Spring cleaning
Hmm…I think I heard a collective groan. Before you decorate, deep-cleaning your home will give you an opportunity to not only refresh your environment but enable you to bring in color— and lighter and brighter items. Don’t forget about the outside of your home. Clean off the cobwebs and greet your guests with flowerpots filled with bright and cheerful spring blooms. Clean and refresh your furniture with a little bit of elbow grease, maybe some paint, updated umbrellas and cushions. Still want more color? Consider spending a few bucks and paint your front door, flower boxes or shutters with new, cheerful colors.
Inspiring color palettes
Speaking of color, which ones make you happy? Are there colors you have always wanted to try? I often say that whatever colors you would love to see in a bouquet of flowers might be a hint to the ones you would love to have in your home. Not sure if you want to commit to a color for an entire room? No worries! I suggest painting just an accent wall, inside cupboards or bookcases. A gallon of paint is one of the cheapest ways to change a space and is an easy DIY project. You can bring color, patterns and textures into your home with pillows, lamps, throws, rugs and artwork. Be sure to repeat those accent colors from room to room, and. if possible, outdoors.
Crystal-clear view
One obvious way to bring in more light is to clean your windows, inside and out. Let the sun shine in! Switch out dark and heavy winter drapes that kept the warmth in during the winter months, and replace them with sheers and lightweight fabric curtains. Sheers need not be white, and window treatments can feature florals, stripes or bright, colorful patterns. This is also a great time to bring in some nature with textured wood or bamboo shades.
Watch your step
Change out your dark seasonal rugs to ones that are more cheerful. Can’t rip out all your carpets but still want color? Just lay a rug with color and texture over your carpet to define a specific area. Don’t forget about the exterior. These days, some rugs are made to be used inside and outside. They are more durable and come in a variety of colors and patterns.
The fabrics of your life
While switching out your curtains can be an inexpensive way of refreshing your home, here are some other items you might want to consider changing. For your bedroom, change out bedspreads, pillows and headboards. In ayour dining room, refresh with tablecloths and runners. For your kitchen, add new dishtowels, rugs and curtains. In your bathroom, install new shower curtains, rugs and towels. Many stores are now having white sales, featuring spring lines at great prices.
Slip into something more comfortable
Give your furnishings a facelift with white or light-hued slipcovers. They are washable, a great thing during the busy warmer months. White slipcovers can be kept clean by washing them with bleach. They are also a great way to create a more casual and beachy look in your home. I also buy slipcovers for my pillows. Usually the pillow itself is in great shape; it is the cover I want to change and update.
Other ways to bring in spring
Right now, metallics are in. To add some reflection and glitz, paint your furniture with metallic-colored paint. A little bit of brass goes a long way. Glass vases and mirrors reflect the light, creating an airy feel to your space. Introduce art with botanical themes. Frame pictures of flowers, or make your own frameable art by pressing flowers and leaves. Flowers and fruit can also provide inexpensive ways to brighten up your space. Display a bowl of bright-green Granny Smith apples and vases filled with flowers.
Enjoy the lighter and brighter season!
Shoshanah Siegel provides color consulting as well as space planning, remodeling, upgrading and staging through her firm Your Color Diva. She can be contacted at (562) 427-0440 or shoshanah.siegel@gmail.com. She has received a 3rd badge for Customer Satifaction on Houzz.com . Check out client projects and ideabooks at houzz.com/pro/shoshanahsiegel/your-color-diva .
