Spring is about to poke its head out again, which means it’s time to start taking a long, hard look at your home décor. Spring is a time for rejuvenation, renewal and a fresh approach to life, so where better to start than by revitalizing your home and welcoming in the season’s spirit of new life? Every year, there are hundreds of articles and posts shared with minute details of the new season’s trends and it’s up to you to pick which ones work best for you. Rather than rehashing what you can easily find on Pinterest, we thought we’d help you plan and focus on some of the areas you can look at refreshing for your spring décor facelift.
- Walls
One of the quickest ways of breathing new life into a room is to update your paint or wallpaper. It’s not too expensive, and it’s one of the most forgiving décor changes you can make – after all, if you mess up a section, it’s really simple to paint over it and start again. If you prefer to go for wallpaper over paint, check out some of the season’s trends and designs for inspiration – just remember one thing: wallpaper needs to be applied straight and patterns need to match up, so if you’re unsure about your skills, go for a simple pattern, or get in a professional to hang it for you.
- Floors
Your house takes a lot of strain during winter, with temperature fluctuations, rapid changes in humidity and a whole lot more wear on the floor as the family stays in. Check if any tiles, floorboards or sections of carpet need to be replaced or repaired and, while you’re at it, consider having the floors professionally cleaned. Tiled and wooden floors can do with the rejuvenation, and with carpets, it practically a necessity, to get out the accumulated staleness and grime of the past season. Update your décor with a fresh new rug that brightens up the space for an inexpensive and simple décor pick-me-up.
- Trims
Window and door frames, fireplace trims and mantelpieces, cornices, skirting boards and moldings can all do with a revamp or an updating from time to time. As with the floors, check if anything needs replacing or repairing, or consider changing them up for something new and fashionable.
- Arts and crafts
Whether it’s updating the framed family portrait or replacing your old home-made crafts for something more up-to-date, consider the pieces of art and the various crafts that fill your space. Are there pieces that could do with replacing? Maybe you can consider relocating pictures you particularly like to a different room for a renewed perspective, or rearrange them within the same room.
- Color
Color trends change every single year and it’s your choice whether you keep up with the trends or try to find something that works for you for the longer term. Either way, there are quick and inexpensive ways to keep the colors in your space fresh. If your furniture is wooden or upholstered in a neutral fabric, you can add color with throws or cushions. Tables, mantles and storage chests can get a tablecloth or throw draped over them, while your new rug can reflect the season’s mood. As we mentioned in point 1, walls are easy and inexpensive to update, so paint them in the season’s trendy colors. Replace your vases, picture frames and other small items with new ones in fashion colors, or keep the old ones and paint them yourself.
- Plants
Nothing says “Spring” better than a healthy, beautiful, growing house plant. They are attractive, not too costly and, as a bonus, help keep the air in your rooms fresh and clean. Plant containers are also an excellent opportunity to keep your décor current and interesting – use different types or keep them all matching, depending on the look you’re going for.
- Accents
Each year, Spring fashions bring the latest accent trends; it could be butterflies, birds or bees, patterns or pastels – whatever the current accent trend is, there are several simple ways of bringing them in. Try a throw, cushion or tablecloth or a combination of these; paper a section of wall; find or create a painting or picture; get a rug printed in these. The possibilities are endless.
- Patterns
From classic, uniform and geometric patterns to eclectic, organic swirls and designs, patterns make a statement about your room and your personality. Some patterns do well when mixed with others, while other patterns do best on their own with simpler, more neutral décor. Choose from Damasks, stripes, Art Deco designs and a host of others to bring your room to life.
- Textures
Keep the feel of things interesting with textures, and don’t be afraid to mix them up. A fluffy rug on a smooth wooden floor, an embroidered cushion on a soft sofa, even a house cactus next to a blooming lily. Textures add to the sensory experience of a room and serve as both a tactile and a visual focus.
- Lighting
Winter is done! There’s no need to keep hanging out in the dark. Let as much natural light light into your home as you can, and help it reach the far corners of the house with light colors, mirrors and pale or wide-open curtains. Play with the light as well by adding strategically placed prisms, painted or stained glass inserts, or any other features that make the light streaming in more fun and engaging.
- Fresh furniture
Now, you don’t want to go replacing all your furniture every spring, but every now and then it’s a great idea to replace, revamp or add one new piece of furniture to help revitalize a room. If your coffee table is starting to look a bit worse for wear, consider having it repaired and repainted in a new finish. If your ottoman is falling apart, consider a large foot cushion instead. If your sofas are starting to look a bit shabby, look at having them reupholstered.
- Materials
Every Spring brings a new fascination with different materials. Glass, metals, woods, acrylics, all of these have their own time in the sun and every year there’s a new take on how to present them. The wonderful thing about décor is, you can revamp a room easily and without too much expense by adding a few of this year’s fascinators to the mix. If you enjoy doing this regularly, though, be wary of letting too many years’ items build up, or you’ll end up with a cluttered space that makes no sense.
- Cozy and simple
There’s a lot of discussion about the Danish concept of Hygge going around, and what it really comes down to is keeping things comfortable, and keeping them simple. Don’t try to follow every single new trend that’s going around every year, because you’ll end up with an overcrowded space and a garage piled to the rafters with out-of-date junk you can’t give away. Wherever possible, try to update a piece before replacing it, and keep things as consistent and simple as possible for a long-lasting beautiful look and a house that feels like a home.