Hello sunshine: How to spruce up your home for spring (From The Northern Echo)

Hello sunshine: How to spruce up your home for spring

10:30am Tuesday 19th February 2013 in Lifestyle

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With the worst of the winter now behind us (despite the frost on the car this morning suggesting otherwise), a new season is tantalisingly imminent. Before long, we’ll all be emerging from hibernation with a sudden need to spring-clean, ditch the dark colours and step into a new season with gusto.

Taking a cue from the fashion world, the arrival of spring often spells a shift in focus for home interior trends. With brighter and longer days; it’ll be time to say goodbye to roaring fires and cosy nights in and instead, hello to late sunsets and al fresco dining.

A little too optimistic perhaps? Forgive us, but if you’re equally as eager to switch off the central heating and step into spring, you’ll undoubtedly be interested in our following ideas on how to spruce up your home just in time for some warmer weather, without spending over the odds.

Bring the outside in…

A symbol of regeneration, flowers go hand in hand with springtime style. If your garden hasn’t quite started to bloom, forgo the real thing for a few flower prints. A fantastic way of bringing a little sunshine inside; whether you update your cushions with a few new covers or go for some bed linen with a pretty pastel bloom pattern – a few finishing touches can be enough to transform a room. Alternatively, try picking up a few plants and flowers from somewhere like B&Q – that way you’ll get the added bonus of that unbeatable flowery scent!

Brighten up with a lick of paint…

You don’t have to completely redecorate or change the colour scheme to freshen the place up a little. Why not rejuvenate any white walls or doors with a new coat of paint? You might be surprised at how much brighter this will make things seem, and with the UK’s leading voucher site as well as retailers like Wickes offering up deals and price reductions, you’ll be surprised at how little you’ll have to spend.

Accessorise…

If your bathroom has seen better days, try investing in a few accessories to smarten things up. By replacing a drab shower curtain with something colourful or by simply buying some new towels, matching pots and soap dishes, you could add a uniform look to an otherwise mismatched room. You don’t have to go overboard on cost here either; home ware retailers and DIY shops like Homebase usually sell these kinds of items at affordable prices, meaning you can grab a whole load of items at once.

Choose wood…

Although the feel of a carpet underfoot is a real home comfort, as spring sets in you might find yourself rediscovering a desire for the feel of cool wood. With a bright and airy finish, pine or bamboo material makes a fine alternative to the standard dark oak. So if you’ve got the time and means, a replacement floor from UK Flooring Direct could be just the ticket to signal in the new season; but on the other hand, by picking out a few select pieces for the bedroom or living room (or even simply replacing the handles on your kitchen cupboards) you could implement a few small changes to still make a big impact.

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