Refresh Your Home This Spring 2022 with These Organization and Design Tips

There’s no place like home—until you’ve been cocooning in it for too long and the scene starts to feel stale and stagnant. And, come to think of it, so do you. Apparently, adopting your home’s vibe is a real thing since your surroundings and your mindset are intertwined, according to Sally Augustin, PhD, an environmental psychologist who uses scientific research to help people design and decorate spaces that enhance well-being and performance. In fact, she promises that if your space is sapping your spirit, you can easily flip that situation with a few easy design moves—and there’s no better time to do this than right now. “Spring is when we all long to reboot, reenergize, and refresh all aspects of our home,” says KD Reid, a Newark, New Jersey–based interior designer. There’s even a historical connection.

A spring refresh has always been thought of as “a way to encourage a fresh start, a purification, or a renewal of the yearly cycle of life,” says Alexis Barr, instructor of design history at the New York School of Interior Design. The phrase “spring cleaning” itself solidified in the Victorian era, thanks to the bestselling tome Mrs. Beeton’s Book of Household Management. Back then, coal heating and gas lamps left a film of dark soot on surfaces. “So furnishings would truly need a thorough ‘spring cleaning,’” explains Barr. Fast-forward to 2022—after a winter that felt about two years too long (thanks, Omicron!)—and design experts are doing a lot more than de-smudging. We’ve got you covered with brilliant tips from some of our favorite design pros.

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Rearranging and Reorganizing

• “Sometimes it’s as simple as rearranging your things. A quick reset can give you the feeling of new, whether you’re swapping chairs from one side of a room to another or switching your living room’s brass lamps with the ceramic ones you have in the den.”—Jill Goldberg, Hudson Interior Designs, Boston
• “Spring is a great time to add to your art collection by shopping flea markets.” Maryline Damour, Damour Drake, Kingston, New York
• “Get your linen closet in order. Try adding acrylic shelf dividers to keep your stacks of towels and sheets orderly, and acrylic vessels to house small goods: soaps, Q-tips, cotton balls, etc.”—Mikel Welch, Mikel Welch Designs, New York City
• “I rearrange some of my art for a fresh perspective, and may even rearrange some furniture. And I definitely turn the mattresses!” —Joy Williams, Joyful Designs Studio, Chicago
• “I will take off all the items on a bookcase and rearrange them. This allows me to take away any items that I don’t care for anymore while giving my shelves a breath of fresh air.” —Dana Wolter, Dana Wolter Interiors, Mountain Brook, Alabama
• “Rearranging the furniture is another technique to freshen up the space. Tired of your layout? Move the sofa, armchairs, and end tables about in the living room. Try putting a console table—which are now available in bold architectural designs, made with luxurious organic materials—behind your sofa to have a place for flowers and spring floral books.”— Kerri Rosenthal, Kerri Rosenthal Interiors, Westport, Connecticut
• “Design your room around connection and conversation, not the TV. I prefer a circular seating area to create the most intimate setting, arranged around an ottoman with a decorative tray to hold drinks or board games. And don’t place seating more than eight feet from each other, so everyone is heard!”—Everick Brown, Everick Brown Interior Design, New York City

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Tidy Your Space

• “Nothing gives your home a quick spruce-up like squeegee-cleaned windows! The key is to squeeze most of the soapy water out of the sponge to eliminate excessive dripping. Then you’re ready to squeegee! Clean from the top down, wiping the edge of the squeegee after every stroke with a no-lint microfiber cloth.” —Rio Hamilton, Rio Hamilton, New York City
• “Spring cleaning is the first step to freshen up. You’d be amazed what a deep clean of window treatments, vacuuming the bed frames, and wiping down on all the lamps and art can do to make a house feel new again.”—Jill Goldberg, Hudson Interior Designs, Boston
• “I look forward all year to the first post-winter window washing. Having the inside and outside done by a professional makes everything about the house feel fresh and clean!”—Brittany Bromley, Brittany Bromley Interiors, Bedford, New York
• “Let your rooms breathe. I open the windows for fresh air, deep clean the baseboards, change the air filters and have walls touched up with paint where needed.”—Dana Wolter, Dana Wolter Interiors, Mountain Brook, Alabama

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Update Your Bedroom

• “Update your bedding— even if lighter sheets are the only thing in your budget.
  If you can afford more, go for all-new bedding—either to work with your current decor or in a more springlike palette.” —Amy Youngblood, Amy Youngblood Interiors, Cincinnati
• “Swap winter’s velvet throw pillows for cottons and linens in light, fresh florals and stripes.” —Thomas Riker, James Thomas Interiors, Chicago
• “Fluffing my bedroom is a great way to bring a freshness to your home. Simply buying new pillows and bedding makes a world of difference.”—Chad Renfro, Chad Renfro Design, Palm Beach
• “Give your sheets a small designer makeover by adding a few caps full of Laundress-Le Labo Santal 33 to your next load of linen. It will give them a high-end smell and keep the rest of your linen closet smelling fresh as well.”—Mikel Welch, Mikel Welch Designs, New York City

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Give Your Exterior a Facelift

• “The front door is the first thing guests see when they arrive. Black is still the reigning color. You can never go wrong with brass hardware. And make sure your outdoor light fixtures have a dimmer setting—you want to be able to make the light as bright or moody as you choose.” —Dann Foley, Foley & Stinnette Interior Design, Palm Springs, California
• “Rust-Oleum has outdoor fabric spray paint that can be used to revamp patio furniture. I picked up a neighbor’s faded teak set from their curb and gave it love with a bright turquoise.” —Caroline Moore, Case Architects & Remodelers, Bethesda, Maryland
• “At
  the start of spring, turn your porch into a beautifully appointed sitting room.” —Darren Henault, Darren Henault Interiors, New York City
• “When spring comes, I’m ready to use all my outdoor seating areas! I wash all the covers to my outdoor sofas and chairs, wipe down the dining table and seats, and make it feel all sparkly clean. Last year I purchased new cushion covers, which provided an entirely new look—and I’m still thrilled with the change.”—Diana Dolan, Porch, Santa Barbara
• “In springtime, there is nothing like giving either your patio or porch a new look. Try some new pieces in a weather-resistant, powder-coated aluminum. Summer Classics makes a great collection and can be easier to take care of than teak.” —Tracy Morris, Tracy Morris Design, McLean, Virginia
• “I treat my garage as an extension of the home. It’s the most highly trafficked room, and the first room most of enter going into our home. So let’s be greeted with some happy! Hang art to make you smile, put in a garage system to contain the unsightly, and try an epoxy coated floor in a fun color. Why not have a yellow floor in your garage, right?”— Kerri Rosenthal, Kerri Rosenthal Interiors, Westport, Connecticut

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Out with the Old, In with the New Accents

• “Out with the wool rugs! Switch in grass mats or sisal. It’s life-changing—trust me.” —Denise McGaha, Denise McGaha Interiors, Dallas
• “Incorporate natural elements into your space. Try accents of wicker or rattan when designing “bright and airy” homes.” —Bria Hammel, Bria Hammel Interiors, Mendota Heights, Minnesota
• “An empty table says ‘board room.’ I love the fresh green of Dodie Thayer’s lettuce ware, reintroduced by Tory Burch.” —Josh Hildreth, Josh Hildreth Interiors, Washington, D.C.
• “Update your cabinet hardware—it is like the jewelry of your home, and there are so many great options out there.” —Caroline Gentry, Pulp Design Studios, Seattle, Dallas, and Los Angeles
• “I like to create a fresh spring look with sofa pillows in brighter colors and bohemian patterns. Spring leads to summer, which calls for a looser mood that can be created aesthetically with color and pattern.”—Gray Walker, Gray Walker Interiors, Charlotte, North Carolina
• “Replace your beautiful autumnal throw pillows in pumpkin and camel with citrines and blush for a gorgeous and uniquely fresh look on your couch.”—Miriam Silver Verga, Mimi & Hill Design Studio, Westfield, New Jersey
• “Slipcovers are an easy way to change the color scheme of a room from darker winter colors to lighter, airier ones without painting.” —Andre Walker, Walker Simmons Designs, Chicago

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Play Around with Wallpaper

• “Wallpaper is a trend I don’t see going away anytime soon. Start out by trying wallpaper in a smaller space. Botanical prints are huge right now!” —Mary Patton, Mary Patton Design, Houston
• “Wallpaper the backs of your bookshelves—I love a mustard yellow and cream, à la Soane’s Jajim stripe—and stack books on each shelf accordingly, so that color pop is the main focus. A bright, jewel-colored gloss is also super fun!” —Christina Nielsen, Christina Nielsen Design, New York City and London
• “Wake up to sunshine by adding a wallpaper or bold paint to the ceiling of your bedroom. A fun pop of sunflower yellow or an earthy green (Evergreen Fog by Sherwin Williams is its Color of the Year) can really bring the outside in.”—Lindsay Stokes Kennedy, Kennedy Cole Interior Design, Huntington Beach, California
• “Go for a big change in your kitchen or bathroom with peel-and-stick wallpapers—they’re now fabulous as far as design and quality! I could scroll through Spoonflower (spoonflower.com) for days looking for inspiration.” —Joanna Buchanan
• “Peel-and-stick wallpaper is a great way to make a bold statement with low commitment.”—Tavia Forbes, Forbes + Masters, Atlanta

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Add a Fresh Coat of Paint

• “Shades of green are all the rage. At Clare, Money Moves has been rising in popularity, and Current Mood has long been a fan favorite!”—Nicole Gibbons, Clare, New York City
• “Lacquer paint is having a moment. Reimagine a piece of furniture by trying a moss green or chartreuse.” —Kate Coughlin, Kate Coughlin Interiors, Boston
• “Paint is the least expensive way to brighten your space. Pick a color you love—maybe the color you feel best wearing—and paint a room in it!” —Martyn Lawrence Bullard, Martyn Lawrence Bullard Design, Los Angeles

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Bring Plants and Flowers In

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Update Your Lighting

• “Switch all your light bulbs to dimmable bright white LEDs. It brightens the home and eliminates any tint of yellow, so your entire atmosphere looks fresher!” —Sasha and John Moinzad, Thorn + French, Denver
• “For years, homeowners have seen three small pendants or more over the island. Now we are using one or two large pendants. It adds much-needed personality to the space.” —Tracy Morris, Tracy Morris Design, McLean, Virginia