3 Design Ideas To Help Welcome Spring

It may not seem like it quite yet, but the Chicagoland spring is right around the corner, and it's time to start thinking about the little details that help get your home ready to welcome in the change of seasons. As our homes have become ever more vital to the way we live, work, and play, our home decor choices have become more important than ever. Even little changes have made a big difference in how our homes make us feel — bringing a sense of security, harmony, and calm to our hectic lives. As we approach the end of winter, it's time to turn our homes into spaces that celebrate the vibrant and vital colors, warmer weather, and longer days of springtime. We've brought together three design ideas to help you welcome spring into your home.

1. Embrace Biophilic Design

Biophilic design, at its core, is the effort to connect our indoor spaces with the natural world in a sustained and sustainable way. In our homes, this means making adaptations that emphasize the connection between nature and the way our homes function — emphasizing natural light and airflow, bringing plants and natural elements into our homes, and creating indoor/outdoor spaces that allow us to connect with nature on a regular basis. 

As the outside temperatures warm up, we can embrace biophilic design by adding greenery to our homes. Indoor plants don't just add vibrant pops of color and lush natural texture, they can even improve the air we breathe by adding oxygen and removing pollutants. 

Exploring creative ways to add natural light to interior spaces is also a great way to take advantage of the longer days and brighter sunlight of springtime. Natural light is a great way to boost serotonin, increase general well-being, and get a much-needed dose of vitamin D. Adding larger windows, skylights and sliding doors is a great way to create a space that's more in harmony with nature — and it might even bring that electricity bill down a bit. Even if you don't want to go through major renovations, there are simple things you can do to brighten up your home. Swapping out heavy window treatments for lighter, more transparent options can help to promote natural light and air circulation in the home. Choosing lighter colors for walls, ceilings, and floors will reflect more light and increase brightness. 

Elemental design, in which we add decorative pieces drawn from the natural world in materials like rock, wood, and metal, is another great way to connect indoor and outdoor spaces. Even small touches that incorporate natural elements can bring a sense of serenity indoors.

2. Go For Pops Of Color In Unexpected Places

If there's one thing we associate with spring's renewal, it's bright, vibrant colors. And while a whole home filled with bright colors can be overwhelming, a few well-placed details can be a great way to add visual interest without detracting from your overall design vision.

Think about adding colorful glassware, a patterned tablecloth, or boldly colored dining chairs to brighten your kitchen and dining area. Bright pillows or throws can liven up a living space or office without requiring much of a change. And a vibrant throw blanket on the bed can elevate your bedroom without seeming cluttered or busy.

3. Step Up Your Outdoor Furnishing Game

If the past two years have taught us anything, it's that we can take nothing for granted. As we move into spring of 2022, that axiom should apply to our porches, patios, backyards, and balconies as well. Experts predict that multifunctional outdoor spaces with integrated sound systems, lighting, and kitchen features have grown in popularity over the last few years, especially as the realities of pandemic-influenced life have made safe outdoor spaces a priority. 

In addition to outdoor kitchens and lighting, demand for fully-functional outdoor living spaces has begun to climb. Projectors, couches, and even outdoor televisions are likely to become even more popular as the weather warms and spending extended evenings outdoors becomes more attractive. 

Sustainable and climate-conscious gardening remains popular, with many homeowners opting for more sustainable gardening practices. Curated wilding, in which garden spaces are allowed to take on a more natural, less manicured appearance, will be seen more frequently, as will living walls and tapestry lawns, which require less maintenance and allow pollinators and other beneficial insects to thrive. 

​​When Home Means More, You Need a Team With More to Offer

Spring is almost here, and there's never been a better time to search for your dream home. Your local Baird & Warner agent is here to help make the journey easier from beginning to end.

Home is about so much more than just four walls. Buying or selling a home is a big deal, and with everything we experienced in the last year, our homes have never been more important. That's why your local Baird & Warner agent is with you at every step of the way, with the tools and support you need to make your real estate journey easier — including in-house connections with local experts in mortgage and title. 

So whether you're looking for your starter home or you're ready to move on to one with more space to live out your home design dream, your Baird & Warner agent can help you through every part of the buying and selling process.