BRING ON SPRING!

Even though winter still has its chilly hold on most areas of the country, it’s not too early to daydream about the warmer weather ahead and begin making plans to refresh our homes for spring. When it’s time to turn the calendar page past the two coldest months of the year, my mood certainly lightens as I count the days until March 20 arrives. If, like me, you are eager to kick-start a seasonal style refresh, here are a few simple yet impactful decorating takeaways to spur you on, courtesy of the creative homeowners who are featured in this issue:

Val Butler’s dining table is ready for a celebration and set with sweet touches—terra-cotta pots poised on bedsprings, napkins cleverly folded to resemble bunnies, and a cake dome encasing silk roses (page 28).

Yvonne and Rocko Williams create a playful tone in their hallway above a baseboard, where a curious painted mouse peers out from its hole to inspect an old-fashioned mousetrap (page 41).

Christa Bachman employs a rustic wreath crafted from metal plant pots and yellow gerbera daisies to cast a sunny spot on her exterior garage wall (page 65).

Sue and E.J. Mirambell recruit a salvaged mantel to host garden tools and country jugs abloom with hydrangeas and to offer a homespun ambience on their porch (page 80).

Debbie and Bill Vanderborg’s home is brimming with interesting displays, from flower frogs supporting vibrant seed packets atop a stool to a Toledo candy scale whose scoop corrals antique doorknobs and faucet handles (page 82).

Whether you like to deconstruct and reconfigure your decor from top to bottom or prefer to introduce slight decorative changes to energize your rooms, we hope the home tours and other light and lively ideas within these pages help motivate you to get ready for the goodness of Easter and the spring season!