21 ways to bring spring into your home

Freshen up: Tips 1 - 8 1. The pared-down simplicity of blossoming backyard clippings captures the casual vitality of spring.• WINDHAM WRITING DESK IN WHITE, $249 US, TIVOLI CHAIR IN WHITE, $139 US, CRATE & BARREL. 2. The superhero of the mud room, a coat rack with a built-in brolly stand single-handedly brings order to chaos while taking up minimal space in this high-traffic area. • POPPINS COAT RACK, $150, ACCENTS DE VILLE.3. Don't leave exterior painting for the hot, humid, hazy days of summer. Para Paints advises tackling an outdoor paint update after a minimum 24-hour period of temperatures between 15 and 25 C.4. It's estimated a household of four consumes approximately 108,000 gallons of water per year – enough to fill a bathtub more than 2,500 times. The green solution? Go low flow! Install a Moen Flow Optimized Aerator in your Moen faucets (excluding pullouts) for a water-usage reduction of 30%. • $5, MOEN. 5. Wood-handled flatware packs a picnic-casual punch, whether you're dining indoors or alfresco. • RUSTIK BEECH-HANDLED 20-PIECE CUTLERY SET WITH PINE TRAY, $50, IKEA. 6. Don't just spring clean: spring edit. Get top dollar for your unwanted, gently used housewares on eBay – the hassle-free alternative to the garage sale.7. Got vinegar? Then you've also got a DIY all-purpose cleaner. Mix equal parts white vinegar and water for a window and surface cleaner with both disinfectant and deodorizing properties (just don't use it on marble or grout, which could be damaged by the acid).8. Crisp white cotton slipcovers give soft furnishings an instant low-maintenance May makeover (this one's machine washable). Underfoot, swap out heavy oriental and wool rugs for a breezy variation on the traditional rag rug. • BAYSIDE SWIVEL GLIDER WITH WHITE COTTON SKIRTED SLIPCOVER, $999 US, WINDHAM BOOKCASE IN WHITE, $299 US, MERRIMAC FOUR- BY SIX-FOOT COTTON RUG IN BLUE, $80 US, CRATE & BARREL. Freshen up: Tips 9 - 21 9. Nothing says "spring fresh" like natural materials. Grasscloth wallcoverings, rattan storage boxes, natural-fibre mats like sisal and coir, and raw, unfinished wooden frames blur the distinction between indoors and out. • DRIFTWOOD MIRROR, $120, ACCENTS DE VILLE10. The hurricane vase, that old standby, is swept away this spring by the hurricane lantern. As a showcase for natural treasures like shells and pebbles, as a terrarium or simply as an intimate light source that's perfectly portable from the table to after-dinner drinks on the patio, it's a bright decor detail that's sure to delight. • CHROME-AND-GLASS LANTERNS, $60 (LARGE), $30 (SMALL), HOMESENSE.11. As the final step to your spring window-washing routine, a quick polish with a clean chalkboard brush leaves a dazzling shine. 12. Add scintillating scent to drawers, chests, closets and armoires with pretty, perfumed paper liners. • NANTUCKET BRIAR SCENTED DRAWER PAPERS, $25 PER BOX OF SIX 12- BY 36-INCH SHEETS, CRABTREE & EVELYN. 13. Referred to as a garden stool but equally at home indoors, this ceramic drum doubles as a posh perch or sexy side table. • CHINESE CERAMIC GARDEN STOOL, $60, HOMESENSE. 14. Bananas: rich in potassium and...plant polish? Gently run the inside of a banana peel along the tops and undersides of leaves for an all-natural clean and polish. Clean, healthy plants breathe better and are more adept at absorbing household carbon dioxide and VOCs (volatile organic compounds).15. White-finish frames take traditional furniture forms into spring-trend territory. • ITALIAN UPHOLSTERED ARMCHAIR IN WHITE, FROM $549 (FABRIC NOT INCLUDED), CHAIR SOURCE.16. Keep your collections clutter-free. Pare down the presentation to a few fave pieces, put the rest in storage and rotate seasonally. • VICTORIA RIBBON-TIE PIERCED PORCELAIN PLATES BY TWO'S COMPANY, $150 PER SET OF NINE, SCANTRADE INTERNATIONAL.17. Let that fresh air in! Ensure smooth-sliding windows and patio doors by running a bar of soap along the tracks. 18. Detox your cleaning bucket with the latest additions to Method's eco-friendly housecleaning arsenal. • LE SCRUB NONTOXIC BATHROOM CLEANER IN EUCALYPTUS MINT, $6 EACH, LIL' BOWL BLU NONTOXIC TOILET BOWL CLEANER IN EUCALYPTUS MINT, $6, METHOD.19. In a steam iron or a spray bottle, fragrant water adds a crisp and comforting edge to freshly laundered linens. • GREEN TEA LINEN WATER, $22 PER 0NE-LITRE BOTTLE, LOTHANTIQUE.20. Fridge-freshening zeolite – an all-natural deodorizer – is a must-have appliance ornament when housed in a French antique-inspired ceramic holder. • FROM APPROX. $16, THE CALDREA COMPANY.21. Add potager to your design dictionary and windowsill. The French term refers to a kitchen garden: the perfect way to harvest your own herbs – always fresh and within reach.