Fresh ideas
Spring decorating tips
By Jessica Hutton
Spring is such a cheerful time of year and the colors, smells and textures certainly reflect it. The earth is springing forward and bringing with it change and new life.
Many of us have the urge to do the same with our homes.
After heavy colors and textures of winter, we crave the light feel and refreshing sense that comes with spring. Before doing drastic home overhauls, here are some easy and economical ways to achieve a new look without breaking the bank.
Start with a thorough spring cleaning inside. Remove heavy winter linens, pack up winter wear and blankets and put them into storage. Wash the windows and, especially for allergy sufferers this time of year, wash throws, curtains, area rugs and bedding. Remove clutter that may have built up over the winter in drawers and cupboards. Wipe down walls, furniture and light fixtures, vacuum the furniture and behind the large pieces of furniture.
Take the spring cleaning outdoors and wash doors and porches that may have become grimy over the fall and winter. Enhance your décor with spring wreaths on the doors. Decorate the front porch with birdhouses, fill planters with bright flowers and add a new outdoor mat.
Within the home, include some spring touches in earthy pastel tones. Throw pillows in lighter colors and designs can add to the couches, and candles and glassware lighten the mood. Fresh flowers are a wonderful addition as they become available over the next weeks. Even twigs of cherry blossoms or just some greenery go a long way to brightening up the atmosphere indoors. Use large glass vases with rocks at the base to display twigs or flowers.
If the walls look a little shabby, fill the nicks and bangs and top with a fresh coat of paint, updating the colour choice at the same time. Clean carpets, and add new throw rugs at the doors to stop spring from getting tracked in on shoes!
Finally, if you are still pondering more of a change this year, look at home and garden magazines and start planning your summer projects. Now is the best time to get motivated and start the preparation so that when the good weather hits, the projects are ready to go!
