No other season seems to bring with it the sense of change as much as spring does. From the awakening of dormant gardens to the gradual lengthening of the days, spring’s arrival really does hit differently. Our senses seem attuned to these changes, and with it comes an almost innate desire to freshen up our homes for the warmer months ahead.
Brighten up your home with blinds
Letting the extra daylight into our homes and creating a greater connection with the outdoors is one of spring’s delights, but we do need to pay attention to the amount of light we let in. Too much sunlight and your cooling bills may increase, your furniture may start to fade and your sleep patterns may be disturbed. Privacy can also be an issue, so selecting the right kinds of blinds for your home (and it may differ from room to room) is crucial to getting the light just right.
Fabric roller blinds are a really functional way to control the light, as they’re easily adjustable, help block UV rays, provide thermal insulation and allow you to maintain privacy. There are several options available, from sunscreen rollers that reduce glare while maintaining your view outside, to light-filtering blinds, block-outs that keep 100 per cent of light out of a room, and even double roller blinds, which combine the dual functions of sunscreen and block-outs.
From someone who has recently installed block-out blinds in both my lounge and bedroom (Contemporary Blockout in Quill), I can attest to the elegance of these blinds – they’re sleek, unfussy and give me the flexibility to control the lovely spring sunshine. To frame and soften the garden view from my bedroom, I’ve added sheer curtains, and in the lounge room I’ve installed motorised blinds so I can easily adjust the light throughout the day.
If you’re lucky enough to have gorgeous floor-to-ceiling doors and windows, consider vertical blinds, and before you think of messy chains and cords, trust me, they’ve changed. These next-generation vertical blinds are called Veri Shades® and with no weights or chains, you can walk through them freely whether they are open or closed. The soft fabric lengths transition from translucent to opaque with the turn of a wand – or by motorisation if you wish – so you will have unparalleled light control.
Lighten your home from the floor up
While carpet isn’t something you’d normally consider changing with the seasons, there are some clever ways to create and enhance the light and fresh feeling of spring within our homes.
Carpet in outdoor-inspired spring hues, such as fresh minty green or a natural sage or eucalyptus, can create such an uplifting vibe in a room. The Correa carpet comes in a range of colours inspired by the Australian coastline to bring nature’s hues inside. It’s a textured loop pile made from 100 per cent wool fibre, so it also has the benefit of being hypoallergenic – something spring hayfever sufferers will appreciate!
Similarly, the Tjanpi carpet range, which is made from 100 per cent New Zealand Wool, has been inspired by serene Japanese gardens to create a calm and harmonious atmosphere in your living space. My pick for a stunning nature-inspired hue is the Minarri.
Seeing roses and blossoms appear on bare winter branches is an annual thrill, so if you’d like to keep the spring feelings alive all year around, why not opt for one of the season’s prettiest colours – pale pink. The Lush range of rugs is very true to its name, and the Soft Pink colourway is a grown-up way to use in a lounge or bedroom.
No matter the style of carpet you have at home, you can create a sense of spring (or any other season for that matter) by cleverly layering with rugs. This will enable you to add extra colour, texture and interest to a room and instantly create a fresher, more spring-like sensibility. When layering rugs over carpet, it’s a great idea to mix up the textures, such as a flat weave rug over a plush carpet, as this will create an even bigger impact.
Another of my decor hacks to bring the spring feelings inside is to use a jute rug over carpeted areas. Jute, being a natural fibre, is a brilliant way to bring an earthy texture into any room. Whether it is natural or colour-dyed, it also brings a very relaxed and casual aesthetic to a room, which is perfect for the warmer months.
Finally, harnessing the energy of the spring season is all about embracing nature’s softer elements, so remember to add fresh florals, swap out any dark and heavy accessories like cushions for lighter and brighter versions, and throw open those windows – enjoy.
This article originally appeared on Home Beautiful and is republished here with permission.
