#3 MARCH: SPRING REFRESH
A lesson in how to create Spring in this beautiful Miami project by Marianna Fiorin Interiors @just_my_design_taste : photography @morasmoras
At last! Spring has sprung (here in the Northern Hemisphere). And now into the light we go with longer days, the promise of sunshine and of course fresh green growth. The season of renewal, it’s my favourite time of year after the cosy hibernation vibes of Winter. Such hope and optimism, freshness and creative energy. The anticipation of warmth, more time spent outside, and of course all those divine Spring blossoms and blooms popping as the birds chirp happily away. This time of year naturally makes you feel lighter, brighter and energised. And you can create that same feeling in your home with some simple decorating and styling tricks.
SPRING DECORATING
Colour is my go-to transformation tool for decorating. Refreshing the spaces in your home with a colour drench is game changing in how you feel. And that’s where I always start with my clients - how do you want to feel?
Colour psychology theorises that you are instinctively one of four seasonal colour personalities. The Spring personality is playful and young at heart, optimistic, upbeat, energetic and bouncy, light hearted and expressive, warm and friendly, forward-thinking, full of ideas and inspiration. If this resonates, this could be you, or in part you, or indeed how you want to feel in your home. So surrounding yourself with a Spring scheme will literally put a spring in your step!
It comes as no surprise that the colours in the Spring palette are warm, light, bright and fresh to lift the spirits. Often with a yellow base for warmth and without black to banish the grey tones. There’s a softness and delicacy, but also a vivid and fresh injection of energy and clarity which gives a gorgeous feeling of spaciousness and possibilities.
Think paler and softer hues like the prettiest pastels - baby pink and blue, lemon sorbet, lilac, apricot, peach - and neutrals like creamy vanilla and camel. Combine these with some brighter contrast colour pops for maximum uplift - daffodil yellow, a vivid green, coral, aquamarine, watermelon red.
Choose to decorate a whole room or paint a Spring hue inside a cupboard for an uplift every time you open it. Try one of my top 3 favourite Spring colour mixes:
Pink, lilac and red.
Camel and neutrals with blush pink or fresh yellow.
Iconic pink and green.
Check out Yes Colours to emanate Spring with their ‘fresh’, ‘friendly’ and ‘electric’ ranges of sustainable paints. I’ve also recently used Edward Bulmer’s Lilac Pink on a project and love the lightness and warmth that this soft neutral brings to my client’s living room. Like a Spring hug! Other favourites are Sage & Onions - a vibrant green from Little Greene’s collaboration with the National Trust, and their Trumpet yellow also packs a punch.
SPRING STYLING
Keep styling clean and simple. Think Scandi chic with a playful and vibrant edge. Pale painted floors, pale wood and furniture with clean and expressive lines. I love to throw in a touch of rattan and cane for texture and colour - check out my vintage edit for a bright red cane serving tray or invest in a beautiful glossy rattan sideboard.
Also key to a successful Spring vibe is bouncing around as much light as possible. Give your windows a good clean and switch up your heavy winter drapes for lighter linens. And consider reflective surfaces. Position a mirror opposite a window to throw light around the room, for example. Or choose one of my vintage lucite pieces of furniture to immediately create that sense of space.
Play with prints like ditsy florals, polka dots and hand drawn patterns - in small doses on accent cushions, cotton bedding etc. or go for it with a bold wallpaper like Hollyhocks Spring by House Of Hackney on all four (or five) walls or the reupholstery of your favourite chair.
And of course, bring nature in with fresh flowers in bud vases, vivid green house plants styled on a cool vintage plant stand, botanical prints or groove to the 70s with nature-inspired textured grasscloth wallpapers.
I’ve saved inspiring rooms, colours and ideas in my SPRING story highlights for you. And will be dropping a Spring edit of vintage pieces - sorry no new stock drop this month as have been busy on an exciting new design project here in Brighton. And the HOUSE MIX playlist for March is an ode to joy - a light and playful mix of flowery vibezzz, upbeat energy and innovative sounds and beats from different eras and genres to put Spring firmly in your step. Turn it up!
Call or DM me if you’d like help sourcing vintage or contemporary pieces, or transforming your home decor. We can jam together remotely during hourly sessions to fix your design dilemmas or engage in larger scale renovation projects. I have spaces coming up in April.
With love,
Kim
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