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

Spring: bring some joy into your home!

Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press • March 2, 2019

Spring. It arrives on March 20.

Even though our seasons seem to all run together in Southwest Florida, there’s something about acknowledging spring’s arrival that seems normal and healthy. This is the time of year when most of us look around our homes to make a few changes. A refresh. A reboot. To mark a new season. Subtle touches. A time to welcome the joy that spring brings.

As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I have a few simple (but impactful) spring rituals that I like to implement each year and I always encourage my clients to do the same. Some are free and you can start them when you finish this article.

Layer a beautiful table with a few new touches for spring such as these bundles of tulips in glass vases and pastel blown glass eggs filled with strings of lights or votive candles. Shown: rustic, industrial-styled Benchwright dining table. Photo: Pottery Barn

Clean and declutter. Really clean. Windows. Floors. A get-into-the-corners, sparkling spring cleaning.

Touch up. You don’t need to (necessarily) paint an entire room but touch up some scuffs and paint your baseboards to give your rooms a fresh look.

Flowers. Pamper yourself and say hello to spring with a beautiful bouquet in the kitchen, bedroom and bath.

Less is more. Spring is a good time to do what I like to call reduction decorating. Instead of buying more, put a few things away. Clear off some surface space. Maybe store a couple of pieces of furniture (you know you have too much). Give your space room to breathe. You can bring it back out in the fall.

Pillow switch. Breathe some new life into your room with new throw pillows. I admit that I am a pillow addict. I never met a pillow I could resist. I hoard them, hide them away and switch out my sofa and bedroom pillows like most people change shoes. Honestly, it’s the easiest way to put a little spring in your home.

Give your living room sofa a new look with a few spring pillows that become the focal point of the room. Always select a couple of solid colors to mix with patterns and flowers. Shown: Townsend sofa with reversible storage. Photo: Pottery Barn

Evaluate what you have. If you don’t love it, why keep it? Say goodbye to it and donate or sell it.

Add some new scents. Diffusers, candles or potpourri.

Open the windows. Let some fresh air in. Soon enough we will be into summer and will everything closed up again!

Redo a room. My favorite and least expensive, a powder room. Paint or wallpaper an outrageously gorgeous color. Redo the lighting and accessories. OR buy fresh linens and a new comforter for a bedroom. A new piece of art or rug. A new set of lamps for the nightstands.

Call a professional. Spring is also a good time to think about changes that you want to make in your home. If you have been struggling with what to do, maybe it’s time to call in an interior design professional to assist you in taking taken on a new project or to come up with a plan that you can implement on your own.

A little splurge. And it doesn’t have to cost a lot. Add a few spring colors to your dining table with some fresh napkins, place mats or accent dishes. I like to leave the center of my table up all the time and change it seasonally.

Welcome spring. Add a new welcome mat at the front door and purchase a colorful flag.

Whatever you do, enjoy decorating for spring and make it fun!

Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and certified 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