You wouldn’t wear your chunky scarf and cable-knit sweater in the warm weather months, so why not shed the stuffy winter layers in your home as well? Recreate the fresh, carefree feel of spring with these easy decorating tips.
Open up.
We know you’re dying to throw back the curtains and bask in the warm sunlight after a gray winter, but the glare from the sun can spike temperatures in your home. “Before you start seeing those summer cooling bills come in, I recommend adding solar film to block/reject some of the sun's heat and keep your cooling bills manageable. Solar window film is a great way to do this, and can be installed yourself,” says Tim Eber of Remlor Decorative Window Film .
Or turn off the AC completely and keep cool the natural way. Just make sure you have a screen to keep bugs outside. “There’s nothing like a summer breeze filtering through your house! It just makes you smile and feels so good on your skin,” says Shilonda Downing of Virtual Work Team LLC.
Switch out cozy fabrics for breezy linens.
Just as cold weather calls for thicker fabric, make sure you mirror spring’s lightness in your bedding and living room furniture as well. Home design expert and author of Use What You Have Decorating, Lauri Ward suggests covering velvet sofa pillows with cotton or linen slipcovers to give them a more summery look. “Store heavy curtains and leave only sheer panels in white or ecru on window poles,” Ward says.
In the bedroom, switch out your thick duvet cover for a lighter alternative. And don’t forget about what’s underneath your comforter! Using natural fabrics like bamboo for your sheets keeps you cool and dry during your spring time snooze since they are naturally moisture-wicking and breathable. “Bamboo is an excellent natural fiber that keeps your body 2-3 degrees cooler in warm months,” says green-living expert Liz Johnston . Sweat-free and eco-friendly? We’ll take two.
Add some color.
Go ahead and take down those wintry wreaths and snowman frames that didn’t make the last clutter clear-out to make way for the easy-breezy decor of spring. Lauri Ward reminds us simple touches can add surprise and airiness to a room. “Change your coffee table accessories: fill a big wooden platter with seashells or lemons; group 3 pillar candles on a metal tray, and finish the vignette with a flowering potted plant.” Ward also recommends putting away dark, heavy artwork and displaying only light or brightly-colored watercolors or drawings to further complement the look.
Bring the outside in.
Play up the cheery palette of warm weather by showcasing fresh flowers in any room. Pick a handful from your backyard or snag a bouquet from the grocery store on the way home. “Place them in a glass vase, so you can see the stems and put it in a prominent place in your home for all to enjoy,” says homeowner Monette Maines. “They are calming and invigorating at the same time and speak to summer like nothing else!”
Lighten up
Spring is the season for outdoor entertaining, so add a little romance with soft lighting interwoven in the trees, shrubs, or fences of your backyard. Solar-powered string lights are an easy way to add a glow to your evenings without any change in you electric bill. “Every evening becomes instantly festive with outdoor string lights,” said Abbey Christensen, marketing assistant at Allsop Home and Garden. “Plus solar string lights let sunlight do all the work for you.”
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