Happily, wintry colds are history—now spring fever takes their place. As blooms pop up seemingly overnight, here are some tips on how to lighten up and welcome spring into your home.
1. Open the curtains and the windows. Embrace spring’s natural light and fresh air.
2. Change out window treatments.
3. Start with a fresh coat of paint. That will give any area, large or small, a clean, new look.
4. Paint a wall, or paint half a wall. Low-square footage areas can serve as quick updates.
5. Consider wallpaper for those same areas in a textured grass cloth or a print that pops.
6. Swap out flannel and jersey sheet sets for crisp white bedding. Pull out pretty coverlets in soft florals or pretty pastels.
7. After months of that bedside bud vase sitting empty, drop in a sprig of a favorite early bloom from your own garden or from a larger bouquet elsewhere in the home.
8. Change up accent pillows and throw blankets for lighter-weight, bright-colored ones.
9. Add color in unexpected places. Paint a dresser, then add playful drawer pulls.
10. Invest in a rocking chair or a bench for the mudroom. Add a colorful cushion that can take lots of abuse.
11. Add mirrors. This will give the appearance of a larger room, add reflective light and serve as a design element.
12. Buy a new piece. Choose clear glass or Lucite for an updated take on a side table or coffee table.
13. Bring out that bistro set that’s been hibernating in the garage all winter. Or replace last year’s drab-looking patio seat cushions with new, indoor-outdoor fabrics in colorful geometrics.
14. On the front steps or patio, plant daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, tulips in a gorgeous container.
15. Add a tall clear glass vase to the front hall. Add impact with sprigs of sunny forsythia.
(March 2014)
