A new spring season invites changes to your home with fresh spring decorating. Changing with the seasons gives you an opportunity to get out some long-lost pieces and make them the center of attention for a while. Change can come all at one time, like spring house cleaning, or over a period of several days or weeks. You'll be surprised what a difference just a small change can make.
1. Lighten Up!
That means colors, fabrics, and flow. Everything should feel clean and refreshing, light and tranquil. Choose sheer fabrics, linens, and open weave textiles for your warm weather curtains. Slipcover the sofa or chairs with paler tones or florals.
2. Rethink the Rugs
Wonderfully cozy area rugs look just right in winter. But when the temperature rises it may be time to roll them up and replace them for summer with sisal or cotton rugs in light, cool colors. Summer is also be a good time to have heavy rugs cleaned or repaired.
3. Orient Toward a View
If your furniture is centered in front of a fireplace, think about ways to rearrange the look for summer. Change the focal point away from the mantel to a view of a garden, placing the conversation grouping to take advantage of the garden scene just outside.
4. Create an Inviting Patio or Porch
Summer living often moves out to a porch, patio or deck. Sweep your outdoor areas, set up the potted plants, add some all weather scuptures and garden accents. Create some mood lighting for summer nights under the stars.
5. Use Fresh Flowers
Nothing says Spring more than fresh flowers. Make sure to be consistent with creating arrangements. Choose a color scheme, like all white, instead of mixing bouquets, use the same type flower in one glass container with a beautiful white satin or grosgrain ribbon wrapped around it. Also bring in fresh green plants, flowering pots, or elegant orchids. These lively touches can breathe life into winter-weary spaces.
6. Re-Accessorize
Time to rework your accessories and makeover your shelves. Clean winter dust off the shelves and begin to replace objects with an eye toward keeping the look light. Bring out your floral china or white ironstone, set up a collection of pitchers or glass, and include plants and picture frames as well. Move from ceramic to crystal and glass, either contemporary or traditional.
7. Think Lighter Linens
Remove the toasty down-filled duvet from your bed in the spring and substitute a light cotton matalasse bed cover or a simple cotton blanket. Sheer curtains, sheer tablecloths, sheer bedskirts, and pillows - all of these say "summer" louder than almost any other element. Change dark-patterned decorative pillows by covering them with fresh, floral prints or plaids for warmer weather. Either change out the pillows with a second set or alternate the decorative covers.
8. De-Clutter Now
Look for organizing solutions for your home. Any spot that is overcrowded or unorganized can drain your energies as it swallows objects and fills your life with clutter. A visit to a home store can yield products to contain clutter wherever it exists.
9. Clean out the Fireplace
Now is the perfect time to sweep away the ashes of winter fires and start fresh. Fill your firebox with silk plants, an arrangement of candles, or an attractive display of beautiful birch logs. Or, cover the box with an attractive folding screen decoupaged with summer florals.
10. Freshen up your entry
Bring the look of summer to your front door by cleaning up the area. Wash the door and windows and touch up the paint if needed. Hang a silk flower wreath on the front door too. Plant flowers or shrubs with a new color theme each
