Bring Springtime Inside

Springtime is here. And for us design divas, that means a little bit of spring cleaning—and a whole lot of spring decorating. Look around your living space. If it’s anything like mine, it’s reminiscent of a bear’s den during hibernation—piles of blankets, books, DVDs, and a recycling bin full of empty wine bottles. Well, now that the cold months and gray skies have left us, it’s the perfect time to add some sunshine to our indoor habitat. Don’t worry. This won’t break the bank. Just a few details carefully selected can add a warm glow to your space that will last through Labor Day.

Before we start, I should tell you that I have absolutely no degree in design—but I am self-certified in style. So please, take my advice with a grain of well-preserved sea salt and use it as inspiration for your own design.

Okay, let’s start with the walls. My absolute favorite design element these days are wall decals and wall murals. They are incredibly easy to apply, incredibly inexpensive, incredibly stylish—in a word, incredible. They can take a wall from yawn to yeah! in approximately fifteen minutes.

Wall decals work as design accents and are good to use if you fancy creating your own patterns. For instance, I recently purchased a package of decals that depict the silhouettes of birds in flight. I put them on the stairway wall leading up to my apartment. For a mere $45, I transformed my boring old stairway into a proper entrance for my mod empire. (You can find the link to where I got my birds at the end of the article.) If you must have decals immediately, check your local Urban Outfitters. They have a good selection.

Wall murals take a little more time, but if you’ve ever hung wallpaper before, you’ll be a pro at this. You can cover an entire wall with a bamboo forest, the beach, a cityscape, a lovely cloud-cluttered blue sky. Imagine walking into your place after a long day at work to be swept into your tranquil bamboo forest. Sounds like mojitos and happy hour to me! Restaurants and bars often use wall murals to add dimension to their space, so you’ve probably seen them around. Imitation is the best form of flattery, so take a look at some of your favorite hang-outs and make note of their walls.

If you’re a renter, or prone to changing your mind often, never fear. The wall decals are peel-and-stick, and completely removable. The wall murals have a primer that acts as a shield between the mural and the paint or existing wallpaper protecting the original wall.

Another great way to bring a fresh new look to your walls—and relieve your floors of some undue book weight—is to use floating shelves.