Now the evenings are lighter, I start to think of ways to freshen up my home ready for the summer months. Longer evenings and warmer days make me want to make my home lighter and brighter. I love a big spring clean and declutter to brush away the cobwebs.
The power of paint
Paint is the easiest way to transform your space. If you are going to paint a whole room or multiple rooms, working with an interior designer will help you pick the right colours and visualise the finished look to avoid expensive mistakes.
However, if you are feeling confident, there are a few easy ways you can change the look of your home with just a pot of leftover paint or some tester pots.
Zoning an area using a contrasting paint colour to the rest of your room is a clever trick. Paint an arch of colour over the desk in your home office or highlight a fireplace or the wall at the top of a landing by using a different colour; simple ideas can completely transform your home. Be brave and make a statement with a bold colour.
You can also use paint to highlight or accent areas in your rooms. Paint around door frames or windows to create a decorative border – very on trend this year! Painting the inside of your front door a gorgeous bright colour can totally change the look of a bland hallway. And why not paint your ceiling a different colour to your walls? Another fun way of introducing colour is to paint your woodwork a bright colour rather than white. Think dark blue skirting boards and doors in an otherwise neutral room or an olive green door in a white space.
Get creative and paint circles, stripes or geometric patterns on your walls or use paint to create a dramatic backdrop for a gallery wall or plant collection.
Transform with lighting
Lighting in a room isn’t just functional; it can add a beautiful design element to your space too. Whether you are looking at under cabinet LED lights in your kitchen, adding some mood lighting in the sitting room or installing a statement chandelier in your hallway, don’t underestimate the power of changing your lighting. A backlit mirror, a picture light over a statement piece of art or dimmer switches in the kitchen can make a huge difference to the atmosphere of a room. Lamps create interesting lighting in a room and there has never been such a huge choice of lampshades as there are at the moment. Get expert help to create layers of lighting and to decide where to position your lights for best effect.
Change your cushions
Cushions are an important part of an interior designer’s work – and life! The right cushions can pull the look of a room together like nothing else.
Cushions can add texture to the room and are a great way of changing up the style and feel of your home throughout different seasons. Swop fur or mohair cushions for linen or silk to lighten the look of a room. The right cushions can pull the look of a room together like nothing else!
Add a new rug
Rugs are another great way to pull the colour scheme of a room together. Rugs, like artwork, can also form the basis of a whole new spring-like colour scheme in a room. A fabulous rug will add depth to a room and pull an open plan space together especially if you have solid wood flooring. They fill the space and anchor the furniture and colour scheme together.
Get some house plants
Adding house plants instantly makes a home more spring-like. Remember though, that your choice of plant pots is as important as your choice of plants. Colourful Mexican pots and macrame plant hangings give a boho vibe, while crisp white ceramics in geometric shapes look fresh and contemporary.
Read next week’s blog for more ways to revamp your home this springtime.
