The writer's vintage five-finger vases, made in Portugal, are perfect when she only has a few flowers to display.
Columnist
Spring is in the air. Beautiful flowers, sunny skies, and billowy clouds— at least for some of the country. No matter where you live, think spring. This is a time to bring the season into your home, inside and out, and from top to bottom.
Spring cleaning
The cozy items we had for the winter months can now be stored away. Look for new ways to store and organize your life. Remember the three Bs: baskets, boxes and bowls. Spring cleaning can also take place on the outside of your home. This is the time of year when I clean windows, get rid of spider webs, and touch up paint if needed. No matter what the season, painting the front door is a great, inexpensive way to not only liven up your porch; it can be easily changed for a whole new look. Be sure to greet your guests with pots full of spring flowers and perhaps a wreath.
Nature-inspired color palettes
A gallon of paint is one of the cheapest ways to change a space and can be easy enough to do yourself. Select colors that makes you feel happy; paint an accent wall or the whole room. Is there a color you have always wanted to try? Now is the perfect time.
Be a wallflower
Are you a renter or afraid to commit to wallpaper? Easily removable wallpapers can now be found through quite a few companies. These include: Sherwin Williams, Swag Paper, Tempaper, and Murals Your Way. They are easy to apply and remove, and they come in an array of colors, patterns, and styles.
Stickers with style
Peel-and-stick wall decals are also in abundance and provide fun graphics for any theme or décor. This new wave of decorating can be found at many stores such as: Michaels, Costco, Lowes, Home Depot, Target, and the Dollar Tree. These decals are great to dress up a headboard or other furniture. Some decals even feature romantic and inspirational phrases.
Pull the rug out from under you
Change out your rugs from dark, cozy colors to lighter and brighter ones. You can make the style and color blend in with the rest of your décor or find one that makes a bold statement and is a conversation piece. Don’t forget about your outdoor spaces. These days, rugs are truly indoor/outdoor and feature many more patterns and colors. What a great way to bring continuity of color throughout your home.
Spring break
Your bedroom is the perfect place to kick back and enjoy the season. Change out the look of your headboard by wrapping it with a yard of floral fabric. Hang inexpensively painted frames that feature a piece of floral wallpaper, pressed green fern leaves, or pictures of botanical art. To add some reflection and glitz, paint your furniture with metallic-colored paint. For even more bling, apply small mirrors to the front of your drawers. Any botanical print can be cut out and applied to furniture using spray adhesives. Spray adhesives can be found at any office-supply store, home-improvement centers, and art-supply stores. Feel free to bring these creative ideas to the rest of your home. Depending on the season, one of my white lamp shades in my living room is forever changing. For spring, I have adorned the shade with metallic-colored leaves I purchased from a local arts-and-crafts store.
Flowers and fruit
This time of year the supply of fruit and flowers is endless. Why not display a bowl of bright-green Granny Smith apples on your coffee table, and then bring this color into the fabric of your pillows and other accessories. Fruits such as kumquats or other hard berries add a splash of color at the bottom of a vase. They also provide a colorful anchor for yellow daffodils and other spring flowers. Even just a few leaves with a sprig of flowers can add a nice, cheerful touch. If you have ever grown sweet peas, you know how prolific they are, and they end up being displayed everywhere in your home. They not only provide beautiful colors, but their sweet smell definitely makes you know that spring is here. I also love growing Peruvian lilies or alstroemeria, which come in numerous colors and last forever.
Change your focus
Instead of facing your fireplace, rearrange your furniture to have a view of the outdoors and gardens. Now is also the time to start creating outdoor spaces for family and guests. Take advantage of the season’s sales and change out old and faded cushions and pillows. If needed, refresh your outdoor furniture with new paint or stain.
Enjoy the beauty of the season and lighten up!
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 at shoshanah.siegel@gmail.com. More of Siegel’s writing may be found at thebright.com .
