Easy style updates Mini decor projects plus tricks and tips for a fresh start

EASY STYLE

From best buys and clever tricks to mini decor projects…this is our roundup of the simplest, quickest ways to make your home more beautiful now

(From left) Yellow velvet cushion, £55, Loaf. The Felix cushion, £59, Clarissa Hulse is a match. Cushions in Botanic Trellis and Fenne, £49m, Sanderson. Kismet cushion, £59, Clarissa Hulse.

1

PERK UP YOUR LIVING ROOM Refresh a tired colour scheme for spring. Swap

plain cushions for cheery patterns in a mix of leafy greens and sunny yellows. Update a throw by sewing on bright pom-poms.

2

FILL AN EMPTY FIREPLACE While you’re not using it over summer, fill your fireplace with painted logs for a pretty focal point. Use simple white, then pick out a few logs to paint different shades.

3

MAKE A SPRING GARLAND Decorate a wicker garland with fresh flowers – cover it completely or add just a couple of blooms and leave the rest of the wicker bare. Complete with favourite postcards.

STYLE & DECOR

Find a similar garland from £4 at Hobbycraft

4

ADD AN EXTRA TIER OR TWO Give greenery displays extra height and fullness by arranging plants on a tiered stand. Opt for trailing plants that will spill out over the sides – try easy-care varieties such as spider plants or devil’s ivy.

STYLE & DECOR

Rise sofa in Saga Grey, £599; Hiko ceiling light, £175; Aztec rug, £150, all John Lewis & Partners

5

BUY A NEW LAMP (OR TWO) The best way to light a room is to use a mix of layered lighting. Supplement a ceiling light with several table lamps dotted around a room, with perhaps a floor lamp and wall lights too.

Bamboo table lamp, £25, George Home Frame sideboard, £799, John Lewis & Partners

6

LET MORE LIGHT INTO YOUR ROOMS Take down heavy winter curtains and swap for lighterweight fabrics that can be pulled back completely. Expose as much of the window as you can, to let in lots of natural light.

7

INVEST IN A CABINET Free up extra space in the kitchen by storing tableware in a dining room cabinet. Show off your best crockery behind glazed doors and hide random clutter in drawers.

Cambridge boot room in Forest Green, from £1,700 for an eight-unit design, Benchmarx Kitchen and Joinery

8

GO FOR BUILTIN HALLWAY STORAGE Tackle an overcrowded hallway by fitting a bank of cupboards so heavy coats can be tidied away. Combine with cubbyhole storage for shoes and boots, and add a bench for changing shoes.

Avery double bed, from £525, Sofa.com

9

PANEL BEDROOM WALLS

Panelling is an easy way of covering uneven walls. Finish it off at the top with a narrow shelf for displaying favourite odds and ends.

10

SHOWCASE FAVOURITE THINGS Collections have more impact displayed en masse, so show off treasured vases or glassware rather than hiding them away. Group pieces with taller items at the back and smaller ones to fill gaps.

11

SET UP AN INDOOR HERB GARDEN Grow herbs in the kitchen so you can snip off a sprig or two when you’re cooking. Choose a sunny spot near a window – this neat ladder plant stand can be propped against a wall and holds five pots.

STYLE & DECOR

Rattan sideboard, £599; Scandi round oak mirror, £180, both John Lewis & Partners

Recipe tin, £8, Sainsbury’s

12

TIDY KITCHEN CLUTTER Clear away all the random receipts, notes

and recipes that are cluttering up the fridge door. Bin paperwork that’s out of date or irrelevant and file and keep the useful numbers and important info.

Portmeirion Water Garden dinner set, £59.99 for 12 pieces, Studio French cane shelf towel rail, £20, Dunelm

14

GET SET UP IN A SUNNY SPOT As spring draws near, rearrange furniture so you can enjoy the brighter days and warmer weather. Set up a table or position an easy chair in a spot leading out to the garden or beside a window with a view.

15

SQUEEZE IN EXTRA STORAGE Make space work harder in a small bathroom with multitasking storage so you can pack in all your essentials. This neat wall-hung caddy doubles up as a towel rail too.

13

SAY IT WITH FLOWERS Update dreary dinnerware by adding a

pretty floral into the mix. Invest in a box set of patterned china or supplement a plain white set by adding in just a few key pieces to mix and match.

Dillon sectional sofa, from £3,190, Sofa Workshop. Mulholland Yellow regal select matte paint, £24 for 0.94ltr, Benjamin Moore

STYLE & DECOR

16

ADD AN ACCENT COLOUR TO FRAME A DOOR Lift a plain scheme with an unexpected pop

of colour. Highlight a doorway or window by painting the recess in a contrasting colour –choose a shade that ties in with your colour scheme to provide a visual link.

17

SWAP LAMPS FOR BEDSIDE PENDANTS

Free-up table space in a bedroom by opting for hanging pendants in place of bedside lamps. Position at a height where you won’t knock your head and the bulb won’t dazzle you.

18

PICK OUT FAVOURITE COLOURS Keep little ones sweet if they’re sharing a bedroom, by opting for mix and match bedding so they can personalise their space. Decorate walls and shelves with their favourite wall art.

19

GROUP PLANTS TOGETHER Instead of dotting a few plants here and there, arranging them in a group looks much more eye-catching. Display on staggered shelves, choosing plants in a mix of heights, varieties and leaf shapes.

STYLE & DECOR

Colourful Animal single duvet set, £32 for a pair, Next Home

Oak and cast iron shelves, from £25 each, Garden Trading

20

MAKE A GOOD ENTRANCE Tidy up outdoor areas that have been neglected over winter. Wipe down

the front door, polish brassware and sweep the front step. And if the door mat is looking tatty, upgrade with a new one.