Spring is finally here! For many of us, we've spent the last few months huddled inside our homes, feeling the effects of cold weather and little sun, waiting for just this moment. The days have grown longer and are symphonic with bird song, buds are sprouting from tree branches while below vibrant petals are unfurling to soak up that precious light. As we reawaken with our environment, it's the perfect time for us to take inspiration from what we see and feel and use it to breathe new life into both our homes and ourselves.
It's easier than you think, too. Here's 5 simple tips to refresh your home that can also positively impact your wellbeing.
1. Spring Clean & Declutter
There is nothing like a tidy house. I always feel better and enjoy my home even more when my home is clean and clutter free. There's a wealth of studies that support the mental, social and health benefits of a clean home. So as you clear your garden of the twigs and leaves that have hibernated under snow and rain for the past dozen or so weeks, it's also a great time to clear out the clutter and dust that may have slowly collected inside our home over our own hibernation months. And if you space out your spring cleaning list over a couple of weeks it won't seem so overwhelming.
Here's some of the tasks for cleaning every 3-6 months that I have as part of my Spring Cleaning list:
Wash pillows, duvets, and extra bedding (and vacuum your mattress)
Clean the inside of the oven
Wash the shower curtain liner if you have one.
Replace/check detector batteries
Replace any burned out lightbulbs
Clean out refrigerator and coils
Clean out the dryer vent
General Spring Cleaning Notes to Remember:
- Purge and Recycle
- Always dust first
- Wipe down baseboards and trim
- Clean the floors last (a good scrub and carpet cleaning)
- Open the windows! (and clean them too)
Tip: While you are doing your Deep Cleaning create a list of any repairs, touch-ups and maintenance that you notice need to be taken care of.
When it comes to decluttering, start with a room or even an area and first see what you can do without. Pack away or store items you aren't quite ready to part with, or won't need until next Fall, and donate the rest. Do you need all of those hair elastics and unread books? Organize and clean what is left, including the things we never think to give a deep clean, like the walls, trim, and furniture.
2. Spring Planters
Adding fresh Spring planters will awaken our home's curb appeal and welcome us with cheery bright flowers and greenery, like a sneak preview of summer as we wait for our gardens and yards start to fully come alive again.
There are so many flowers and plants to choose from: tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, ranunculus's, pansies, violets, paperwhites, florist hydrangeas, mixed with English ivy, and sedums. And any bulb or florist hydrangeas can be planted in the garden when they are done. Some year I'll try to be more proactive and plant bulbs for my Spring planter. But if you miss planting them in the Fall, you can buy the bulb plants from a local nursery and look for ones that are just beginning to bud to coordinate blooming. A trick with Spring planters are that many spring flowers are on the short side, so giving them some height with tall branches will finish the look. Pussywillows, curly willows, forsythia, or even any freshly pruned branches from your yard will do.
This year I searched for my own Spring planter inspiration, and I am loving the modern simplicity of this arrangement.
Credit: Scott Byron & Co., Inc.
I also love the trio planter combination, and have a similar set-up on my porch with one tall planter and two low vintage concrete planters that are likely original to the home.
I've planted the pansies so far, and already had sedums in the low planters for low maintenance 3 season greenery. I am planning to pick up some pussy willows and perhaps some ivy to fill them in and give them some height. I'd love to get some foxglove but that is more an early Summer plant here but I'll see what I can find.
3. Change up your Bedding
It's time to switch up the flannel and heavy duvets for linen, crisp cottons, coverlets or lightweight duvets. And while you are at it make sure to vacuum your mattress or protector.
With the sheet and general bedding change, take the opportunity to give it a fresh look; whether it's a different coverlet, toss cushion or two, or even a throw with a change in colour, texture, or pattern. And it doesn't have to be pastel colours to bring you into the springtime mood! Spring is about change so the key is to change things to something new that speaks to you.
An inspirational and beautiful take on giving your bedding a fresh look for Spring is shown in Amber Lewis' Spring Collection, incorporating rich tones of rust, rattans, and floral block patterns to the mix.
Credit: Shoppe Amber Lewis Interiors - Spring Collection
4. Switch out some Artwork
Often the beautiful artwork or decor we so carefully curated and styled eventually becomes part of the landscape and we don't really notice them. A bit of a change up can breath renewed life into our home decor - and with minimal effort! Sometimes we can have seasonal-leaning artwork as well, like tropical palm fronds or serene winter forest scenes, that can use a change up to the time of year. It's surprising how often people don't realize that their wall art isn't a permanent fixture and it can be switched back and forth as they please!
You can take this simple concept up a notch and change your artwork according to:
An artist per season. This is a great option for a feature wall. If original works aren't in the budget, a great option is to support local artists, or a print instead.
Theme specific. If you have an area that has artwork with a theme, such as a country/place, nature, or pattern, change it up according to the season. For example with nature, changing pinecone prints and snowy landscapes to budding flowers and brighter landscapes. Abstracts that present the vibe of a season or scene work great as well. So, consider changing art styles. This can be a fun way to discover and play with different art styles.
Credit: Opposite Wall
Colour Palette. Choosing a colour palette that suits the season. Warmer tones versus cooler. And depending on the mood of your home whether you go to softer versus a more intense colour.
Monochromatic with a splash of colour. Monochrome prints work year round and it's the subject matter that symbolizes the mood. Incorporate one colourful piece amongst or a mostly monochromatic piece with a touch of colour for the seasonal change colour you are after.
Texture. Changing the texture of your artwork with the temperature changes is another way to do a seasonal change. And this can include textiles for an alternative to framed artwork.
By all means, if you love your artwork as it then leave it be. Updating your home with a textile and greenery can be enough to give you the fresh update you need.
5. Bring in some plants
Nothing says Spring like fresh greenery and colorful flowers. Consider adding some potted plants or fresh-cut flowers to your home to bring a natural touch of spring indoors.
Be sure to choose the right plants and flowers. Select plants and flowers that thrive in the conditions of your home. Some popular indoor plants include pothos, spider plants, and peace lilies. For flowers, tulips, daffodils, and hyacinths are popular choices for spring. And don't forget to look in your own garden and yard. It can be as simple as a large vase with fresh leaves from your own trees and shrubs.
Think about where you want to place your plants and flowers in your home. Your coffee table, center of your dining table, foyer console are classic places to create a beautiful centerpiece and vignette. Be sure to add greenery to unexpected places such as in the bathroom, your bedside table or in your kitchen window.
Fall/Winter Foyer with Artwork and grasses, and our model Link
Spring Foyer with Artwork switch and forsythia from the garden, with models Link & Chewie
Note: Switching up your dog is optional :)
And don't feel bad if you lack the proverbial green thumb. You can still incorporate plants and flowers into your decor by using faux options. High-quality faux plants and flowers can look just as beautiful as the real thing and require no maintenance. And even if you manage to not kill your plants, there are always areas that don't have the best light conditions or no window as well that can still benefit from the look of a faux plant or flowers.
Spring provides a great opportunity to breathe new life into your home decor. By using these tips to incorporate simple changes from colours, textures, plants and flowers to your decor you'll have a wonderful way to bring the beauty and benefits of nature inside your home.
Yours in Design,
Ramee