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There's no better time to refresh your home than spring — a time of renewal.
Goodbye wine-colored velvet drapes; hello taupe linen panels. Perhaps your all-gray palette, so popular last year, could do with a turquoise or yellow boost.
In addition to simply wanting a change, a year of pandemic-related restrictions has transformed how people see and use their homes.
"After this last year — there was so much doom and gloom and we just had the [winter] storm from hell — I'm ready for spring,” says Carolyn Tillery of Dallas, 59, who works from home as a book reviewer and budding mystery author. “I redecorated about eight years ago. Now I'm ready for something a little fresher and lighter."
With people spending so much time at home during the pandemic, they've realized what they need, and what they like and don't like, says Michelle Harrison-McAllister of Michelle Harrison Design in San Diego. “If you hate it, you can change it,” she says.
Many ways to change your home are easy and affordable DIY projects, including:
1. Try rearranging
From furniture to photographs, rearranging the contents of your home can refresh a space, says interior designer Beth Brown of Beth Brown Interiors in Atlanta. “Maybe the credenza in the dining room could work in the bedroom under the television and provide storage,” she suggests. It's also free.
2. Invest in bold colors and patterns
Adding color accents to a room can make a big difference. “Color can change your mood,” says author and lifestyle expert Robin Wilson of Robin Wilson Home in New York City. “Find your own style; if you like purple, find a way to get it into your house.” Hot colors this year include blues and earthy tones like deep brown and mustard. Bold geometric designs, such as for floor tiles, are popular.
3. Pick up some pillows
Pillows are a simple way to add a spot of color to a room. “You don't have to be all matchy-match; mix a plaid pillow with a floral pillow,” Harrison-McAllister says. “And sometimes you don't need to add color, but texture.” If you have a plain black pillow, for instance, add a black faux shearling or linen pillow.
4. Consider new wallpaper options
You can easily and quickly update one accent wall or a small room with no-mess, peel-and-stick wallpaper that's removable. Choose from thousands of options. You can buy kids’ wallpaper for less than $15 a roll at Target or spend more than $100 a roll for designer patterns. “It's a very inexpensive way to change a space,” says Wilson, who has written two home design books.
