Put Some Spring in Your Step and Your Home

By Nichole Dupont
Special to iBerkshires
03:35PM / Tuesday, June 01, 2010

One of the best ways to lighten your rooms is through garden-themed elements, such as wicker. Wrought iron pieces, which can be found at almost any consignment shop, adds an outdoor feel to inside décor. The glass tabletop as well as white linens provides a clean, bright look.

SHEFFIELD, Mass. — It takes time to recover from a long New England winter. When the birds begin to sing and buds miraculously appear on the branches that's when we know it's time for spring. And it's time to brighten up the house. According to Boni Dupont, owner and chief interior designer at The Sheffield Collection on South Main Street, the key to de-winterizing your indoor space is to use what you already have and love.

"It's not about perfection. If you wait for perfection it will never happen," Dupont said. "It's about using what you already have, especially in this economy."

When searching through what you already have in the house, be on the lookout for anything that brightens a room; lighter blues and pinks, sparkly crystal and most importantly, anything white.

"Anything white or off-white brightens and lightens any space," she said. "Milk glass was popular in the 1950s and 60s, and most people have it or you can very easily get it at tag sales and consignment shops or you can get something white out of your own cupboard. It's perfect for a centerpiece."

Milk glass is not the only element that can brighten a table. Your grandmother's crystal will also come in handy in bringing spring into your home.

"Using some glass and crystal adds some sparkle and airiness," she said. "If you've got your grandma's crystal stacked in a cupboard why not bring it out?"

The smallest details are what provide the greatest success for spring redecorating without breaking the bank. In addition to crystal and milk glass, linens and lace of any sort, when they are thrown over any dark wood surface — be it an end table, a coffee table or even a dining table — bring instant light to any space.

Milk glass and other white ceramic pieces brighten any table. Lilacs are easy to find in early spring, and flowers from the garden later.

"If you have vintage white tablecloths or lace don't iron them," she said. "If they have a stain, so what? Leave them as they are. You can put the lace or crochet piece over the white tablecloth and finish it with a nice glass vessel as a nice centerpiece, maybe put some pears in it or whatever the season brings."

The season has a lot to offer by way of flowers and foliage, and yes, even fruit. Again, using what you already have keeps spring updating simple and fun.

"The idea is repurposing. None of these things have to be permanent. It's about changing things out seasonally," Dupont said.

Impermanent items, such as a cardboard decorator table with dowel legs covered with lace or a multi-dimensional matelasse, add new dimension and vignettes to almost any room in the house. But, if you are going to splurge on seasonal decorating, Dupont suggests strategic, functional purchases for each room, beginning with the porch.

"Fresh new cushions do wonders for any porch," she said. "Also, replacing some of your outdoor furniture with all weather wicker is great. And if you can, pots with lots of flowers will dress up the front of the house."

As for the interior, a few new, bright pillows or a new bed ensemble should do the trick. Whether you repurpose, reuse, or splurge, Dupont said the main goal is comfort.

"It's about how things make you feel visually, it's not about looks," she said. "It has to make you feel comfortable. Treat yourself and your family like guests."

If you are going to splurge, a complete bed ensemble is a good revamping tool. Mirrors, distressed white paint, and creative repurposing all serve the style of spring.