Soft colors, sheer curtains, furniture oriented toward an ocean view, and a spring-like vase of curly willow come together to illustrate some of the suggestions made for an easy spring redesign. Room by Jennifer Sanborn of Sacris Design.
Ahhh spring.
A time for rebirth.
A time for new growth.
A time to pull back those heavy winter drapes, open the windows, and enjoy the warmer air.
But wait. The last time you saw that much dust, you were in the desert. And that chair, the one by the window waiting to cushion your winter-weary body while you bask in the spring breeze—it’s been there for ten years. Oh, and that nostalgic antique sign advertising sleigh rides hanging on the wall, well Frosty, there’s no more snow.
Yes, spring is a time for change—new clothes, new outlook, maybe even a new waistline. The point is, there’s something about the rise in the mercury that rouses the chameleon in us. And nowhere is that felt more than in the home.
“I think everybody’s been locked up for the winter, so there’s this need for…liberation, I’ll call it,” says interior designer Donna Boerner, principal of DB Interiors, an interior design firm located in Merrimack, N.H.
Following are some tips and advice from some of the Merrimack Valley’s best interior designers—people whose job it is to renovate a space from top to bottom—on how to shake off that thick layer we call winter and breathe some life into your home’s interior.
Time for a good ole’ fashioned scrub-fest:
An artist wouldn’t create a new masterpiece over an old one, nor should homeowners make interior changes until they have a clean canvas. So, first things first: Sort out the clutter. Have the drapes cleaned. Give the rugs a good shaking.
“To me, spring is all about fresh and clean and new growth,” says Jennifer Sanborn, owner of Sacris Design in Amesbury. “The idea of doing spring cleaning is really important.”
Pam Blaisdell and Laura Roche, owners of Simplify Your Life, a professional organization service that assists Merrimack Valley and North Shore home and small business owners de-clutter and de-stress, offer the following tips and suggestions for getting your home organized:
• Designate spaces just inside your entry for things such as bags, backpacks, and wallets. This will save you lots of time and prevent you from having to search for your keys!
• Dedicate specific areas for “clutter-producing” items such as mail. Keep the recycle bin close by to discard unwanted items immediately so they don’t accumulate in piles.
• Buy a paper shredder. Use this for discarded mail and bills that are no longer needed. This will reduce the amount of paper that can pile up in work areas like the kitchen and office.
• Set up a special place for important papers and notices that have deadlines or need special attention.
• Create a filing system to keep close at hand bills and other paperwork that you need on a weekly basis. If you are challenged in terms of space, you can place a larger filing cabinet in the closet, basement, or some other storage area for paperwork that is important to keep but not needed on a regular basis.
• If you have young children, create a designated place where you can display artwork and other projects. Rotate favorite pieces to cut down on overflow to other areas.
• Remove “catch-all” bins from countertops.
• Organize kitchen drawers and cabinets in order to increase work-flow efficiency.
• Utilize drawer organizers to keep like items together in the kitchen. Only keep items that you use, and discard duplicate items.
• Go through closets. If there are any items that have not been worn in six months or more, they should be given away or discarded.
• Abide by the “one-in, one-out” rule. When you purchase a new item of clothing or a toy for the kids, find something that can be given away or donated to charity.
• Use closet organizers and bins to give items their own designated space in closets, toy rooms, etc. This helps you to find things quicker and keep spaces looking clean.
Now that the slate’s been wiped clean, literally, it’s time for the fun stuff. And though opinions may differ slightly as to just how to give your home a fresh, new look, designers agree that there are certain things you can do to change it up—without the expense of taking on a major renovation.
During the cooler months, interior designer Donna Boerner hangs dark blue curtains in her family room and lays down a complementary thick, wool rug to warm feet and the overall feel of the room. In an hour’s time, she is able to transition this room from winter to spring, as seen on the facing page.
To liven up her family room for spring, Boerner replaces her thick, dark curtains with tan linen versions; covers her leather couch with a light, cotton slipcover; and lays down a natural-colored rug. Blue and white pottery and plates replace decorative items on the mantle and wall, and new throw pillows complete the room. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
Little things mean a lot:
If you’re not satisfied with simply cleaning your current curtains, or if your heavy drapes are too dark, designers say one of the easiest and most dramatic things you can do to change the look of a room with the seasons is to hang new window treatments.
“Nothing brings a room into spring and summer more than a sheer,” explains Sanborn, who notes a sheer’s tendency to billow in the breeze—a sure sign of spring. “The thing about sheers that is so magical is that they give privacy, but also filter the sunlight that comes through.”
Sue Adams, owner of Sue Adams Interiors in Andover, suggested the use of wood blinds or simple shades, which can give a room a streamlined look. “Today’s look is cleaner,” she said. “It’s not loaded with pattern and so much fabric.”
But sometimes it’s less about what you add to a room, and more what you take out, especially in living areas that are painted darker colors. “In my library I have a very deep red,” said Boerner, who, during the warmer months, removes the drapes altogether or instead adds a woven shade.
Be aware, though, that with new window treatments, all that natural sunshine streaming in may cast the spotlight on other things in your living space that need updating.
“You might want to replace the chair that’s been driving you crazy for ten years,” says Lisa Dumont, owner of Salem, N.H.-based LRD Interiors. Or, if it’s a piece you just can’t bring yourself to part with, Adams says that reupholstering may be just enough to transform the feel of a room.
For a quick and fairly effortless furniture update, designers also suggest the use of light, cotton slipcovers over existing pieces. “That always gives you a new look and a new feel,” says Boerner, who is currently working on the renovation of a $4 million French country manor home.
But regardless of whether you decide to keep your furniture, cover it, or purchase new pieces, there is still yet another thing that can be done with it to give your room a mini face-lift. Give yourself a view.
“In the winter, we seem to put our backs to the windows,” says Dumont, who suggests making the outdoors, rather than a fireplace or coffee table, the focal point. In other words, if you’ve got a room with a view—a wooded area, blue sky, the river or a flower garden—take advantage.
Besides changing your view of the outdoors, another thing designers suggest changing is the accent pieces that adorn the walls.
“I think we tend to always go to darker colors in the winter,” says Boerner, who suggests freshening up your décor with things such as lighter colored pottery or artwork.
A word of caution, however, when decorating. “You don’t want your house to look like a furniture showroom,” says Sanborn, who suggests displaying things such as family heirlooms and antiques to personalize the space.
Plants, of course, are another designer favorite. “I am a very big proponent of plants in houses,” explains Sanborn, whose approach to design is holistic, meaning she works with the entire space. “Add a vase with some wonderful branches of curly willow. That, to me, is spring.”
Not only should you think about what you’ll see and where you’ll sit in your rooms, but designers also advise homeowners to think about what’s under their feet.
To bring a lighter, spring-like environment inside the home, Sanborn suggests that “a great thing would be to take out a heavier wool rug and put in a natural rug,” such as one made from a natural grass material. “Sometimes you can make those types of changes and give the room a totally new feel.”
Oh color, where art thou?
Not many people like to do it, but the unarguable fact is that changing the color of a room is often the most cost-effective way to make a very dramatic change.
“Painting is the biggest bang for the buck,” says Adams, who has made several appearances on the popular Home and Garden Television network.
And while there are new color trends each season, the key, designers say, is to pick something you can live with, not the color that’s popular. Dumont said that accent walls—a wall in a room that’s painted a different color than the others—are making a comeback. But, she said, the act of changing paint does not necessarily apply only to walls. Dumont suggests painting your white ceiling a pale yellow or blue.
“It gives you sort of a sky feel,” she explains.
Boerner also has a paint philosophy all her own. “I have a thing about my front door,” she says, noting that she likes to paint it a new color fairly often—sometimes the inside as well as the out.
Adams says that oftentimes people are afraid of overdoing it. But repeating, for example, the greens of your living room throughout the adjoining rooms can often be essential to your home’s flow.
“Think about how the rooms are going to interact with one another,” she explains. “Make them good neighbors.”
Shedding some light on lighting:
When all else fails, the problem with your room may be the lighting—a design aspect professionals say many homeowners too often overlook. Without taking up very much space, lighting can create an array of moods in any given room.
“Lighting is so important, and people, pardon the expression, don’t see it,” says Adams.
Three types of lighting—mood, the light that sets the general tone; task, designed for a specific activity; and accent, lighting that focuses attention on a specific piece of artwork or object—create a room’s overall glow.
“Ask yourself in each room, do I have at least two or three of those? Lighting is not just to see. Lighting’s to feel,” says Adams. When done right, she points out that lighting should be unobtrusive. Halogen lights, she added, are cleaner, brighter, and whiter.
A bright pot of flowers brings spring to this granite countertop, enlivening the white and black color scheme of the kitchen. Design by Sue Adams Interiors.
A word on kitchens and baths:
Two of the more difficult rooms to update without jumping into a complete overhaul, there are a few minor changes that can be made in kitchens and baths to change their look.
• Boerner suggests changing bathroom tiles or buying new, luxurious bath towels.
• If the colors of your bath do not suit you, or are just plain ugly, Adams says that sometimes the best thing to do is to surrender. “Take the colors and run with them,” she says, by accenting them with a shower curtain or window treatment.
• In the kitchen, countertops and flooring make a huge splash. The still popular granite is always a good choice and Adams suggests the increasingly popular concrete.
• Boerner says sometimes changing a fixture, such as a faucet, will do the trick.
So as the ice melts, the cold fades, and the warmer temperatures conjure visions of backyard barbeques, remember that even the littlest changes can evoke those same feelings within the home. A vase of fresh flowers here, a sheer window treatment there, and suddenly you don’t have to venture outside to appreciate the refreshing qualities of spring. They are right there, where the dust once lay.
Words of Advice:
No matter what kind of design project you plan to undertake, designers offer the following tips and food for thought before diving in.
Dumont, whose design philosophy revolves around creating a personalized space, conducts a one-on-one interview with her clients before starting a project. Do-it-yourselfers should do the same thing. Ask questions. Figure out what you really want before embarking on a potential venture.
“I really think they need to assess the necessary,” says Boerner, who advises first fixing things that might be damaged in the home. “Then, once that’s taken care of, I think it comes to what would add value to the home. Then I go for my heart’s desire,” she adds, noting the importance of keeping in mind the purpose of the room you are redesigning. “Don’t overspend,” she advises. “Be sensible.”
But, on the other hand, Boerner also warns homeowners not to skimp in certain areas. “Think about the things that you touch all the time. How do they feel?” Pay attention to these areas, and perhaps spend a little more to improve them. “A lot of people are lacking self-confidence,” says Adams. “Have confidence in your own style.” She also suggests that when shopping for new furniture, make sure to take measurements.“Proportion is something that’s critical to good design,” she explains. And, she adds, “The critical dimension that people forget is height. People usually can’t visualize what the height is going to look like.”As for shopping for items, Sanborn offers her own sound advice: “When you get a quality piece, there’s nothing like it. It’s the details that make all the difference.”
Spring Redesign – Embracing the Change of Seasons Inside Your Home – Spring 2007
Soft colors, sheer curtains, furniture oriented toward an ocean view, and a spring-like vase of curly willow come together to illustrate some of the suggestions made for an easy spring redesign. Room by Jennifer Sanborn of Sacris Design.
Ahhh spring.
A time for rebirth.
A time for new growth.
A time to pull back those heavy winter drapes, open the windows, and enjoy the warmer air.
But wait. The last time you saw that much dust, you were in the desert. And that chair, the one by the window waiting to cushion your winter-weary body while you bask in the spring breeze—it’s been there for ten years. Oh, and that nostalgic antique sign advertising sleigh rides hanging on the wall, well Frosty, there’s no more snow.
Yes, spring is a time for change—new clothes, new outlook, maybe even a new waistline. The point is, there’s something about the rise in the mercury that rouses the chameleon in us. And nowhere is that felt more than in the home.
“I think everybody’s been locked up for the winter, so there’s this need for…liberation, I’ll call it,” says interior designer Donna Boerner, principal of DB Interiors, an interior design firm located in Merrimack, N.H.
Following are some tips and advice from some of the Merrimack Valley’s best interior designers—people whose job it is to renovate a space from top to bottom—on how to shake off that thick layer we call winter and breathe some life into your home’s interior.
Time for a good ole’ fashioned scrub-fest:
An artist wouldn’t create a new masterpiece over an old one, nor should homeowners make interior changes until they have a clean canvas. So, first things first: Sort out the clutter. Have the drapes cleaned. Give the rugs a good shaking.
“To me, spring is all about fresh and clean and new growth,” says Jennifer Sanborn, owner of Sacris Design in Amesbury. “The idea of doing spring cleaning is really important.”
Pam Blaisdell and Laura Roche, owners of Simplify Your Life, a professional organization service that assists Merrimack Valley and North Shore home and small business owners de-clutter and de-stress, offer the following tips and suggestions for getting your home organized:
• Designate spaces just inside your entry for things such as bags, backpacks, and wallets. This will save you lots of time and prevent you from having to search for your keys!
• Dedicate specific areas for “clutter-producing” items such as mail. Keep the recycle bin close by to discard unwanted items immediately so they don’t accumulate in piles.
• Buy a paper shredder. Use this for discarded mail and bills that are no longer needed. This will reduce the amount of paper that can pile up in work areas like the kitchen and office.
• Set up a special place for important papers and notices that have deadlines or need special attention.
• Create a filing system to keep close at hand bills and other paperwork that you need on a weekly basis. If you are challenged in terms of space, you can place a larger filing cabinet in the closet, basement, or some other storage area for paperwork that is important to keep but not needed on a regular basis.
• If you have young children, create a designated place where you can display artwork and other projects. Rotate favorite pieces to cut down on overflow to other areas.
• Remove “catch-all” bins from countertops.
• Organize kitchen drawers and cabinets in order to increase work-flow efficiency.
• Utilize drawer organizers to keep like items together in the kitchen. Only keep items that you use, and discard duplicate items.
• Go through closets. If there are any items that have not been worn in six months or more, they should be given away or discarded.
• Abide by the “one-in, one-out” rule. When you purchase a new item of clothing or a toy for the kids, find something that can be given away or donated to charity.
• Use closet organizers and bins to give items their own designated space in closets, toy rooms, etc. This helps you to find things quicker and keep spaces looking clean.
Now that the slate’s been wiped clean, literally, it’s time for the fun stuff. And though opinions may differ slightly as to just how to give your home a fresh, new look, designers agree that there are certain things you can do to change it up—without the expense of taking on a major renovation.
During the cooler months, interior designer Donna Boerner hangs dark blue curtains in her family room and lays down a complementary thick, wool rug to warm feet and the overall feel of the room. In an hour’s time, she is able to transition this room from winter to spring, as seen on the facing page.
To liven up her family room for spring, Boerner replaces her thick, dark curtains with tan linen versions; covers her leather couch with a light, cotton slipcover; and lays down a natural-colored rug. Blue and white pottery and plates replace decorative items on the mantle and wall, and new throw pillows complete the room. Photo by Kevin Harkins.
Little things mean a lot:
If you’re not satisfied with simply cleaning your current curtains, or if your heavy drapes are too dark, designers say one of the easiest and most dramatic things you can do to change the look of a room with the seasons is to hang new window treatments.
“Nothing brings a room into spring and summer more than a sheer,” explains Sanborn, who notes a sheer’s tendency to billow in the breeze—a sure sign of spring. “The thing about sheers that is so magical is that they give privacy, but also filter the sunlight that comes through.”
Sue Adams, owner of Sue Adams Interiors in Andover, suggested the use of wood blinds or simple shades, which can give a room a streamlined look. “Today’s look is cleaner,” she said. “It’s not loaded with pattern and so much fabric.”
But sometimes it’s less about what you add to a room, and more what you take out, especially in living areas that are painted darker colors. “In my library I have a very deep red,” said Boerner, who, during the warmer months, removes the drapes altogether or instead adds a woven shade.
Be aware, though, that with new window treatments, all that natural sunshine streaming in may cast the spotlight on other things in your living space that need updating.
“You might want to replace the chair that’s been driving you crazy for ten years,” says Lisa Dumont, owner of Salem, N.H.-based LRD Interiors. Or, if it’s a piece you just can’t bring yourself to part with, Adams says that reupholstering may be just enough to transform the feel of a room.
For a quick and fairly effortless furniture update, designers also suggest the use of light, cotton slipcovers over existing pieces. “That always gives you a new look and a new feel,” says Boerner, who is currently working on the renovation of a $4 million French country manor home.
But regardless of whether you decide to keep your furniture, cover it, or purchase new pieces, there is still yet another thing that can be done with it to give your room a mini face-lift. Give yourself a view.
“In the winter, we seem to put our backs to the windows,” says Dumont, who suggests making the outdoors, rather than a fireplace or coffee table, the focal point. In other words, if you’ve got a room with a view—a wooded area, blue sky, the river or a flower garden—take advantage.
Besides changing your view of the outdoors, another thing designers suggest changing is the accent pieces that adorn the walls.
“I think we tend to always go to darker colors in the winter,” says Boerner, who suggests freshening up your décor with things such as lighter colored pottery or artwork.
A word of caution, however, when decorating. “You don’t want your house to look like a furniture showroom,” says Sanborn, who suggests displaying things such as family heirlooms and antiques to personalize the space.
Plants, of course, are another designer favorite. “I am a very big proponent of plants in houses,” explains Sanborn, whose approach to design is holistic, meaning she works with the entire space. “Add a vase with some wonderful branches of curly willow. That, to me, is spring.”
Not only should you think about what you’ll see and where you’ll sit in your rooms, but designers also advise homeowners to think about what’s under their feet.
To bring a lighter, spring-like environment inside the home, Sanborn suggests that “a great thing would be to take out a heavier wool rug and put in a natural rug,” such as one made from a natural grass material. “Sometimes you can make those types of changes and give the room a totally new feel.”
Oh color, where art thou?
Not many people like to do it, but the unarguable fact is that changing the color of a room is often the most cost-effective way to make a very dramatic change.
“Painting is the biggest bang for the buck,” says Adams, who has made several appearances on the popular Home and Garden Television network.
And while there are new color trends each season, the key, designers say, is to pick something you can live with, not the color that’s popular. Dumont said that accent walls—a wall in a room that’s painted a different color than the others—are making a comeback. But, she said, the act of changing paint does not necessarily apply only to walls. Dumont suggests painting your white ceiling a pale yellow or blue.
“It gives you sort of a sky feel,” she explains.
Boerner also has a paint philosophy all her own. “I have a thing about my front door,” she says, noting that she likes to paint it a new color fairly often—sometimes the inside as well as the out.
Adams says that oftentimes people are afraid of overdoing it. But repeating, for example, the greens of your living room throughout the adjoining rooms can often be essential to your home’s flow.
“Think about how the rooms are going to interact with one another,” she explains. “Make them good neighbors.”
Shedding some light on lighting:
When all else fails, the problem with your room may be the lighting—a design aspect professionals say many homeowners too often overlook. Without taking up very much space, lighting can create an array of moods in any given room.
“Lighting is so important, and people, pardon the expression, don’t see it,” says Adams.
Three types of lighting—mood, the light that sets the general tone; task, designed for a specific activity; and accent, lighting that focuses attention on a specific piece of artwork or object—create a room’s overall glow.
“Ask yourself in each room, do I have at least two or three of those? Lighting is not just to see. Lighting’s to feel,” says Adams. When done right, she points out that lighting should be unobtrusive. Halogen lights, she added, are cleaner, brighter, and whiter.
A bright pot of flowers brings spring to this granite countertop, enlivening the white and black color scheme of the kitchen. Design by Sue Adams Interiors.
A word on kitchens and baths:
Two of the more difficult rooms to update without jumping into a complete overhaul, there are a few minor changes that can be made in kitchens and baths to change their look.
• Boerner suggests changing bathroom tiles or buying new, luxurious bath towels.
• If the colors of your bath do not suit you, or are just plain ugly, Adams says that sometimes the best thing to do is to surrender. “Take the colors and run with them,” she says, by accenting them with a shower curtain or window treatment.
• In the kitchen, countertops and flooring make a huge splash. The still popular granite is always a good choice and Adams suggests the increasingly popular concrete.
• Boerner says sometimes changing a fixture, such as a faucet, will do the trick.
So as the ice melts, the cold fades, and the warmer temperatures conjure visions of backyard barbeques, remember that even the littlest changes can evoke those same feelings within the home. A vase of fresh flowers here, a sheer window treatment there, and suddenly you don’t have to venture outside to appreciate the refreshing qualities of spring. They are right there, where the dust once lay.
Words of Advice:
No matter what kind of design project you plan to undertake, designers offer the following tips and food for thought before diving in.
Dumont, whose design philosophy revolves around creating a personalized space, conducts a one-on-one interview with her clients before starting a project. Do-it-yourselfers should do the same thing. Ask questions. Figure out what you really want before embarking on a potential venture.
“I really think they need to assess the necessary,” says Boerner, who advises first fixing things that might be damaged in the home. “Then, once that’s taken care of, I think it comes to what would add value to the home. Then I go for my heart’s desire,” she adds, noting the importance of keeping in mind the purpose of the room you are redesigning. “Don’t overspend,” she advises. “Be sensible.”
But, on the other hand, Boerner also warns homeowners not to skimp in certain areas. “Think about the things that you touch all the time. How do they feel?” Pay attention to these areas, and perhaps spend a little more to improve them. “A lot of people are lacking self-confidence,” says Adams. “Have confidence in your own style.” She also suggests that when shopping for new furniture, make sure to take measurements.“Proportion is something that’s critical to good design,” she explains. And, she adds, “The critical dimension that people forget is height. People usually can’t visualize what the height is going to look like.”As for shopping for items, Sanborn offers her own sound advice: “When you get a quality piece, there’s nothing like it. It’s the details that make all the difference.”