Tips & Trends for your Home this Spring

BY RACHEL CARPENTER Interior Designer

Gray + Greige Have Gone Away

This year the shift to warmer tones continues in a big way. The many years of grays, whites, and cooler tones dominating homes are going away to make room for a softer, warmer color palette. The Sherwin Williams paint color of the year for 2023 is called “Redend Point” – a soft, sophisticated, neutral. Beige & tan interiors used to get a bad rap for being bland and boring, but in 2023 we are seeing other trends that will help to offset this negative stereotype of basic beige! Dark, natural wood trim and furniture are back in a big way, which brings contrast and depth to the space. Deep browns, rich jewel tones, and moody blues are going to be everywhere, again offering a richness to any beige room.

Lighten Up & Freshen Up

One of my favorite ways to lighten up a space in the spring and infuse a pop of trendiness without breaking the bank, is by switching up things like toss pillows, bedding, and area rugs. I have different rugs for my entry way for different seasons. I use darker, heavier rugs in the fall/winter and a runner by the coat closet to catch all of the dirt and muck. In the spring and summer, I swap them out for a brightly colored, larger area rug adding a pop of color right when you walk in the front door. Shop for trendy pillows to swap out on your sofa or bed, and lighten up your bedding by switching to a quilt or duvet cover that’s not so heavy.

Hobby Rooms & Home Retreats

The trend of exploring our creativity, hobbies, and pastimes in recent years due to being at home more, has spilled over into the home design industry in the form of creating rooms dedicated to these things. Whether it be a listening room – AKA a room for listening to & storing music – a craft room, a mediation room, or a dance studio, creating space for these hobbies in our homes is not going away. Don’t have an extra room? Consider a corner of a room, or a blank wall, or a closet… where in your home can you carve out a space for something you love? Another way to embrace this trend is by swapping out your mass-produced artwork, or department store accessories with something handmade by you or a loved one, or locally curated pieces that express your personal style and showcase your personality.

Nostalgic Design or "Grandpa Chic"

During uncertain and unstable times, we gravitate towards things that are familiar and comforting. Nostalgic design or “Grandpa Chic” as it’s being dubbed, is a really exciting style because it is all about individual memories of past spaces. We are seeing textured and patterned wallpapered rooms, vintage furniture pieces, retro colors like greens and browns, and other nostalgic touches like skirted kitchen sinks. It’s important to infuse some youthfulness into the space to create a balanced and modern look, such as a contemporary piece of artwork or more modern accent tables.

Perfectly Imperfect

Perfectly ImperfectThis is probably my favorite “trend” but one that I have been embracing for a long time. In recent years we have all been home a lot more – sometimes more than we’d like to be! But this has caused a shift in the design world, a shift towards less perfectly put together spaces, and more lived-in, relaxed, and inviting homes. Gone are the days of the perfectly staged kitchens with nothing on the counters. People who actually cook in their kitchens know that this is not realistic. We’re seeing open shelves lined with spices, cookbooks, and plants, cutting boards leaned against the backsplash, coffee makers and toasters just hanging out. Color-coded bookshelves and perfectly curated items are so last year. Bookshelves, ledges, and tables should be sort-of messy (this doesn’t mean dusty or dirty!), full of games and books that your family actually uses and reads, meaningful items and treasures, and other items that are used daily.

In summary this spring and this year are all about creating a space that is comfortable, warm, personal, and cozy. What excites me most about these trends is that it allows for everyone to create their own style and to create a space that works for them. It’s not about being on trend or re-creating looks that you see in magazines – it’s about being inspired by our own lives, things we love, and things we are passionate about. Have fun freshening up your space this spring and creating a home that you love!