The sun is out, the weather is slowly getting warmer and the first crocuses are blooming. Spring is officially here, and you probably want to celebrate a little.
It may also feel like a good time to brighten up your home decor a bit. Winter decor tends to heavily favor dark, rich tones that don’t necessarily go well with the bright, airy feel of springtime. Just the same, you want to aim for a look that is still sophisticated and adult.
Not sure where you should start?
First, give your house a sweep and pack up everything that seems more like winter decor, including dark throw blankets, dark-colored and spice-scented candles, and the like. That will help you get a “blank slate” in your home that you can start to build around based on your personal taste and style.
Then, consider these ideas you can use to brighten your home for spring:
Choose a Color Palette That’s Reflective of the Season
Switch out the deep reds, bold golds and hunter greens that go along with winter decor for a seasonal shade that’s more exciting. Interior designers say that there are plenty of popular colors that will fit with spring decor, including most pastels, bright yellows, blushes and corals. White and camel are also enduring color choices for spring that can help you brighten your room if your base colors are dark instead of pale.
The one exception to the “keep it pale, keep it bright” rule this springtime is classic blue. Pantone chose the color for the 2020 Color of the Year because of its ability to invoke the sky at dusk or the deep water of the ocean. This color is a sure winner if you want a bold-but-natural look for your decor.
Keep in mind that spring is all about new life and vibrancy. Don’t be afraid to add more than one color into your overall scheme, especially if you decide to work with florals. You mostly want to avoid overpowering the room with anything too dark.
Add Floral Accents on Your Walls and Around Your Home
One of the most dramatic things you can do with your decor is to add floral accents to your walls — and peel-and-stick wallpaper makes it easy to create an accent wall behind a couch in the living room or in an entranceway. Consider a bold print, with oversized flowers that have a lot of motion to create a more vibrant feel in your home.
Other floral accents around your home can also enhance your home’s overall feel. When you replace your candles, look for scents that seem to fit the season, like rose, lavender or clean linen in colors that match your new spring palette. A floral centerpiece on the dining room table or a floral tablecloth can also be a celebratory touch.
Don’t overlook your floors, either. Switch out your usual rugs (especially if they’re subdued in tone or solid colors) for rugs that are brazenly floral. It’s a great way to introduce a seasonal look to your home without much effort or expense — and it’s easy to switch back later in the year.
Update Your Window Treatments and Bedding
If your window treatments were designed to keep out the winter chill and hold the warmth of the household in, they’re probably not doing much to let the spring sunshine through.
Replacing your window treatments with something lighter and less opaque can help instantly brighten everything in your home. Consider drapes and sheers in pale colors that work with your chosen accent color, or use this as another way to add floral elements to your decor (without committing to wallpaper).
Bedding should be approached in the same way. It’s time to pack up the dark flannel sheets and put out cotton ones in bright, airy hues. Switching the comforters on the beds to something in a spring color or white can also instantly update your rooms with a spring flair.
Add Dramatic Greens, Natural Wood and Handmade Items
The awing power of nature is on everyone’s mind in the spring, so now is a great time to celebrate accent pieces and handmade pieces of art that avoid modern materials.
If you have a green thumb, add potted lavender to your windowsills or invest in an indoor olive tree or something similar. If you aren’t horticulturally-inclined, you may want to invest in cut flowers or pre-potted pansies, and similar annuals that only last a season anyhow.
You should also consider experimenting with natural wood hues inside your home. If you’ve been thinking about stripping the old paint off of your pantry cupboards or you want to see what your dining room chairs look like without the varnish, this is the time to do it. Natural wood always feels like a conduit to the outside world.
In general, designers recommend connecting to nature through any kind of natural material in your decor, including clay, cane, raffia and other old-world materials. Eschew mass-marketed conversation pieces and art, and focus on finding something that is unique and artisan-made that will withstand the test of time.
Incorporating one or more of these ideas into your spring decor will help you refresh your home’s appearance and stylishly celebrate the season. If you decide that you want to go bigger and bolder with your spring renovations, you can find trusted home service vendors through Talk to Tucker.
