If you’re anything like me, winter tends to do a number on you (especially a winter spent mostly at home). By the time spring rolls around, I’m aching to spend more time outside (without being bundled in layers up to my eyeballs), am craving more social outings, and can’t wait to open my windows and let the freshness in, both metaphorically and literally.
Perhaps you, my friend, are feeling the same way. Perhaps you too are aching for a seasonal shift—within yourself and your relationships and your routines and your home. Today I’m going to be exploring that last part, by way of some design ideas that will give your home a refresh this spring.
Budget-friendly is the name of the game here, with some ideas calling for a minimal budget and others simply requiring a bit of creativity. Go ahead, try one or two of them out for yourself!
If you have any other seasonal design ideas you’ve tried in your own home, I’d love to hear them in the comments.
Swap out a couple of textiles
Switching out a textile or two is one way to make a difference as we transition into spring, both in terms of a visual change and increased comfort in warmer weather.
Lighter fabrics like linen and cotton are going to be your friends in spring and summer, and there’s no shortage of ideas for how you can update your textiles for this season. Here are a couple of suggestions:
- Swap out decorative pillowcases in heavier fabrics like velvet and wool for those in lighter fabrics like linen or cotton.
- Replace thick, opaque curtains with those in a light, gauzy fabric (ideal for letting those cool summer breezes in).
- Put a linen slipcover over an existing sofa or chair.
- Replace your heavy duvet with a lighter duvet or quilt.
Say it with me: Add plants (!)
Ah plants. We love them here at W&D, both for the way they look and the joy and stress relief that comes from watching them flourish. Spring marks the start of the growing season for these indoor beauties, so I’d say this is also an ideal time to add another plant friend (or a few) to your home.
If you’re at your max for plants as it is, consider giving your current brood a refresh by switching up their placement within your home (according to their lighting needs, of course) or repotting them in a fresh planter, if they’re in the market for new soil and a bit of additional room to grow.
Change up your rug(s)
A rug has the ability to change the entire look of your room in the way it frames and grounds a space. While I would by no means suggest you replace each rug in your home with the change of every season, there are a couple of ways you can use rugs to make an impact as we head into spring:
- Swap out your rugs from room to room, trying the living room rug in the bedroom and vice versa. There’s no financial commitment required here—only a few droplets of sweat likely to accumulate from all that furniture moving.
- If you have a patterned rug in a space and you’ve been finding yourself craving something simpler, spring could be an opportune time to replace it with a versatile, neutral option like a sisal or jute rug.
- Consider removing a rug altogether for the warmer months ahead (you can always bring it back if you change your mind!). Or, if you have layered rugs in a particular room, consider removing the top rug and letting the bottom one shine on its own.
Add a piece of art
While there’s certainly no need to swap out every piece of art you own with the changing of the seasons, there’s also no harm in bringing in one new piece of artwork that reminds you of spring. Whether it’s a piece you purchase from a local artist, buy secondhand from a thrift store or Marketplace, or craft yourself, there are a plethora of ways to bring a fresh piece of eye candy to your walls.
If and when you do bring in this new art, might I suggest hanging it in a place you pass often while going about your daily routines? That way you’ll get the most enjoyment possible out of it.
Give your entryway a refresh
As the seasons change—especially for those of us living in places with four distinct seasons—so too do our needs for the entryway. Coat racks become less necessary for hanging bulky winter apparel, thick doormats are no longer needed to collect salty, snowy boots when we walk through the door, and bins for collecting hats and mittens become less crucial.
There’s no need to keep these remnants of winter in the entryway all spring and summer long. Instead, store your winter coats and accessories away—out of sight, out of mind—and replace them with lighter jackets, baseball hats, and an umbrella or two for the inevitable rainy days to come. Store the thick doormat away too, and consider replacing it with a thinner, decorative rug instead (if that’s up your alley and in your budget).
Bring in a colorful accent piece
While winter may be known for its moody, jewel-toned colors, spring is known for pastels and the summer months that follow for their bright, colorful accents. Even if you’re a lover of neutrals at heart, consider bringing in a small pop of color in an accent piece like a pillowcase, lamp, vase, or set of glassware for everyday use.
Bring some flowers into the mix
You knew I wasn’t going to mention spring decor and not talk about flowers, right? Right. Flowers are to spring as peanut butter is to jelly and I for one wouldn’t have it any other way.
There are a couple of tried and true ways to bring these beauties into your home, and I can assure you that it doesn’t need to be an expensive endeavor if you wouldn’t like it to be.
- Try your hand at putting together your own arrangement. There’s really no right or wrong way to go about it, but remember that variety is your friend here! Play around with different heights, floral varieties, and fillers until you craft something you love.
- Want more longevity out of your florals? I hear you. If that’s the case, consider dried flowers your friend. A simple Google search will lead you to many a location from which to buy these long-lasting beauties, or you can dry fresh flowers yourself with ease.
- Support a local florist by treating yourself to a floral delivery (as a one-time thing or as a regularly scheduled delight).
Buy nothing new! Instead, move a few pieces of decor from one spot to another.
I live in the land of budget-conscious purchasing decisions, as I’m guessing many of you do too. And while I’m happy to bring in new pieces every once in a while, it’s safe to say that decor does not always fit into my budget in any given month. Enter: the world of rearranging.
Move a piece of existing art from one room to another. Take a lamp that usually claims residence in your living room and move it to your bedroom for a change. Try putting a stack of books in a new-to-you place, whether on a different piece of furniture or on the floor with a plant atop them.
Even if nothing else from this list feels like a fit for your home, I’d encourage you to give this last idea a try. And whatever you do, have fun with the rearranging process. Sometimes a slight shift in positioning provides the updated perspective we were looking for all along.
Jackie Saffert
