Spring forward with an easy home refresh

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press & Naples Daily News/USA Today Network

If you live in Southwest Florida, spring doesn’t arrive with a dramatic entrance. There’s no snow melting or heavy coats to pack away. But there is a shift. The light lingers a little longer, the air feels softer, and everything seems to invite a fresh start.

And honestly? That’s what spring decorating is really about here. Not a full overhaul. Just a few thoughtful changes that make your home feel lighter, calmer, and more in tune with the season.

As a Bonita Springs-based interior decorator, I always like to share a few easy tips this time of year. Spring decorating isn’t about reinventing your home.

It’s about noticing what feels a little heavy, a little crowded, or a little tired. And gently refreshing it. It’s nothing complicated. Small things. But together, they make your home feel new again.

Start with your bed

One of the quickest ways to feel a seasonal shift is right in your bedroom. If you’re still holding onto anything heavy, it’s time to let it go.

Switch lighter bedding. Think breathable cotton or linen, soft whites or sandy neutrals. A simple quilt instead of a thick comforter can completely change how the room feels. It’s cooler, but also prettier for warmer months.

Lightweight bedding in soft coastal tones creates an airy, comfortable bedroom—an easy seasonal update for spring in Southwest Florida. Photo: Serena & Lily. Shown Ravello four-poster bed, Round Hill rattan chair.

And I think there’s something about climbing into a light, airy bed at the end of the day that just feels like spring.

Change the scents in your home

This is the quiet detail homeowners forget, but it makes such a difference.

Put away anything heavy or spicy and bring in fresh, clean scents like citrus, ocean breeze, a hint of coconut. Even a simple diffuser in the kitchen or living room can shift the entire mood of your space.

Faux mini sunflower bundle  with the Artisan Stidio Handcrafted Collection from Pottery Barn. Photo: Pottery Barn

It’s subtle, but you’ll notice it. Especially when you walk back in after being outside.

Clear some space

Spring decorating isn’t about adding more. It’s about taking a little away.

Look at your coffee table, your kitchen counters, your shelves. Then remove just a few things. Not everything. Just enough to give your space room to breathe.

It’s amazing how much lighter a room feels when there’s a bit of openness. Almost like your home is exhaling.

Switch out what’s already on your walls

You don’t need to buy new art. Just rotate what you already have. Maybe move a lighter, brighter piece from one room into another. Bring in something with soft color, a coastal feel, or even a simple botanical print. Put away anything that feels heavy or dark for now.

It’s a small change, but visually it can completely reset a space.

Lighten the fabrics you live with every day

This one is easy and fun. It’s from a decorator (me!) who believes that pillows can change everything.

Switch out your pillow covers. Trade deeper tones for softer ones. Think pale blues, seafoam, warm neutrals. Fold away heavier throws and replace them with something lighter, maybe a textured cotton or linen. You’re just shifting the tone.

Use what you already have as decor

One of my favorite tricks: stop thinking of décor as something separate from your daily life.

A bowl of lemons or apples on the counter. A glass pitcher with sliced citrus on the table. A small pot of fresh herbs near the window.

A simple arrangement of fresh flowers in a colorful or textured pot is an easy way to brighten a room for spring. Photo: Pottery Barn. Shown: Terracotta Amphora pots.

These are things you’d use anyway. But they also bring color, life, and a sense of ease into your home. Nothing complicated.

Fresh flowers and pretty pots

There’s something about fresh flowers that instantly makes a home feel fresh again. Skip anything too formal and keep it simple. A few stems in a small vase, clippings from the yard, or even grocery store blooms loosely arranged on the kitchen counter, all work beautifully. Nothing fussy.

Swap plain pots or vases for something with a little personality. Soft pastels, sun-washed terracotta, or even a pop of coral or aqua can add just enough color without overwhelming the space. It’s an easy way to bring that spring energy indoors without changing anything else.

Give Your Entryway a Quick Refresh

This is the first thing you see when you walk in, so it sets the tone. Shake out the doormat or swap it for something lighter. Clear away anything that’s collected there over time. Maybe add a small plant or a simple basket for everyday things.

It doesn’t need to be over styled. Just needs to feel clean and welcoming.

A Final Thought

Spring decorating isn’t about reinventing your home. It’s about noticing what feels a little heavy, a little crowded, or a little tired. And gently refreshing it.

A lighter bed. A fresher scent. A cleared surface. A bowl of citrus catching the afternoon light.

And really, that’s what spring is all about.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate. As a writer, blogger, stylist and color expert, she has helped homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless ways to create beautiful spaces and to solve decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit spectacularspaces.com. Call 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog

It’s spring: tips to declutter your way to a happy home

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • April 2023

It’s spring. A time to clear some space for growth and new possibilities.

Clutter stresses us out and makes us tired. Yet, to get past the stress, most people go out and buy more and try to figure out what to do with all of it.

The average home contains 300,000 items or more. The bottom line: we have too much stuff.

Surround yourself with what you love with mindful and intentional planning of what you allow to take up space in your home. Collections and accessories should be a reflection of the homeowner and should bring you joy. Shown against the backdrop of Thibaut’s Point Lobos brown and teal wallcovering from the Natural Resource Collection. Photo: Thibaut.

We read a lot about living a minimalist life. You can call it downsizing. Decluttering. Living with less. Intentional living. And other terms that are just part of the solution. But what it comes down to is letting go of what is not necessary. It’s about being mindful of what you bring into your home.

If you feel like your happy space has become a storage unit for items that you don’t even like anymore, can’t remember where they came from and the problem seems to be getting worse, it may be time for an evaluation of what you are doing. In other words: time to stop the madness.

It can be done. You can start today. Keep reading.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I work with many homeowners who ask for help in deciding what stays and what goes before redoing their homes. It’s not an easy decision. That’s why they call in an impartial person without an emotional attachment to their possessions. I consider it working toward designing a simpler life. Gaining more space that allows you to focus on what’s really important.

Declutter for spring by removing appliances and accessories from the countertops allowing for a clean and spacious look in the kitchen. Shown is Cambria’s Clovelly design with copper and brown swirling veins. Photo: Cambria.

Where do you start? By looking at what you have and working from there to make careful decisions about purchases. Deciding what no longer serves you. Finding contentment with what you have. Letting go of what you don’t need. Thinking carefully about what you buy.

By gaining some control over what stays and what comes into your home, there are instant results. More free time. Less stress. Less worry about how much you are spending. Mindful spending means more $$$ to do something you love.

When it comes to your home décor, there are many small ways to begin to take a more purposeful approach. Pick a couple and give it a try. I think you will like the result. These suggestions go from easy to a little more difficult. All worth the effort.

• Clarify your decorating. Eliminate what you don’t love. Only shop for what you need.

• Delete duplicate items. A good place to begin with this one is your kitchen drawers. And then move on to your closet.

• Clear some surface space: kitchen island, tabletop, shelves. Prioritize what you put out. Make sure it’s what means the most to you. While doing this step, please say goodbye to those dusty fake plants above the kitchen cabinets. Thank you.

• Toss old magazines. You are never going to read the again. Same for stacks of books. Donate them to a library or used book store.

• Pick things up off the floor. Put kitchen appliances in cabinets or drawers.

• Before you make a purchase, decide what you are going to get rid of. Furniture, clothes, accessories.

• Get over guilt. When it comes to your home, it’s all about you and not about storing gifts that you never wanted. The same for items from well-meaning relatives. If they are not working, say goodbye and donate them. Do not let your home become a storage unit for the memories of others.

• Don’t make anyone else feel guilty. Your kids do not want your stuff so clear out what you have been holding on to. Do it today and make the space yours.

• We can’t have it all. Check out your collections and ask yourself if they still work for you. There is no harm in admitting that they no longer serve you. That box of tapes that you will likely never play is just taking up space. And you have no obligation to keep every collectible that you have ever purchased. Our tastes change.

• Ask yourself: is it functional OR do you love it? If the answer is not yes, it’s time to say goodbye. And move on to a more mindful home filled with what is meaningful.

• Instead of stuff, reevaluate your decorating plan with color. Use soothing whites and creams as neutrals and then accent with bright tones. Having less does not mean being boring. Quite the opposite.

When decluttering and creating space at home, carefully consider furnishings, accessories and the use of color. Shown: Benjamin Moore Palladian Blue. Photo: Benjamin Moore.

Living more mindfully is not easy. Emotional attachments are the most difficult to eliminate. If saying goodbye to something causes too much stress, keep it. I will never be a minimalist. I love to surround myself with what makes me happy. But on a regular basis, I declutter. It’s amazing what we carry into our homes and things just live there. They take up residency and we forget about them. Let today be the day you reclaim your home and make it your happy sanctuary. Go clean out a drawer or a closet! Then buy some fresh flowers and welcome spring!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solve decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information, visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit her blog at spectacularspaces.com/blog

Love your home again

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • September 2019

Fall arrives tomorrow.

Time to pick out a fall wreath for the door or flag for the yard. Even though we really don’t have a fall season it’s nice to mark the change. Then it’s on to Halloween. And Thanksgiving, although it usually gets lost in all the Christmas shopping.

While there is still time, let me wish you a happy 2020!

It’s the time of year when things start to move at warp speed and we wonder where the months went. And if you’re like most of my Southwest Florida home interior clients, you want to get a few things done before we slide into the holidays and then into season again. Yikes.

And because we’re still into what I call our “endless summer” with a couple more months of steamy, hot weather, you may be thinking that your home could use a little something right about now. Something new to make you love it again.

Don’t wait for “someday”

Make a plan now. Be intentional. Strive for curated look. Get motivated. Pick a couple of ideas (see list below) and decide how you want to implement them. Start now and you will have something done before you hang your holiday wreath on the door! Whether you spend a little or a lot, don’t wait. Time is flying by!

And if you need inspiration, call a decorator or designer. We have lots of ideas in any budget and promise that you will love your home again when we are done.

Do these:

• Give your entry a new look with a dramatic color.

• Add a little glam to each room: a tufted sofa or a chaise lounge. Please, no brown! Pick a color that you love. Or a new mirror or a few glass accessories for some sparkle.

In the market for a new sofa? Glam it up with a chesterfield upholstered sofa. This one from Pottery Barn, has comfort and style and is crafted in the U.S. using eco-friendly materials. Photo: Pottery Barn

• Paint your front door. Add a new welcome mat that says something fun.

• Wallpaper a powder room. Something outrageously beautiful.

• Add some sparkle: a chandelier in the living room or bedroom (you really don’t need a ceiling fan in every room in the house). Or hang one in the master closet. It will make you happy every time you walk in.

• Display a collection. Haul out those ginger jars and fill them with fresh flowers.

• Soften the harsh, recessed lighting in the kitchen with a lamp on the counter or island. You won’t believe the change.

Powder rooms are the ideal spot for pattern and color. And no worries about water contact from showers and baths. Thibaut’s Palm Frond wallpaper from its Tropics collection adds a perfect coastal vibe to a home. Photo: Thibaut

• Invest in hotel-style bedding. Don’t be afraid of white linens (always go for a high thread count). White sheets are so popular now and for good reason. Easy to care for and you can change your color scheme whenever you like.

• Hang something colorful in your laundry room.

• Change your drapes or drapery panels over the sliders. Make sure you hang them high: just below the ceiling or molding. And forget solid colors. Try a print or design.

• Delete what is no longer working in your home. I do this seasonally as things do tend to accumulate no matter how hard we try.

• Want color but afraid to commit to an entire room? Fine. Paint the ceiling that color that you have always wanted to try. Yes, the ceiling!

• Create a gallery-style wall with your favorite art.

• Need a new kitchen backsplash? Check out the new textured, handmade subway tiles. Spectacular!

• Add something velvet. Like a few new pillows.

Skip these:

• Oversized anything. Seriously. Not pretty.

• Purchasing a white sofa if you have children, grandchildren, pets, a husband, friends or anyone who will be sitting on it. Trust me on this one.

Wait until you find artwork that means something to you...rather than purchasing just to fill a space. Waves wall art by Pottery Barn.

• Generic, mass-produced artwork. Leave the wall blank until you find some meaningful art or photographs.

• Slip covers for dining chairs. They never fit and always look tired.

• Trendy kitchen updates. White cabinets will always be in style.

• Renovating one part of an open floor plan. Because you can see everything, a renovation of a piece of the open space will make everything else look dated.

• Complicated outdoor spaces. This is where you will be spending some time as soon as the temperatures drop. Keep it simple and comfortable.

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solves decorating problems. Her article appears the first Saturday of each month. For more information visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 949-1808 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog