It’s that time of year again; back to daylight savings when we turn our clocks forward an hour and enjoy extra – and much needed – sunlight at the end of the day. Perhaps this is one time of the year when we actually pay attention to our clocks and the function they perform in our homes. It is suggested that daylight savings time also be the time that batteries are checked in smoke detectors and fire alarms to ensure that the home is protected. But this may also be a time for homeowners to determine if the clocks that are in their home are adequately reflecting the home’s style and the homeowner’s personal tastes.

For homeowners that are setting their clocks ahead this spring and wondering if it may be time to make a new purchase, they may want to consider the following:

1. Does the clock reflect the home’s overall style and the décor of the particular room in which it sits? Swapping out a contemporary clock in a country style room for a more traditional, distressed clock can work wonders for pulling the room – and home – together in a cohesive style.

2. Does the scale of their clock work with the size of the room? A grandfather clock may clutter a small room but appropriately fill the corner of a larger room or entrance hall. A clock may be used as a focal point or as an accessory, but the clock itself must work in that capacity. A small room with a fireplace may be pulled together nicely with a mantel clock; but the same clock may be lost against a fireplace in a larger room. Pay attention to size and scale and your clock will never get lost in the background.

3. Is the clock high quality and working up to standards? Clocks are more than just methods for telling time. In the modern home clocks are timekeepers as well as placekeepers; the right clock can utterly define a room. But a clock must also work efficiently – and must keep time appropriately. Consumers may choose to seek out more modern versions of the clocks they love; those that will continue to serve them loyally.