yes, there was some snow on the mountain but not enough for me to feel safe skiing.  Of course, my older son had to get in few runs to end the season. 

Besides the limited skiing, we enjoyed several dinners, lazy evenings by the fire and plenty of relaxing family time.  One night, we had dinner at The Rivershed which is a casual local bar/restaurant with a quintessential Vermont feel.  

 

On Easter Sunday, we had dinner at the Red Rooster at the iconic, Woodstock Inn.  As always, the food and service were wonderful…and the lobby was beautifully decorated.  Such a lovely space with the statement ceiling, classic moldings and traditional furnishings.

And of course, the blue and white porcelain.  Always, a great place to get decorating ideas!  (By the way, April is National Decorating Month – so there you go!)

April 26th is National Pool Opening Day:

To “celebrate” we opened our pool on Wednesday…

Here in the northeast, most people don’t open their pools until mid-May (to be ready for Memorial Day).  We’re too impatient to wait until then!  Plus, our hot tub is attached to our pool so they need to be opened together.  Since my boys will be home from college in a couple weeks, we want everything to be ready to go!  Of course, we have to deal with messy pollen for a while… By the way, the tree pollen has been torture this past week!  April should also be known as “National Allergy Month”!

April Recap – Books I Read Recently:

Apparently, I’ve been in my Taylor Jenkins Reid era…

Earlier in the month, I read Carrie Soto is Back and I highly recommend it!  It’s a story about a strong-willed retired tennis champion who returns to play so she can hold on to her record.  With her father as her coach, there’s plenty of drama and family dynamics going on.  Even if you’re not a fan of tennis, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of the competition.  Great story!

 

This week, I blew through Daisy Jones & The Six in only a few days.  What a fun and emotional ride along with a fictional rock band from the 70’s!  Apparently, the story was loosely inspired by the band, Fleetwood Mac along with other bands from that era.  Definitely, a must read!  Next, I need to watch the series on Amazon Prime!

April Recap – My Recent Purchases:

Although I didn’t do a ton of shopping in April, I did buy a couple things…

To keep my sheets organized, I’ve started using elastic sheet organizer bands.  No more rummaging through my linen closet to find the right sheets for each bed.  What a game changer!

 

Speaking of beds, my new black bed just arrived for our Vermont condo.  I’ve been in the process of redecorating this room for awhile and it’s slowly coming together.  This week, I’ll share a before and after… Since I’m not completely finished, it will be more of an “after- part one”.  In April, I also bought the charcoal plaid pillow cover here.

More April Shopping Finds:

Besides my finds above, here are a few more things that caught my eye…

With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner, why not celebrate with a cute tequila set!  Cheers!  (Or, I should say, Salud!)

 

To add a coastal vibe to your home this spring, this gorgeous rug has all the right colors!  (It’s on sale now too!)

 

If you want to lighten up your windows this spring, these popular curtains are inexpensive and also come in a variety of colors!

 

For even more April and spring ideas, here are some finds from around the internet:

Spring decorating, DIY projects and more…

• If you want to be inspired by a beautiful home, take a look at this stunner!
• For pretty spring porch ideas, here are some great tips!
• Instead of buying tulips in April, make your own with this fabulous DIY tutorial!
• Be ready for Cinco de Mayo with these Caesar salad smash tacos!

For more spring inspiration, here are some ideas to take you from April to May!

• In case you missed my earlier April post, read – Goodbye March Hello April.
• For an April recap from a couple years ago, read – April Highlights – A Look Back.
• As we look forward to the month of May, read – Hello May!

How did you spend the month of April?

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