Freshen up for spring

This spring, raw wood is good, but faux bois is even better. Made from Plynyl – a highly durable and easy-to-clean vinyl – this woodgrain pattern floormat makes for a fantastic first impression in the foyer. Chilewich floormats, from $132 per two-foot-two-inch-by-three feet, Elte, 888-276-3583; Toronto, 416-785-7885; elte.com. Photography by Victor Schrager.

Everything looks better bathed in soft spring sunshine, so make the most of natural light with mirrored surfaces. The ornate detail and grey- and gold-patina reminiscent of a French antique adds heaps of handsome form to this mirror's handy brightness-boosting function. Orinda 24-by-18-inch rectangular mirror, $148 US, Anthropologie, 800-309-2500 or anthropologie.com to order.

Bedecked in the designer's signature playful prints of polka dots and archive-inspired florals, Cath Kidston's Dream Home Journal may be all you need to keep your spring redecorating plans in order. With fill-in sections for each room of the house, along with pockets to store inspiration tears (from STYLE AT HOME, of course!), fabric swatches and paint chips, this is a must-have manual for organizing a May makeover. $17, HomeSense, 866-466-3707 or homesense.ca for stores. Photography by Nina Teixeira.

A scandalous splash of bright green elevates the Chinoiserie-inspired structure of these planters from trad to rad. Suitable for use both indoors and out, think outside the box – pardon the pun – and repurpose this stunner as a coffee table remote caddy, or even a hot home office inbox. Pop Asia Planters, from $35 for 11.5-by-17-by-5 inch planter, Teatro Verde, 888-483-2876, Toronto, 416-966-2227 or teatroverde.com to order.

So, how clean IS your house? British housekeeping guru Kim Woodburn knows, and she's arrived on Canadian soil to teach the messiest and most disorganized families the importance of tidiness and manners in the new series, Kim's Rude Awakenings. Because nothing's more reassuring than taking a peek into houses that are more chaotic than yours. Kim's Rude Awakenings, Tuesdays at 9:00PM, W Network; wnetwork.com for schedule.

Simple table lamps that pack a stylish punch are an inexpensive way to add a burst of spring-fresh colour to any room. These beauties from Garnet Hill simply scream spring. Angie Ceramic Table Lamp, $168 each, Garnet Hil.

Image courtesy of Garnet Hill

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