Features
Top Six Tips for a Spring Spruce Up
As an Interior Designer, the coming of Spring not only signals that Summer is just around the corner (short shorts, anyone??), but that it’s time to give my home a good once over in preparation for warmer weather & sunny skies. I don’t need an excuse to redecorate, but Spring offers a way to up the ante on the cheap! Here are six of my favorite tips to freshen up your home for Spring:
3. Zuzush up your bedlinen. Yes, I made that word up but what I mean is this–give your bed some uumph by upgrading your linens. There’s nothing better than climbing into a freshly made bed at night with soft, fresh & stylish sheets (it’s also nice to climb into a freshly made bed with someone, but I digress…). Start with the essentials by shopping for Egyptian Cotton sheets with a minimum of 400 thread count in a solid color, then make your duvet the star with a bold pattern and finish the look off with new toss pillows in coordinating hues/patterns (Overstock.com is a fantastic source for luxurious & inexpensive sheets). For bonus points, replace your sleeping pillows every Spring (Did you know in only 2 years time your pillows can weigh twice their original weight due to dust mite contamination? Do yourself a favor and replace those pillows every year–you’ll sleep better and will notice a decrease in your allergies, too!).
4. Create a gallery wall. When designed with you in mind, your home should tell your guests a bit about where you’ve been and where you’re going, so creating a gallery wall is a great way to show off who you are in your space. Now that Spring has sprung, commit to creating a focal gallery wall in your home filled with your favorite pieces of art or prized photos. When working with art, the goal is to select pieces that speak to you–just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean that it’s “good”, so use your personality as a guide and remember to have fun (thrift stores & Etsy.com are great resources)! For an art gallery look when working with photos, have all of your photos printed in black & white and make sure your frames and mats are all the same color for a chic and polished look. To create your gallery, simply use contractors paper (available at hardware stores) to trace all of your frames, then arrange them on your wall with painters tape and keep working until you get a layout that looks pleasing to your eye. Once that’s done, use your cut-outs as a guide to where your frames should be hung & that’s it! And here’s an extra tip: take your photos to your local copy shop and have them printed on regular paper in black & white–your company won’t know the difference & your original heirloom pics can stay safe and packed away.
5. Freshen your coffee table. I love visiting the homes of friends and finding interesting books on their coffee table. Not only am I often introduced to titles I’d want to add to my own library, but their choices also tell me so much about who they are! Since Spring & Summer are all about hanging out and entertaining, give your coffee table the once over with new books, magazines and/or accessories to make your entertaining space welcoming for your guests. My favorite coffee table additions? Hard cover design books (like this gem from Nate Berkus), candles, and long lasting fresh flowers or plants.
Photo Credit: 1. BHG 2. La Dolce Vida 3. Dayka Robinson Designs 4. Decor 8 5. Mackenzie Horan
