{decorating with style} Valentine's Day Mini-Home Tour

I always dread taking down the Christmas decorations...not just because it's a whole lot less fun than putting them up, but also because the house always feels a bit uninspired when the festive decor comes down. I blame it on winter. It's cold and dreary outside, and it affects the mood inside as well. 

I never thought I'd decorate for holidays like Valentine's Day, but in the past couple of years I've discovered that this lovey-dovey holiday is actually perfect excuse to start bringing some bright colors in to the house to combat the winter blahs. 

Adding a few pops of pink and red helps to cheer up the house on gray days. I thought that today it would be fun to give you a really quick tour of our Valentine's decor in case you are also in need a little bright and cheery on a winter day!

We'll start in the entry. Last summer, a good friend came across that gigantic lighted R while shopping at a store in Tulsa. She texted me a photo to ask if I needed it - and I DID! Getting it to Denver was the challenge... but it's here now, and after trying it in a few different spots, it's found a home on our entry table! I love the statement it makes when you enter the front door, and the scale is just what we needed here!

I strung up the simple Valentine's Day banner that I made a couple of years back {you can download a printable version of the banner in pink, red, or white}. Each X and O has the definition of love written across it. I also added some bright pink flowers {fake - the only kind I can't kill} into a tall vase, and finished off the display with the Kate Spade inspired striped and polka dotted Xs and Os that I made last year.

In the living room, I put my favorite pink vase on the mirrored side table and filled it full of {fake} orchids. I also added a few pink candles here and there on the photo shelves. 

I like to change out the pieces in our tic tac toe board for different holidays {pumpkins in the fall; ornaments at Christmas}... but for Valentine's day, the standard Xs and Os seem just right. Since I have two young boys, I have to keep the coffee table styling to a minimum, but I did combined a few pink and red candles on my teal painted candle holders to add some height and pops of color.

I also made some super easy {seriously - 5 minutes} Valentine's Day Scrabble tile coasters that are perfect for the coffee table.

The pink pillows on the couch will stay throughout the spring and summer, but Valentine's Day is the perfect motivation for me to pull them out of storage after the holidays.

And to set a romantic mood...what could be better than listening to my husband serenade me with songs from our wedding? He recorded them for our wedding video, and I had them made into records for the jukebox.

In the kitchen, I once again strung up the cute Valentine's Day countdown banner that I made for the kiddos last year. Each bag has one piece of chocolate for each boy each day, and the promise of that chocolate actually makes them eager for bedtime.

I bought the red and white striped runner on the table on clearance a couple of years ago, and while it reminds me a little too much of candy cane stripes at Christmas, it's just what our table needs to be cheered up for Valentine's Day.

On the wall above the kitchen table, I strung up another version of my printable Valentine's Day banner - this time in white and fancied up with a washi tape detail along the top edge.

Upstairs, the hall table displays the fun canvas heart paintings that I created with the boys last year. It was a super fun and simple art project that we did together - they painted the white canvases, and I painted the black.

And that's about it. Just enough pops of pink and red around the house to combat the winter blahs! 

The last spot I'll show you is a bit unconventional... my husband's side of the closet. A couple of years ago for Valentine's Day I made a cute little dry erase board where I can jot notes to him to tell him all the reasons I love him throughout the year. If you need a last minute Valentine's Day gift, you can download this "I Love You Because" print in blue or white! All you need is a frame and a dry erase marker!

The other, higher frame is just a simple print I created with the lyrics to our song - Wink and a Smile. It was another easy but heartfelt Valentine's gift! And together, the two framed prints add a little something-something to an otherwise boring closet.

I hope you enjoyed this mini-home tour. As spring approaches, I'll be adding lots more bright pops of color around the house! As always, you can get some sneak peeks on Instagram, and in March I'll be collaborating with some super talented ladies to bring a you a full week worth of inspiring spring home tours!