Brighten Your Home For Spring
Spring has just sprung, so this is a great time to welcome it into our homes — with a mini-makeover.
On The Saturday Early Show, Stephen Saint-Onge, "the home and style designer for the everyday family," showed some simple things you can do around the house to get a whole new look — without spending a lot of time or money. All of the things he suggested revolve around two central themes: lighten and brighten!
He showed how to transform your living room and bedroom, giving wintry rooms a breath of fresh air.
During the winter, many of us try to make our homes warm and cozy. But now that spring is here, it's a great time to think about making them light and airy.
Saint-Onge's design motto is, "Good design has the power to change lives!" He says that motto applies to something as simple as making over a room or rooms in your home, in just one day!
He knows we're all pressed for time, so he came up with some easy things we can do. Some are so easy that he says the whole family can participate.
Saint-Onge is concerned with making design accessible to everyone. He likes to encourage people to work with what they already have — a great way to keep costs down. He also likes to tell people to "shop their homes."
But he adds that even if you do spend money, it doesn't have to be a lot: You can lighten and brighten for as little as the cost of a can of paint — or a simple accessory.
Saint-Onge reminds us that the best way to make your home the best it can be is to work on one room at a time. His ideas can be applied to virtually any room that needs freshening, not just the living room and bedroom.
Just remember these two words, he says: Lighten up!
LIVING ROOM
FURNITURE
Saint-Onge is a big fan of working with what you already have. He says to think about furniture that enables you to change its look, giving you flexibility down the road.
He says one of the best ways to do that is to work with slipcovers (for sofas and chairs), which can give your furniture a fresh look and aren't that expensive. Plus, they're easy to maintain for everyday use — even white ones — and they get better with age and washing.
Saint-Onge loves the way a white couch looks during the spring and summer: He says it really lightens up the whole room. He suggests trying a white slipcover on your couch —or, if you have a light couch with a dark slipcover, simply removing it. To add some personality to the look, consider vibrantly-colored pillows and throws.
Along the same lines, Saint-Onge says you can create a new look simply by rearranging the furniture that's already there. Think about creating new furniture groupings, or "moments in a room" — places you are drawn to. By rearranging your furniture in a space, you're looking at the room from a fresh perspective. An easy way to start: Consider moving furniture away from walls.
Products shown on the segment included:
Crate and Barrel Bayside Sofa, $1,499, available at crateandbarrel.com. Note that it doesn't come with the slipcover. Saint-Onge made the slipcover out of a sheet.
Surefit couch slipcover, $99, available at Bed, Bath and Beyond and surefire.net. It is the viewpoint ultrasued version in loden.
Pillows and throws:
Before:
Anthropologie, assorted pillows, prices vary, available at anthroplogie.com
Pottery Barn Velvet-bound Chenille Throws, $79 each, available at potterybarn.com.
After:
West Elm, assorted pillows and throws, prices vary, available at , and/or
Anthropologie embroidered pillows, $68 each, available at anthoplogie.com
Crate and Barrel Basque Consol Table, $379, and Basque Side Table, $199, both available at crateandbarrel.com
LIGHTING: WINDOWS AND ARTIFICIAL LIGHTNING
During the colder months, heavy window treatments are a great way to make a room feel cozier. But now that spring is here, it's time to lighten and brighten. This is a great time of year to let more light into your home, to make it feel open and airy. The easiest way to do that is to get rid of your heavy curtains. Saint-Onge loves a completely bare look, but says sheer curtains can work well, too, especially if you don't have the best view.
Saint-Onge also suggests swapping out the light fixtures — switching from heavier lamps to "lighter" ones, such as those with glass bases and natural shades. He also says to put lights on dimmers (simple plug-in ones are fine) to set the mood.
Products shown in the segment included:
Curtains
Before:
Crate and Barrel Tempo Velvet Curtain Panels in chocolate, $99-$139 each, depending on size, crateandbarrel.com.
After:
Pottery Barn Silk Organza Drapes in ivory, $24.99-$59.99 each (depending on size; this is the sale price online), available at potterybarn.com
Lamps
Before:
Crate and Barrel Bosworth Table Lamps, $219 each (with shade), available at crateandbarrel.com
After:
Crate and Barrel Zak Table Lamp, $199 each (with shade), available at crateandbarrel.com
CLUTTER
Saint-Onge says to think clean, simple and open. So get rid of that clutter!
Store extra stuff, donate it, have a tag sale, or just throw it away. Get the room down to basics. Keep what really works in the space and start from a clean slate.
Products shown in the segment included:
Crate and Barrel Taka Trunk: A multitasking trunk table with rustic character. Three hinged lids open up to generous storage areas, including removable dividers for a dozen bottles of wine and a small hidden compartment that's great for clutter. Wood arms pull out on both ends to support open lids, expanding the surface area. $499, available at crateandbarrel.com
Pottery Barn Samantha Baskets, $29-$79 each, depending on style (this is the sale price online), available at potterybarn.com, and Crate and Barrel
MISCELLANEOUS
Saint-Onge says you shouldn't forget about functional items, such as rugs, which are easy to change. This time of year, you should think about one made from natural fibers in lighter tones
Products included:
Before:
Crate and Barrel Asimi Wool Rug, $399-$799, depending on size, available at crateandbarrel.com
After:
Anthropologie Finnia Rug in gold, $168-$368, depending on size.BEDROOM
BEDDING
Changing your bedding is one of the simplest ways to lighten up the bedroom. Now is a good time to think about putting away those flannel sheets and heavy comforters — and replacing them with ones with lighter colors and fabrics.
Products:
Bedding
Before:
Various products, including flannel sheets, available at bedbathandbeyond.com
After:
Anthropologie Pinwheel Quilt, $368-$398, depending on size, and Pinwheel Shams, each $68, available at anthroplogie.com
WALLS
Saint-Onge believes changing the color on even just one wall in a room can make a dramatic difference. Painting one wall not only saves time, it also enables you to change your mind when your mood sees fit. Paint, he says, is one of the most cost-effective ways to change the look of a room.
But, if that's too much of a commitment, you can change some of the artwork or pictures on your wall. Saint-Onge says to think about artwork that evokes nature, such as seascapes, or even great family vacation photos. This gives you something new to look at.
Products:
Paint
Before:
Behr "revival mahogany" #760B-7 (dark brown in flat)
After:
Behr "key lime" #420A-3
Artwork
Before:
Crate and Barrel Structural Design Prints I and II, $299 each, available at crateandbarrel.com
After:
Crate and Barrel Shoreline Bungalow Prints I and II, $249 each or $449 for set, available at crateandbarrel.com
ACCESSORIES
The final step? Accessories.
Saint-Onge says to have fun with them. For spring and summer, think of things like sea shells. Or you can bring in fresh flowers — a simple arrangement of tulips is perfect. You can use the items themselves, replicas, or products made of or inspired by them, such as lamps, votives, and vases. Surround yourself with things that are good for you, or evoke good thoughts and feelings.
Products:
Vase and flowers:
Anthropologie Porcelain Pouring Jar (roses), $198, available at anthropologie.com
Nightstand:
Anthropologie Wood Worker's Cricket Table, $528, available at anthropologie.com
Lamp
Before:
Set prop
After:
Anthropologie Coral Lamp Base, $248 and Neutral Lamp Shade, $68, available at anthropologie.com
Shells
Anthropologie Porcelain Shells (assorted), $12 each, available at anthropologie.com
Votives
Anthropologie Sea urchin Votives, $18 each, available at anthropologie.com
Alternatives
Philips Aurelles LED Candles combine the warm glow and gentle flicker of a candle without the risks and nuisance associated with open flames. They last about 10 hours and are rechargeable. They're available at Linens & Things and The Home Depot, though not on their Web sites.