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Ahhh yes, it's springtime. In fact, today is the first official day of spring.
Spring is the season of greens and pastels, of Palm Sunday, Passover and Easter - of revitalization - and it often brings out the desire to make everything in your house like new. And so you break out the mops, buckets and brooms.
However, beyond being clean and fresh inside, your home will feel a lot more revitalized if you incorporate some spring décor.
"Spring is all about letting the outdoors in," said Carolyn McLintock, the manager and head designer of the Valencia Décor Store, and one of the company's buyers. "You don't use the heater or air conditioner and the windows stay open." She added that the spring is also a time for freshening up your home.
"Spring is the time for renewals, fresh bright colors and beautiful flowers. Add to that spring cleaning and you'll have a home fresh as the new season," she said.
For Easter and spring alike, McLintock said, you should lighten things up. "Use accessories that are lighter in color. Try to get rid of all the dark, dreary winter things."
Couches, chairs, drapes and rugs
McLintock said you might use colorful, patterned pillows on a neutral chenille or canvas couch.
"Get rid of the fussy beads and fringe. Let color and pattern do the talking."
She suggested a hot pink, magenta, marigold or cobalt madras plaid, or a chartreuse, plum and teal floral arrangement to revive a boring old sofa.
"These bold ingredients distract the eye," she said.
Remove the drapes and replace them with airy sheers, McLintock said. Slipcover your sofa or chairs with paler tones or florals. Add floral fabrics into a family room, for example. You'll get the feel of the outdoors every time you're in the room.
"Sheer curtains, sheer tablecloths, sheer bed skirts, throws and pillows - all of these say ‘spring' louder than almost any other element," she said. "Look for the plain, embroidered or printed sheer designs that complement your interiors."
McLintock said cozy area rugs look just right in winter, but when the temperature rises it might be time to roll them up and replace them with sisal or cotton rugs in light, cool colors. And she noted that spring is a good time to have those winter area rugs cleaned and repaired.
Fireplaces
"Now is the perfect time to sweep away the ashes of winter fires and start fresh," McLintock said. You might fill your firebox with silk plants, an arrangement of candles or an attractive display of beautiful birch logs. As an alternative you could cover the box with a folding screen decoupaged with festive florals.
She added that, if your furniture is centered in front of a fireplace, you might think about ways to rearrange it for spring. Change the focal point away from the mantel to a view of a garden, placing the "conversation grouping" to take advantage of the garden scene just outside.
Outside in
McLintock said spring living often moves out to a porch or deck, but even if your home does not have these amenities, you can get the look and feel of a porch inside.
"Introduce a few garden chairs or a bistro table and accessories," she said. Bring the look of spring to your front door by cleaning up the area. Wash the door and windows and touch up the paint, if needed. Hang a silk flower wreath on the front door as well. If you have a large porch, you may also have room for pots of colorful spring flowers.
"Remove the dark-toned, dusty silk flower arrangements from your rooms and store them away for a few months," McLintock said. "Take this opportunity to give them a good cleaning." In their place, she said, bring in fresh-looking green plants, flowering pots or elegant orchids.
These lively touches can breathe life into winter-weary spaces.
Accessories and shelves
"It's time to rework your accessories and make over your shelves," she said. "Clean winter dust off the shelves and begin to replace objects with an eye toward keeping the look light."
You might bring out your floral china or white ironstone, set up a collection of pitchers or glass, and include plants and picture frames.
Be creative
"Decorating for spring does not have to be expensive," McLintock said. "In fact, being creative in the ways you decorate can make it seem like a treasure hunt." Search for what you have in the way of spring-themed accessories.
Look for beautiful vases you have stored, white linens to use for the table or silk flowers that you've packed away. You might fill vases or bowls with plastic Easter eggs or jelly beans in spring hues.
"Daffodils in crystal or glass vases on each end of your mantel bespeak the coming of spring," she said. For a nice touch you could also tie a wired chiffon ribbon in a soft spring hue in a bow around each vase.
Trends and spends
"The return of birds and their songs are one of spring's most welcome signs," McLintock said, "and this year retailers are acknowledging this with pretty avian motifs on all sorts of home décor."
Overall, McLintock said you can use the seasons to create a sense of warmth in your home.
"It doesn't have to cost a lot of money, and the resulting satisfaction you get from developing your own creativity is well worth every moment spent."
The Decor Store is located at 25658 The Old Road in Valencia (next to Old Navy). The phone number is (661) 255-7445 and the Web site is www.thedecorstore.com.
