Stumps are one of this spring’s hottest home accessory pieces. (Courtesy of Cheryll Gillespie)

This spring, in-the-know designers are getting stumped.

Literally, tree stumps are coming home and being employed as tables, plant stands, table bases, stools and handy little surfaces in just about every room.

How come we never thought about this before? I can’t answer that one but I can tell you that a stump is one of this spring’s hottest home accessory pieces.

From traditional to ultra modern, a stump is at home in any space - it’s a little piece of nature in the room. We love the organic texture and the natural colouring but if you’re not a fan of the look of wood painted stumps are available as well.

Painted stumps are usually white; adding a more elegant or cottage-chic feel to the room.

I have also seen them painted copper or silver, which make them a sleek conversation piece as well as a useful table surface. You can of course do this yourself or buy them already painted.

Living in British Columbia we are blessed with an abundance of available stumps, so whenever I travel around town or out to the farm I have my eyes peeled for the perfect stump.

Stumps also work perfectly on the patio as an end table beside your lounge chair, or a large stump can serve as a base to a glass top dining table or two stumps can be the base of buffet style table.

Still stumped? I have more ideas! Take a 12 to 16 inch stump and cut it into one inch thick slabs to use as charger plates.

Or, if you are handy with the router, carve a quarter inch groove around the edge (in about half an inch) of the plate to capture juices from your meat or food.

Now you have the perfect BBQ dishes… Imagine the log plate filled with a perfectly cooked steak, a baked potato and some grilled peppers. Okay enough about that I’m staving.

Smaller stumps can be used as candle bases and you may even find a bowl-shaped stump that you can use as a center piece on a coffee table or dining table. Nothing beats a natural treasure and finding a great stump can make a day of hiking totally worthwhile - not to mention it’s good for the heart.

You know I love the ‘cheesy’ lines: So this spring it’s okay to be stumped when it comes to your home!