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It’s time to get into the spring of things! Flowers are blooming, birds are chirping, and the days are getting longer. The change in season always gives me a renewed sense of inspiration. I’m suddenly motivated to clean, renovate, and redecorate. But sometimes I find myself fresh out of ideas. This year, I turned to Valerie Parr Hill, home décor expert, for her top 10 tips for refreshing a home. I’m now convinced that small changes really can make a big difference. And you don’t have to break the bank, either—Valerie’s first two tips won’t cost you a penny! So go ahead, spring to it!

1. Clear the clutter. This alone will do more to make your home a serene place than anything else.

2. Move furniture around. Change it up! If that desk has been in the same place, hopefully you have another wall that it will work on. And I know that rooms are driven by windows and doors; I get that. Sometimes, though, you can just push the furniture away from the window and still create a walk-through, or angle it in such a way that you just have a fresh lease on life when you walk in that room.

3. Change out pillows and throws. Textiles are a great way to refresh.  I like to switch out dark, heavy throws and pillows with lighter-weight, lighter-colored pillows on my couch. Placemats on my breakfast table get changed from something deeper and darker to something a little lighter.

4. Paint the walls. It takes time, but painting is a very affordable way to make a dynamic impact in a room. If you do it yourself, you pay for paint and supplies, but then it’s just elbow grease. And there are some really great tools out there right now. Paint supplies have come a long way!

5. Change the fabric on your dining room chairs. Sometimes they’re stained and we just ignore it. Mine are faded, so that’s going to be one of my weekend projects!

6. Add flowers and plants. Whether they’re real or faux, bringing some greenery inside will make a big difference.

7. Change or add a rug. Rugs can bring so much to a room, particularly if you have a solid fabric on your couch and chairs. Giving pattern and life to the floor is a great way to jazz up a living space. You can even change out a wool rug for a lighter-weight fabric, like sisal, for summer.

8. Change up the curtains. This is another easy way to update a room. And, curtains are really very affordable!

9. Add a mirror. There are only a couple of rooms in my house that don’t have a mirror. I love adding a mirror to a room because it’s like adding a window! It’s a fabulous decorator’s tool. Whatever the decorators do, you can do, too!

10. Change out the hardware on your kitchen cupboards. We recently did this in our design studio. The cabinets had brushed silver and we just replaced them with black knobs to create more of a country-French look. It’s amazing what changing the knobs did to bring the look together!

Are you springing into action yet? Valerie gave some great advice, but I had just a few more questions for her.

What’s the first thing you do to renew your home, Valerie?

One of the first things I do is put a spring wreath on the front door. In fact, I just did this a few weeks ago, a little later than I typically do, because it was just such a long winter. Inside, I’ll add seasonal accents to my kitchen island.

What color combinations do you love?

I love pink and green—always will! For summertime I love a chambray blue. Lavender is also a really pretty spring color—the pastels are just made for spring.

Not everyone has a green thumb. How can we add curb appeal without picking up a shovel?

Two things: First of all, clean it up. Sweep up your front porch and if you stored stuff there, get it gone. Secondly, hang a wreath and add a flag. Those two things, I think, do more to convey warm hospitality awaiting inside than anything else.

We are seeing so many great new products from you! What item are you most excited about?

I love our Set of Three Indoor/Outdoor Hand-Blown Mercury Glass Mason Jars ! The pastel colors are delightful and I think when customers get them home they will realize how ingenious they are! The jars are illuminated with a removable light source, which allows you to do all sorts of things with them. They are just so versatile. And the handle allows them to hang from a hook. They would also be great to display at a wedding, baby shower, or another special event. 

What do you love most about spring?

Warmer weather! But all my life I’ve tried to embrace every season. I’m so glad the good Lord gave us a change of seasons in life because, oh my goodness, wouldn’t it be boring if it were always summer or always winter? It seems like a new season always comes at just the right time—when you’re ready for something fresh and new. I love that we can take that inspiration from nature and bring it inside. 

For more inspirational ideas, be sure to read Valerie’s blog and tune in to Heartfelt Home® with Valerie. Check the Program Guide for dates and times. 

I hope you enjoy all the season has to offer!

Ashley

QVC copy editor

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