Eight decorating ideas for spring

Winter doldrums got you down? Here is the first wave of spring home furnishings and trends we’re seeing in stores. Give one or two a try to liven up your holiday-weary rooms.

by Jura Koncius

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On the last dreary day of January, it’s time to get a jump on spring. As harsh winter sunlight shines on cluttered coffee tables and chipped woodwork, it’s obvious that homes take a hit in the long hard slog from Thanksgiving to mid-January. "Historically, my phone starts ringing the week after the inauguration," Erin Paige Pitts, an interior designer from Gibson Island, says. "People finally have time to look around the house and they are starting to think ahead." As you think about adding to your home wardrobe, tiptoe out of your comfort zone. For inspiration, we reached out to home retailers for their latest products.

West Elm /

The “Downton Abbey” effect

"I get a lot of inspiration for the looks we show from the fashion collections," says Gary Babcock, vice president for merchandising and design at Arhaus. Arhaus. And British TV period dramas. So this spring line reflects the influence of the Roaring Twenties, art deco and sets from the upcoming “Great Gatsby” movie.“ ‘Downton Abbey’ just entered the Jazz Age, so the English country house look is going to start to change with a bit of sparkle and glamour,” Babcock says. The store has mirrored chests, beaded pillows and silver. In this photo, the Arhaus Paloma parlor sofa ($3,399) in “Cannes silver sage” velvet frames the Amelia ($1,649) mirrored top coffee table.

Arhaus

<a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.westelm.com/products/patchwork-dresser-g788/'>West Elm Patchwork Dresser </a>($999) has the handcrafted appeal of a quilt. The dresser has five drawers and a cabinet, each done in a different wood front. In addition to the eye-catching design, it’s “a double-duty piece designed for small-space living but that will move along with you,” says West Elm’s Holden. “Maybe one year it will be in your bedroom, another in the living room.” The clean architecture of the white case and the veneers should stand the test of time. In future roles, the dresser might anchor a home office or serve as a media console.

The statement piece

West Elm Patchwork Dresser ($999) has the handcrafted appeal of a quilt. The dresser has five drawers and a cabinet, each done in a different wood front. In addition to the eye-catching design, it’s “a double-duty piece designed for small-space living but that will move along with you,” says West Elm’s Holden. “Maybe one year it will be in your bedroom, another in the living room.” The clean architecture of the white case and the veneers should stand the test of time. In future roles, the dresser might anchor a home office or serve as a media console.

West Elm

The Industrial Age

CB2 has taken a familiar form, the basic powder-coated steel file cabinet, and recast it in a non-traditional color: mint. Line up three of these babies ($159 each), which are called TPS: Totally Perfect Storage and are on castors, and top them with a steel Go-Cart White Console Table ($169). Ryan Turf, general merchandising manager for CB2, says “something with a such a familiar form, like a filing cabinet, done in an unexpected color can change the look of an entire office or hallway.” It would be great at the back of a sofa. He says, “It makes a statement and looks modern.”

Damian Russell / CB2

The bedroom pick-me-up

Buying new bed linens is one of the quickest ways to refresh your look, says Pat Eckerstrom, executive vice president at Crate & Barrel. "Textiles are a very approachable way to make things happen," she says. "Many people don’t have much going on in their bedroom except furniture. You change the bedding and you have a whole new room." Jaipur linens ($35 to $230) inject a bit of global chic by layering neutral taupes and putties in various textures and patterns.

Courtesy of Crate & Barrel

Louis XVI chairs, whether carved and gilded or the clear acrylic, are decorating staples. At Wisteria, designers have updated the classic design. <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.wisteria.com/Louis-XVI-End-Chair-Lavender-New/productinfo/W8094/'>oval-backed chair</a> ($389) in weathered oak with pastel Belgian linen upholstery, giving the chairs an eye-candy appeal. It is also available in an <a data-xslt='_http' href='http://www.wisteria.com/Louis-XVI-Dining-Chair-Lavender-New/productinfo/W8095/'>armless version</a> ($299). Jean Blum says the lavender, aqua, sage and French blue “add a bit of color to a traditional space and give a room a more vibrant look.” The chair would be at home in a dining room, bedroom, living room or office. “In a few years if you get tired of it, you can reupholster it,” Blum says. “This chair will always be relevant.”

Something French is always in style

Louis XVI chairs, whether carved and gilded or the clear acrylic, are decorating staples. At Wisteria, designers have updated the classic design. oval-backed chair ($389) in weathered oak with pastel Belgian linen upholstery, giving the chairs an eye-candy appeal. It is also available in an armless version ($299). Jean Blum says the lavender, aqua, sage and French blue “add a bit of color to a traditional space and give a room a more vibrant look.” The chair would be at home in a dining room, bedroom, living room or office. “In a few years if you get tired of it, you can reupholster it,” Blum says. “This chair will always be relevant.”

Courtesy of Wisteria

Indigo blues

The depth and richness of the color of denim jeans is created using ages-old dying techniques from India and Japan. "It’s one of my personal favorite colors," says Vanessa Holden, West Elm’s creative director, who believes that like a favorite pair of jeans, indigo interiors go with almost everything. indigo rugs, bed linens, pillows and upholstery, shown with other deep blues as well as grays. “We also like it with bright, clean, white in the bedroom or living room,” Holden says. This room setting is anchored by West Elm’s indigo Everett loveseat ($899), upholstered in a velvet they call “ink blue.”

West Elm

Grow up and get a bar cart

In the first episode of Season 2 of Lena Dunham’s "Girls" on HBO, Hannah and Elijah throw a housewarming party by corralling their booze onto the kitchen table. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some sort of cart to arrange bottles and bar accessories? Celebrate by splurging on a cart that has a small footprint but lots of storage, says Crate & Barrel’s Pat Eckerstrom.Collins ($799) trolley-style cart with three shelves and two stemware racks.

Crate & Barrel

Paint and the pursuit of happiness

During this lackluster time of year, you might find some joy in a can of paint. For 2013, paint companies such as Valspar are offering a mood-enhancing palette. "Consumers want this to be a year of change," says Sue Kim, a Valspar color strategist. Kim suggests some quick DIY paint therapy on a front door or a ceiling. Mustard Glaze, Roasted Pumpkin or Tropical Bay.

Valspar

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

HOUSTON, TX—APRIL 25: Naomi Haskell poses for a portrait with her son, Spencer, 19, at her home in suburban Houston, Texas, on Thursday, April 25, 2013. Since he was diagnosed with a type of schizophrenia two years ago, her focus has been on keeping him well. (Photo by Nikki Kahn/The Washington Post)

A mom and her son face the challenge of mental illness

Naomi Haskell helps her son Spencer deal with the challenges presented by his schizophrenia. She spends her days torn between worry and hope...

ANNAPOLIS MD: MAY 24
The Class of 2013 culminates their commissioning ceremony with the hat toss, a traditional ending to the ceremony, originated at the Naval Academy in 1912. The 'hat toss' has since become a symbolic and visual end to the four-year program. Photographed at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland on May 24, 2013.
(Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

They tossed their caps in Annapolis

The 2013 Class of the U.S. Naval Academy holds its graduation and commissioning ceremonies. President Obama spoke at the graduation.

PITTSBURGH, PA - MAY 19: Mark Melancon #35 of the Pittsburgh Pirates pitches in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros during the game on May 19, 2013 at PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The Pirates defeated the Astros 1-0. (Photo by Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

MLB power rankings

Barry Svrluga assesses the best teams in Major League Baseball through Thursday.

epa03714567 A Thai Buddhist family take an offering of lotus flowers to pay respects to a giant Buddha surrounded by more than 1,000 smaller Buddha statues at a Buddhism Park, on Vesak or Visakha Bucha day, in Nakhon Nayok, north of Bangkok, Thailand, 24 May 2013. Buddhist devotees throughout the world offer blessings at temples to mark one of the holiest days in Buddhism, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and the death of Buddha. EPA/BARBARA WALTON

Photos of the day

Buddhist Wesak festival, prisoners-of-war reunion, bridge collapse, world’s largest Lego model and more.

SILVER SPRING MD: MAY 18
from left to right, Bodybuilders Jorge Villatoro, Sidney Bumbrey, Eric Holmes and Ron Coleman show off their most muscular poses for the judges at the 2013 Musclemania - Capital Tournament of Champions Contest held at the Montgomery College Cultural Arts Center in Silver Spring, Maryland on May 18, 2013.
(Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

Flexing their muscles

Dozens of bodybuilders came out to Silver Spring to compete in the 2013 Musclemania Capital Tournament of Champions.

epa03714543 US actress Carmen Electra arrives for the Life Ball gala, at the airport Schwechat, in Vienna, Austria, 24 May 2013. The 21th Life Ball, an annual fundraising charity event for HIV and Aids projects, takes place at the Vienna City-Hall on 25 May 2013. EPA/HERBERT NEUBAUER

Eye on entertainment

Carmen Electra, Barbara Eden, Sharon Stone, Goldie Hawn, Jaden Smith and more.

MOORE, OK - MAY 24: A 'For Sale' sign hangs in a tree in a storm ravaged neighborhood on May 24, 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. The tornado of EF5 strength and two miles wide touched down May 20 killing at least 24 people and leaving behind extensive damage to homes and businesses. U.S. President Barack Obama promised federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)

Assessing tornado damage in Oklahoma

Amid great destruction, residents of the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore begin to assess the severity of the twister that hit Monday.

WASHINGTON DC: MAY 22
Contestant Travis Rumans, 31 dances with his beloved glow sticks for talent at Penn Social in Washington, DC on May 22, 2013. The contestants help raise over $15,000 for the Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
The Mr. DC pageant is a fundraising event to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.
The qualifications for the Mr. District of Columbia finalists is that they must live, work and attend school in the District of Columbia between the ages of 21-30 who are unmarried, intelligent, and dapper in a suit.
(Photo by Marvin Joseph/The Washington Post)

Mr. D.C. Pageant contestants compete for charity

Contestants in the Mr. D.C. Pageant, a fundraising event, helped raise more than $15,000 for the Children’s National Medical Center.

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Eight decorating ideas for spring

Winter doldrums got you down? Here is the first wave of spring home furnishings and trends we’re seeing in stores. Give one or two a try to liven up your holiday-weary rooms.

FEATURED PHOTO GALLERIES

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