Refreshing Your Decorating for Spring

Spring is always a good time to update and refresh décor. After the cozy dark winter months, I’m ready for fresh spring air and sunlight, and I get full on spring fever.  Here are several ways to do a refresh for spring!

Using Colours of the Year
2021's colours of the year are “Ultimate grey” and "Illuminating"  and they are perfect for some low-key, trendy spring decorating.  Now, I’m a strong believer that trends should only be followed if you like them, and that you shouldn’t break the bank to do it. I like to use trends for inspirations, and find simple ways to include them in my seasonal decorating. The great thing about These two colours is that they can fit into many different colour schemes. Because the options are so broad, chances are that you already have things that can make a great Gray/yellow-inspired vignette or design accent. So the first place to start is with a search of your own stuff, either what’s been put in storage, or what’s mixed in with your everyday stuff, just waiting to be taken out and highlighted.

Using plants for Spring décor
Plants are an obvious entry point for incorporating spring into your spring décor, and a great way to refresh both your palette and your mood. Plants can be lovely on their own, but how you present them offers an opportunity to turn them into real design elements. Depending on how much work you want to put into the planters (not to mention the plants!) there are a lot of different options out there. Here are a few of my favourite DIY planters:

 Terrariums can be very simple project, and very attractive. Use small succulents or air plants.

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A cute, simple terrarium in a bookend-fishbowl

A slightly more involved project, but still quite simple overall, is this vertical planter project by Suzie Frazier. It’s a straightforward project that can be modified to suit your space by staining or painting the blocks, or adjusting the size and the number of blocks.
















This planter makes a bold visual statement.

If you are feeling more adventurous in your DIY, Paper & Stitch’s little plaster planters for baby succulents are delightful.

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These adorable planters can be made in a variety of pastel colours.

Alternatively, if DIY is not your thing right now, there are lots of great planters out there to buy. Ikea’s Socker series has a lot of Greenery-coordinating options, in a variety of sizes.

Vignettes
Another option to refresh your decor for spring is a vignette. A vignette is an arrangement of articles that create a focal point. This can include art, flowers, books, and unique elements like toys or alarm clocks.

This bright spot is one of my favourite cafés
This picture is a mantle-piece vignette from Cafe 22 in uptown Waterloo. I took it while having lunch once because the combination of permanent pieces in neutral tones with a punch of colour provided by the tulips is a perfect example of how to create a vignette that can be quickly and simply refreshed for seasons and, if you like, trends. The mirror and silvery palette reflect light from the nearby window while the plants add a dash of colour that keep it fresh and bright.

Vignettes are usually arranged on otherwise unused horizontal surfaces: a buffet top, a bed side table, the top of a piano or a table in the entryway. They are a really good way to display things that you want to see but that don’t look good on their own, or to display a collection.
At a restaurant, it makes sense to have a large and permanent vignette like this one. Not every vignette has to be this way, however. To give you as sense of the kind of range of design a vignette offers, I borrowed my sister’s bright green sideboard, and plundered a variety of art, candle holders, and decorative bits and pieces from around her house. Some art, some plants, and some decorative items make the foundation of each vignette.

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A cozy vignette that connects green and brass with a neutral palette.

This simple vignette combines functionality with art in a calm, earthy palette.

This vignette uses a bright colour scheme and large pieces to make a bold statement.

When looking at updating your décor to follow a particular trend that you like, adjusting or creating a vignette can be a quick solution that doesn’t require an enormous commitment or investment.

A few more ideas
Vignettes are great but they don’t work for every home, so here are a few other ideas for switching things up without doing a major redesign:

• Linens like a throw or a table cloth, or a pillow cover can add a punch of colour.
• Coloured candles, a new serving dish, or a vase are low-cost functional pieces that can add a fresh look.
• Change your door décor by adding a wreath or another decorative element. This gives your home curb appeal as well as an up-to-date feeling. If your door is looking old you can consider painting it as well. It doesn’t have to be the same colour as the garage door, as long as it coordinates.

Are you planning anything to refresh for spring? Got Greenery on your mind? Let me know in the comments!