The best way to spruce up your home this spring, according to the experts

By WP BrandStudio

Refreshing your house after a long winter is a quintessential part of spring — a 2017 survey found that 66 percent of people partake in this annual cleaning ritual. Especially given the recent uptick in folks decluttering their homes and rethinking their spaces, this spring is the perfect time to tackle the renovation and redesign projects you’ve been dreaming of.

But with so many possible upgrades and design trends to consider, diving into springtime home projects might seem daunting; 54 percent of spring cleaners said that it was hard to know where to start. And it’s common to notice flaws around the house during the holidays and make fixing them “your thing to tackle in the New Year,” which puts the pressure on, said Melissa Cooley, an interiors specialist for remodeling company Case Design.

To make things more accessible this time around, top experts in design and renovation give their tips on how to plan for your cleaning and renovating projects this year — and inspiration for what you can do to transform your home.

What to fix up and refresh for spring

Spring cleaning doesn’t always have to happen inside the house. Warm weather is the perfect excuse to jump on outdoor maintenance projects, which are a great place to start, according to David Vogt, director of project development for Case Design. One first step in outdoor cleanup is to run some diagnostics on your home; winter snow and ice can damage roofs, particularly in areas where snow tends to build up, such as on the attic roof-hatch. While you’re inspecting your home, walk around to check gutters, downspouts and shingles for any wear and tear, said Vogt.

If you do want to start the process indoors, decluttering is a popular first step for a lot of people, said Cooley. Additionally, she’s found that folks are looking to freshen and lighten up their spaces; this can include touch ups or entire repaints of walls and door faces. Even re-framing wall art and family photos can make a living room feel newly inviting — and it doesn’t take much time, money or expertise.

If you have a firm grasp on house projects and want to tackle your kitchen, a fresh coat of paint on cabinets can transform a room, as can a new glaze on hardwood floors. And for clients looking to create a design focal point, Cooley suggests adding wallpaper for color and texture in family rooms, or adding a decorative backsplash in the kitchen to breathe new life into the space. Easy-to-install tile-mat backsplashes look great — and they can make projects go by more quickly.

Design trends for the season of renewal

On top of making choices about what to renovate, springtime calls for homeowners to decide if they want to take on a redesign project — which gives people a chance to try their hand at fun design trends.

But trying out what’s popular doesn’t mean foregoing classic touches altogether; while white kitchens are in demand, for example, two-tone is “probably not going to go away,” Cooley said. To blend the two approaches, she suggests marrying painted cabinets with a stained island. You might also consider mixed-metal hardware, such as French gold and polished nickel, against matte-black cabinets. Colorful appliances — such as bold blues and oranges — are also on the rise, as are white-and-black ones, which blend in seamlessly with timeless white kitchens.

Unconventional colors speak to folks’ overall attitudes toward design, according to Vogt. “People are more willing to go contemporary in the feel and finish” throughout the entire house, including older and traditional-style houses. Homeowners are replacing ornate wooden mantels with sleek tile or stone, for instance, and adding herringbone-pattern backsplashes and quartz countertops to the kitchen.

Additionally, so many clients have been requesting bathroom updates for spring that Cooley identifies it as a trend. In some cases, empty nesters or well-traveled clients want to create a more elaborate space with a new tub and shower or a hydrotherapy tub for “a more relaxed summer and spring experience,” she said.

If you’re looking for direction, Vogt suggests searching the “huge inventory of images” on the design website Houzz, whether you have something specific in mind, such as white kitchens, or want general inspiration for a bathroom redesign.

Planning ahead and knowing your limits

Regardless of whether you’re tackling big outdoor projects or rethinking your wallpaper, planning ahead can always make for a less stressful season. Making a thorough list of supplies before heading to the hardware store, allowing time for the pre-renovation permitting process, and other types of early and thoughtful preparation can make all the difference, said Vogt.

Also consider what you’ll want in the weeks and months to come, such as a screened-in porch to keep out mosquitoes, or a spruced-up bathroom for holiday guests. Waiting until the last minute for more involved projects could mean having to wait until next year when designers are available again — and it can contribute to the cleaning-related stress that 37 percent of Americans report feeling.

And, perhaps most importantly, be honest with yourself about your capabilities. Do-it-yourself projects are a great way to refresh your living space, but if you want to broaden your horizons and try something you’re not quite sure about, there’s no harm in enlisting the experts.

“Sometimes we want to tackle things ourselves, but don’t be afraid to call an expert,” said Cooley. “A job-not-well-done costs [time and money] to have done again.”

And that’s not something you want to have to worry about next spring.

Discover more design trends by visiting CaseDesign.com

All photos courtesy of Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

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