Rejuvenating Your Space For Spring 

Ready for spring, but your room still reflects winter?  It doesn’t take a lot of time or dollars to transform your winter setting into an inviting spring space.  Every room needs a lift come spring to keep the vitality alive!  Let your space welcome the new season along with you. 

Just as you review your spring wardrobe, you should have that same critical eye on your home  as well.  Although many of us do not have the funds to completely redo our rooms each season, there are many simple things that can be done to add a new vitality to your space. 

Start by taking a good look at your surroundings.  Sure they are cozy with all the wool afghans and chenille pillows, but do they convey the message and feeling you want for spring?  Does your mantel still have a holiday feel?  Do your feet sink into your area rug?  Time to give your space a facelift.

1.   Start by removing the thick area rug.  I know you love to sit and cozy up to the fireplace in the winter, but it now feels just plain heavy.  This is a good time to send the rug to the cleaners while you place a natural fiber rug in its place.  Sisal, sea grass and jute are just some of the many options available.  Your room will instantly feel lighter.

2. Now is also the time to replace all the wool throw pillows with brighter lighter fabrics, such as linen.  This season is filled with an array of beautiful colors in fabrics and accessories.  Toss in some tangerine and aqua and see how your room jumps to attention!  While you’re at it, take down the drapes and let the sun shine through.  Replace with sheer panels that blow in the breeze or simple unlined linen or cotton duck.  Keeping the fabrics simple adds to the overall relaxed feeling of the season.

3. Lampshades are easy to replace for the season.  Purchase some inexpensive shades and have some fun embellishing them with gross-grain ribbon, bead trim, buttons or fabric paint.  How about hot gluing some seashells to the shade and placing a large bowl filled with shells and pillar candles on your coffee table?

4. Clean out the fireplace and don’t forget to use the ashes in your garden.  There are many perennials and plants that love the addition of ashes to the soil.  Don’t leave the fireplace bare, but fill with a display of candles, a decorative pot with a silk fern, birch logs stacked with only their ends facing into the room, etc.  Have fun with a fireplace screen that you make yourself.  Cut a piece of plywood or MDF board and decoupage a floral design on the front or have fun with 3D paint and gems.  Perhaps a simple screen which has been stained or painted in a geometric pattern would better fit your space.  The sky is the limit.

5. In the spring and summer when the days are longer and the feeling seems less hectic, your mantel should reflect that feeling as well.  Keep it simple.  Remove everything and start fresh.  Perhaps just a simple painting or mirror resting offside with a couple of interesting accessories is all that is needed.  Throw some caution to the wind.  Don’t think that the candlesticks need to be positioned on each side of the mantel.  Lighten things up a bit.  How about just a simple row of votive candle holders spaced evenly along the ledge.  Place a single blossum in every other votive instead of a candle.  A glass vase overflowing with branches of forsythia or dogwood make for a refreshing site of spring. 

6. Slipcovers can do wonders.  Simple, white duck cloth with a contrasting piping looks clean and crisp on your sofa and side chairs.   Not only will the white slipcovers add new life to your space, but they can be washed easily for those with children and pets. 

7. Finally, lets not forget the power of paint.  A fresh coat of paint on the walls is your least expensive way to give a total impact to your room.  A coat of paint can also rev up your garage sale finds -- paint a wall cabinet, a side table or an old side chair.  For a few dollars, you will be amazed at what a couple coats of paint can do.  Have fun with the colors as well.  Try mango on your wooden side chair with a fun citrus colored  fabric on the cushion.  Go for a lavender on the inside of the painted wall cabinet and fill with simple white platters.

So don’t despair.  It’s easy to transform your winter space a few simple changes.  Enjoy the seasons.

 Toni C. Mott
Designing Spaces
610.407.9336
www.designingspaces-tonicmott.com