Five Simple Refresh Ideas for Your Home

By Michelle Knutson, real estate broker and owner of Rose City Homes and Design

The clocks have sprung forward, and the recent sunshine brought out flowers all around us. It seems like the world is waking up from the doldrums of winter, and many of us feel renewed to tackle spring cleaning, home improvements and new design ideas. The good news is that you can refresh your home without it costing too much money or taking a lot of time with these five easy tips.

1. Let the light in.

Throw open the sashes and lift the blinds. If you have dark color curtains on your windows, a quick switch to sheer fabric or a light color can work some optical magic. Your eye will see that window as larger and notice more light coming through. And open the windows and let the fresh air in, too!  Affordable picks for sheer curtains: IKEA, HomeGoods and Target.

2. Bring nature inside.

Nothing says springtime better than live plants and flowers. You can place plants on your shelves, tabletops, counters, and where the right light works for them. If affordability is a factor, I suggest you stop into Trader Joe’s for killer deals in their floral section. Fresh clippings of branches from your budding trees also look great in vases. 

If you don’t have a green thumb, or enough light for live plants, faux plants are all the rage right now in home décor. You can find great high quality faux plants in retail stores, and Michael’s has all sizes and often has good sales.

3. Play with pastels. 

Bring in some yellows, blues, greens, pinks, and florals around you. You can try new pillows on the couch, a throw blanket, a table runner, place mats, or kitchen towels. These simple items scatter color and life, and will draw your eye in the room. Simple affordable options are available in most retail stores, but solid go-tos are HomeGoods, Marshall’s, Ross and JOANN. 

4. Accessorize with spring-themed accents. 

You can find all kinds of colorful and spring decorative items out now in most stores’ seasonal sections. You can also try fresh-scented candles that feel clean, crisp, lemony or floral.

5. Create a cheerful home entrance. 

Easily spruce up your front area by adding a fresh wreath on the door, a new welcome mat, or planting flowers in pots. These simple changes can have a great impact as you come and go from your home. 

For many of us, it has been a very tough year. And being home all the time has shown us that our environment matters. Take some time to refresh your space if you can — you’ll be glad you did! Happy spring!