Makeover Your House for Spring

Is your house in desperate need of a makeover for Spring? It doesn't take much to open your house up to impressive possibilities to meet the beauty of the season.

Change of Linens

Although you probably change your bed sheets weekly, there are other linens that could use a little updating for a big impact. Tables should be given a new "dress" with Spring colors, and windows should be spruced up with new curtains. If you have a hard time sleeping with thin curtains on bedroom windows, than use a layered look. An outer thicker curtain can complement a lighter inside one. This way you can keep light out at night, but let it in with a light colored curtain in the day time.

Stencils, new coat of paint

Repainting walls can seem like a big deal, but is easier than you think. Give old walls a fresh coat of your favorite Spring color. If you are really ambitious you can use stenciling techniques to a small wall surface in your kitchen or bathroom and update the existing wall color. Even kitchen cabinets can sometimes use the lift.

Unclutter and Simplify

Nothing recalls Spring better than a simplified decorating scheme. Free up spaces in your home to give the allusion of simplicity. Start with surfaces and work your way to shelves and bookcases last. Take a look at what is on your dining room table, countertops, coffee tables, and any other surfaces that are frequently used to amass paper, books, and random objects. Organize mail and papers into plastic paper organizers and designate to your family where these items should be placed. Keep magazines and newspapers under control by using a decorative picnic basket to store them near well-used reading areas. The top on the picnic basket will shut out the clutter that magazines and newspapers create on the mind when seen out in the open. Place a table runner with a Spring theme or color on coffee tables and one or two figurines or decorations on top. You should keep in mind that a 95% empty table is a great visual attraction and subliminal message; guests will immediately think that you are neat and tidy.

Look through your book cases and decide which books can be given away or donated and which ones can be stored elsewhere. A book case actually looks its best when used as a display. Stack books on their sides in some parts of the shelves and on their ends on other parts to create interest and nooks. where you can add some Spring decorating touches. Small decorations, glass blow objects, pewter figures, and candles all make great items to place in those nooks. It might even help to draw a picture of the design that the books should take on your shelf before starting the project. Take a look at decorating books or magazines to get an idea of what looks balanced.

Flowers, Fruits, or Vegetables

The season of Spring brings to mind thoughts of lush vegetation. Adding a touch of this seasonal beauty to your home will make your home more inviting. You can add some plants near a picture window, kitchen window sill, or a family room. Try to find plants that grow great indoors and have low maintenance (e.g. Spider plants). If you opt for planted flowers, look for ones that won't grow too big and have colors that complement your decor. Fresh cut flowers look great on tables and countertops. For flowers with large blooms, place them in a short clear glass vase and trim the stems so that all the side flowers are even in height and only the middle ones are long enough to peak over. If you like long stemmed small flowers, than place them in a thin clear glass vase, arranging them so that each variety gets its place in the sun.

If you' rather not have living vegetation in your home than make use of silk plants and blooms in a similar manner. Another way to add some cheery spring vegetation to your home is by the use of pictures. Find long narrow art pieces of grapes, vines, flowers, and other pleasing natural designs. These can fit onto narrow places in your kitchen, in a hallway, framing larger pictures in a living room, or just hanging as the main attraction on the wall near your front door. Play around with different themes and see what fits your personal style the best. You should go with muted colors rather than vibrant colors to give that airy feel of Spring decorating into the walls. Watercolor paintings work perfect to achieve this effect.

Don't bring in Spring with the same old. Get started on your Spring house makeover today!