Decorate Your Home For Spring
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Spring home decor ideas you can do by working with what you already own in new ways. I am all about “creativity before consumption” – reusing and repurposing and most importantly, putting your own stamp on your interior decor that will make you enjoy decorating your home for spring this year even more.
As I have gotten older, I have found contentment with what I have even more than I previously did. I may buy something new every now and then, but only if I really love it.
I enjoy the creative process of using what I have to change up my decor for the seasons and now that spring is on it’s way, I am very excited to get started to chase the winter blues away.
Where to Start When Decorating Your Home for Spring
To prepare for the upcoming spring season, I first go on a huge spring cleaning binge. I’m ready to clean every surface, window and more so they are fresh and sparkling so I have a clean slate to begin welcoming spring colors, decor and accessories around the house.
For starters, I have been taking down the white drapes in all the rooms one-by-one and washing them. Next will be the sofa slipcovers, kitchen cabinets and then under all the furniture.
Spring cleaning and removing clutter is the best way to refresh your home for spring that alone will give your home a new energy or vibe. Once I have done both, it’s time for the fun part – decorating.
Plan a Spring Home Decor ReDesign Day
When thinking about how you would like your home to look for spring, why not set up a day to redesign an item or rooms in your home to give them a spring vibe? From moving furniture all the way down to a colorful vase filled with fresh flowers.
Try These Use What You Have Spring Home Decor Ideas
- Clean Out and Organize – Start by going through all the old paint, fabric, gift wrap and other decorating supplies you have on hand or leftover from previous projects. This way you know exactly what you have to work with.
- Update Photos or Artwork – Remove all the photos or art in the frames displayed around your home. Print new photos from your phone for a fresh new look.
- Create Open Shelving – Remove one or two cabinet doors from your kitchen. If needed, paint the inside of the cabinet with leftover paint or line with leftover fabric, wallpaper or gift wrap and then style with your favorite kitchen items in the new open shelving.
- Furniture You Don’t Like – An old vanity that no longer fits your decorating style, can be reconfigured, painted, reupholstered, or relocated to another room or used as a TV cabinet or a bar in a dining room.
- Make a Coffee Table – Slide two end tables together in front of the sofa to create a new coffee table. Place your existing coffee table at the end of your bed to make bench.
- Need a Side Table – Turn a stool or garden urn into a side table for a sofa, chair or bed.
- Rethink Fabric – Take rarely used cloth napkins or never worn scarves to make no sew throw pillows and covers, make cafe-style curtains, and more.
- Do a Switch-a-Roo – Move your dining room chairs to the kitchen and the kitchen chairs to the dining room. Or mix and match them in each room. Move the table lamps from one room to another.
- Allow Hidden Items Be Seen – There’s no point in keeping interesting items if no one ever sees them. Remove a few objects from your china cabinet and use them to style a springtime vignette on a coffee table.
- Use a Tray – Group a collection of small items together to give it more impact. Place on a table.
Create New Functions for Furniture
When decorating your home for spring, try to take a good open-minded look at every piece of furniture in the house from the basement to the attic.
- Take Apart Furniture – Make new furniture by taking existing pieces apart to create entirely new pieces of furniture. For instance:
Combine two unrelated pieces of furniture to create a new piece for a function you need. I did this in my previous kitchen. A dining room hutch top and a bedroom sideboard became my china cabinet kitchen desk.
When we moved to the lake house, these two pieces took on another use.
The hutch top became a sideboard cabinet for a bedroom.
And the dresser was transformed into a bathroom vanity.
- Another furniture idea – the base of your china cabinet can become a craft room table base when you remove the top.
- A crown molding top from a large hutch can become a fireplace mantel or foyer wall mounted narrow table.
- Color Coordinate – Add a pop of color to your china in your china closet or the books on your bookshelves.
- Bring in Cuttings – From the trees, bushes and flowering plants in your yard to force them to bloom. Place in vases or planters and then place on a kitchen table, counter, coffee table, bedside table or in an empty fireplace.
- Sheets and Tablecloths – A colorful sheet or blanket or fabric can become a bed headboard using an unused curtain rod. A tablecloth can become a window treatment.
- Candles Don’t Have to Be Lit – Gather a few candles and arrange them in an unused fireplace is another way to freshen and add new life to a dull spot for the warmer months.
- Re-pot a Plant – Look at containers around the house from pretty teacups to plastic food containers. If you have some spray paint, consider painting the plastic food containers or worn planters. Then place in floral stems or greenery.
- Mix Don’t Match – Instead of using a matching set of anything, mix and match spring colors from napkins on your table setting to candles, pillows on the sofa.
- Add Paint – Dip the bottom of a vase or wicker basket into a can of white or pastel paint to give it a fresh new look in minutes.
“When you live with something a long time, your eyes don’t see its full potential anymore.”
Example of Use What You Have Decorating
Here is another example of use what you have decorating ideas that can be used for spring home decor.
Two years ago, I went up to my attic stash of decor to see what I could find to bring a little spring into the house using what I already own.
Do you remember I had a dining room in my previous house? I made chair back slipcovers for the dining room chairs 10 years ago. When we moved, I gave the table and chairs to one of my daughters because the lake house doesn’t have a dining room.
She didn’t want the slipcovers, so I kept them for no other reason than they were neutral in color and classic. I didn’t think I would ever use them again, but I found a way.
I figured I had nothing to lose if I tried to see if the white slipcovers would fit the backs of the Kubu Dining Chairs around the kitchen table. To my surprise… they did!
I was so happy that I made the decision to keep them even when I thought there no longer was a use for them.
So I washed and pressed them and my kitchen took on a fresh, simple and casual modern farmhouse look. That plus the fact that I didn’t need to spend a dime, made me do a happy dance.
I even added new chair seat cushion covers to the chairs without having to buy fabric. I found a way to repurpose fabric from a broken deck umbrella I had already and was going to throw out.
Find out how I made the cushion covers in this post:
I know not everyone has slipcovers and chair seat covers like this.
The reason I am telling you about what I did to the chairs is so that you can look around your home in search of items you may have stashed away and have forgotten about that can be reused in new ways as seasonal decor for spring.
My mantra… “Just because I have the same stuff, doesn’t mean I can’t use it in different ways.“
What matters when you decorate your home for spring using what you already own is that you setup, decorate and organize in ways that work for you.
You do you to not only fit your personal decorating style, but the functions you need as well, which will in turn make you love your home.
Change what you can with what you own… then enjoy what you have changed in fresh new ways to celebrate the arrival of spring.
More Spring Home Decor Ideas
- Trash to Treasure Spring Mantel
- Decorating with Scrap Fabric
- Designer Knock-Off: Paper Bag Table Placemats
- DIY Side Table Using Two Unrelated Items
- Have you done anything to give your home a refresh for spring yet? Please share how you make a room feel like spring in the comments.
All good suggestions!! I live in a log cabin (we hand built) on a lake…talk about “downsizing!” I’ve found “gift wrap paper” to be my “new best friend.” Just made “spring sleeves” for ALL (a lot 🙄) of our battery candles. Viburnam branches next… franki
Can’t wait to see the updates that you make to Mandy’s kitchen. Good mother/daughter/dad time. I can’t wait to start changing out the winter decor and bringing in the spring things. It has been a long, cold, wet winter here in Illinois.
Hi Diane,
Loved your post as usual! We’re at -1 degrees today, so a little spring dreaming with my coffee was what I craved. I do have a tip though, for those trying to spray paint wicker baskets white. Because they soak up the paint, you can use several cans, and still not have the bright white you prefer. I’ve learned that buying 1 can of a color that I’m using in that room can make all the difference, especially for a slightly country look. If you paint “your” color over the wicker first it will hide the wicker color. After drying, you can spray as much, or as little as you want of the white paint for the look you want. You will use much less paint and any of the “ under colors” will now blend with your decor. Works every time!
Always look forward to your emails.
Love the flower power….especially around the drawer pull. xoxoxox
I always love all the fantastic use-what-you-have ideas you overflow with! You are amazing!!!
Thanks Becky – Use what you have is my favorite way to decorate. Love being able to share ideas.
I just love how you think! I’m not into decorating as much as you and other people are, but I love that you give us ideas on how to reuse, repurpose and make do with what we have. That make-do attitude can help us get through some of the hard times. Thank you for always inspiring us.
Diane, you are amazing! Thank you for keeping it real (and affordable). Love your ideas.
Diane, it was interesting to see we are thinking alike. I too have recently taken down frames and located new prints to change the look and I am reconstructing my current bedroom drape into a different look. Thanks for confirming my thought process!
H K – It is the little things sometimes that we stop seeing. Changing out the art or photos in frames is easy and really gives the space new energy. Enjoy the changes and newly styled drapes.
How neat that the slipcovers fit! I have 2 from our last house that I’m going to pull out, thanks. I took a vintage peach basket outta the closet where it was storing quilt pieces & placed it on the kitchen counter to hold an antique aqua dessert set of dishes for spring, my husband painted 2 rusty metal outdoor chairs, trimmed back some shrubs & washed the dog. I cleaned/organized the bathroom vanities and created a menu plan according to the use by dates on all the groceries we bought when the virus came out. I wanted some pale pink palm fronds for spring in my dining room but didn’t want to shop so I remembered 5 green faux fronds I had, painted both sides with gesso & will make my own chalk paint using a tester bottle of pink paint I bought for our last home’s bathroom. Love your blog
Hi Diane, thanks again for another wonderful decorate-with-what-you-have idea – an idea of yours I’ve been practicing now for years. After one of my son’s moved out, we’ve decided I could corral all my crafty projects into his not-used room! Other than paint, the idea is to use what I already have to make it the best craftroom for me. My favorite color is purple, so we’re naming it the purple palace. We’re taking advantage of time at home to declutter that room, as well as our holiday storage, even cleaned out the deep freeze. I have an old wooden ironing board (I bought at a garage sale for sentimental value, but it never stands up right) that my husband is going to drill holes in and attach pegs for a massive thread organizer. I also have two beautiful smallish chandeliers that I bought at garage sales that we’re going to repaint and hubs will rewire to use in the craftroom. I’ve had them for years, but nowhere to use them. I also have an old chair in my office that I’m going to move down there after I recover it in beautiful rich purple velvet cushions, with white drybrushed wood; a beautiful place to sit and knit! I’ll have a beautiful cozy room to create in, so I won’t even notice I’m working in the dungeon (basement). That goal just helps me stay positive in this worrisome time. P.S. I LOVE your hydrangeas – I planted some last year and hope they’ll be as glorious as yours are in a few years. The city I live in planted some along common/public areas, and last fall I stopped in to city hall to ask if I could clip some dried blooms for my fall tables, and they said yes – looked gorgeous and lasted forever. Thanks again! Always look forward to your blog entries and beautiful photos!
an upcycled wood ironing board to massive thread holder is fantastic!
I pulled up a winter-dirty natural fiber area rug from under my dining area table. This area is adjacent to the sliding glass doors to my back yard where my 2 (one large, one medium) dogs go out and come back in. Yes, you can imagine the mess that 8 happy feet make in that area, especially with all the rain we’ve had. I planned to remove it just until I could either get another rug or try to clean this one, but I do believe I will not put another one down on my wood floors. At least not until next fall/winter maybe. I like the morning to noontime sun that shines off the bare floor and the fact that without the rug defining “boundaries,” it opens up the space. Amazing what one simple act can accomplish……
Diane,
I love all your refreshing ideas about re-using things you already have to decorate around the house.
I subscribe to another blog where a couple just remodeled their bathroom and spent $21,000 . They had some items sponsored but they did spend over $13,000 on their own. I was appalled. The whole thing was bragging about how beautiful it was and on and on and on. This was just all over the top. The bathroom was perfectly fine the way it was. Needless to say I will unsubscribe from that blogger.
In these times of wondering where the next meal is coming from and trying to stretch the bank account every which way. Anyway, enough venting, thanks for showing us DIY decorating that is affordable and beautiful.
Thanks so much for the great ideas of how to decorate for Spring. I bought a small, $5.00 bouquet of flowers at Walmart this week. I cut them up and put them in assorted bottles in my Daddy’s old, wood tool box which I like to use on top of my dining room table. I inherited Daddy’s toolbox when he passed away. Every time I pass by my table, I see the fresh flowers and it brings me joy! My family has plans to gather at my house on Easter Sunday to celebrate Easter as well as several birthday parties for family members which had to be canceled because of the corona virus. Because of the virus, I’m no longer sure if we will be getting together on Easter Sunday but I decided to decorate my home anyway even though it might only be for me. I am enjoying the beauty of little bunnies and chicks scattered throughout my home & my Easter wreaths hung on the 2 doors.
Love how you always shop around the house, change things up and make your surroundings so comfortable.
A friend of mine is working from home now and said she hates the clutter of office “stuff” she has. So I turned right around and told her what you suggested about using a tray. Well, she didn’t have a tray, so I told her about your box idea. Since she didn’t have any fabric hanging around, I suggested she get creative with paint. I suggested using two or three colors and make stripes on one side, polka dots on the other, and “squiggles” on the other. She’s working on it as I write this, and was thankful for the suggestion. I said “they all came from Diane”, so THANK YOU DIANE! :-)
Love that you saved the slipcovers and they fit perfectly the newer wicker chairs!! Nice look ?. Re use and switching items from room to room has always been my way of decorating. A new item here or there is always nice too!! Luckily, if you do need something, many retailers are offering free shipping.
Best to stay in…. craft, clean and redecorate!!
On my list this week is to pull weeds and
make lemon curd from the plethora of lemons around here?. Stay healthy!!
A fresh look using what you already have. i am also looking around the house to bring indoors, lovely spring. Lots of blooms and buds outside. My favorite time of the year.