6 affordable and beautiful home upgrades for spring

[PRESENTED BY JO ALCORN - WHITEWASH & CO] 

Every spring I see a surge of homeowners eager to spruce up their homes. A dramatic update is so easy – without breaking the bank. Read on to learn how to make your home more functional and stylish, at a fraction of the budget you may have thought you need.  

1.    A quick, easy change you can do in no time at all is swap out your accessories for lighter, brighter ones. I love working with white on white (all different tones/shades of white) to create a fresh, bright pallet that mixes with anything. And add in flowers – flowers are mandatory, and they scream spring! 

If there are no flowers you can pick from near your home, you can simply order your flowers online! They will certainly brighten up your foyer, drawing-room, or any area for that matter. Flowers add life and colour to your home and uplifts your spirit when you're feeling down.


Speaking of easy – add in pillows!  The more the merrier, I always say! My pillow collection is fully washable (you toss the entire pillow – cover and stuffing – into the washer!) hypoallergenic and made in Canada. Plus, the patterns and styles reflect current trends. It’s one of the quickest and easiest updates you can make, and they’re comfortable too!

2.    Feeling the itch for a more dramatic change this spring? I’ve recently launched a new line of Jo Alcorn wall paper in patterns that are guaranteed to give your mood a lift and make you feel like you’ve made a dramatic change with a little DIY magic. 

3.    Think you have to turn off your fireplace and forget about it until fall rolls around? Think again! Dimplex has stunning units that operate with no heat; you can keep them on during the spring and summer on cool, rainy days when you want that comfy, cozy feel of a fire but without the heat. This unit that I recently styled is a new type from Dimplex called Revillusion. It can run all summer long with a no-heat option to keep a romantic, relaxing feel going strong in the warmer months. If you have an electric fire place, or even a wood burning unit, you can redecorate it to match your spring décor. HomeSense is my go-to when I want to easily change any décor with very little expense. For mantel décor in the summer months, I recommend light, airy and fun accessories. 

4.    Spring is always a great time to organize and make small changes that will add huge functionality to your home. Adding in soft close hardware and drawer organizers can sometimes make it feel like you have a brand new space. GRASS, a manufacturer of soft close drawer and cupboard systems, has a new line called Tavinea which is an interior drawer system that is modularly built so it can easily be tailored to your personal specifications. The days of the junk drawer will be limited after this addition. 
 

5.    Spring really does inspire us to organize, air out, and freshen up, but a spot that people often overlook is the laundry room – it’s a room that receives very little attention. I assure you, if you spend a bit of time to organize it properly, you can be far more efficient when you’re in there and have the bonus of enjoying that space! I love baskets from Bouclair to hide all the bits and bobs, cleaning supplies and other things that make the household tick. 

6.    If you have open shelving or glass cabinet doors, another option to update your décor is to change your glassware and plates. I love to pull these out early in the season and get them on display – they give my kitchen an instant spring feel. And I’m all for making it feel like the warmer months will be here soon! Walmart has a great selection of outdoor plates and glasses that are sure to please and fit the needs to everyone.

Spring will be here before you know it. These quick and easy updates will make your space more functional, enjoyable, and easier to live in for more than just the season to come.