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Want more advice on incorporating Libby's color ideas into your décor?

Check out our articles on the color trends mentioned in this article. You'll get advice on incorporating these stylish shades into your home:

 

·       A Honey of a Hue

·       Ask Kate: Calming Colors

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  • Libby's 8 Ways to Spruce up Your Home this Spring

    Libby Langdon, home makeover guru for 'The Rachael Ray Show' offers trend tips for achieving a fresh, new look.

    by Libby Langdon

    Spring is a great time to have some fun with the interior design of your home by sprucing up your space with some hot trends and fresh looks.  Even incorporating just one of these ideas can help you look at your old space in a brand new way, and isn't that what spring is really all about?

     

    1.     Bold colors are the buzz.  We are ready to leave the safety of tan for the boldness of orangey-coral (technically called "Honeysuckle" by color authority Pantone). Whatever you call this shade, it adds a feeling of warmth to a room. And having this hue, or a similar color, in your home can instantly revive a space that is looking tired. If it's too much for you to paint an entire room a new color, incorporate it in a smaller way—get some throw pillows, a throw blanket or small accessories in a new shade.  

     

    2.     "Hotel Chic" is a trend inspired by the sleek interiors, sophisticated colors and clean accessories of the world's top hotels.  This look can be recreated in your home by using streamlined pieces of furniture with glossy, dark veneer; chrome; or suede and leather in a palette of coffee, chocolate, cream and black. Finish the look with soft lighting and fabrics that feel good to the touch.      

     

    3.     We are seeing lots of big, bold graphic patterns in muted shades and soft color combinations. Think seashells, pale robin's egg blue, caramel, cream, soft sage, mocha and gray.  Mixed in with the large prints are smaller, subtler stripes or textured woven fabrics. This style is a great choice for someone who leans towards neutrals. It's also a wonderful way to ease into some soft color and retain a simple, calm sensibility.    

     

    4.     Bamboo has made its way out of the jungle and into our homes, and there are endless options on how to incorporate the look into your space. It's being retooled in a sleek, modern way in everything from chairs to display cabinets to rugs. It's also appearing in more traditional ways as end tables, folding screens, lamps, candles and even chargers for your dinner table. The perfect way to rethink a room is to combine your classic pieces with a new material—it updates what you already have, and you're not completely refurnishing your home.  Bamboo is a natural, fun material and it's now in a store near you.  

     

    5.     Wallpaper is back in a big way! Many designers are taking classic patterns and re-coloring them in a fresh new palette. The new formulas for easier application (and easier removal) are making the prospect of wallpaper less scary to homeowners—the days of steaming, scraping and peeling are over. The patterns are still as diverse as they've ever been, and they come in amazing color combinations and styles. Wallpaper is a license to have fun!

     

    6.     A timeless spring trend is to unclutter and reorganize. This one never goes out of style—some good spring cleaning can completely transform the feel of your space. Act as if you were moving ... What would you get rid of? Lose the piles of paper, donate old books, have a yard sale for your outdated accessories and tchotchkes, and clear out closets and shelving to create space for new storage. Then, buy new bins and baskets, label what goes where and make a commitment to keep a clear space. This is also a great idea if you're going to redecorate; it lets you look at your space and decide what you're missing and what direction you might want to head.  

     

    7.     There's a real movement towards what I call "Spa Style." In this hectic world so many of us strive for balance and calm. This thinking has naturally found it's way into our interiors. Serenity in your decor can be found by using a palette of blues and greens. The combination is refreshing and calming. The trendy blends for this spring are aqua and emerald or turquoise and lime. The more classic take is sage and pale aqua. If you want to soften the cool nature of these colors, you can add some yellow-tinged accessories. The goal is to create a soft, gentle room where you can rejuvenate, and there is no better way to invite calm than a tranquil blue on your walls.

     

    8.     Purple is very on-trend right now.In general, it's a tough color to incorporate in your home in a large way, but hints of it here and there are easy and make a big impact. It also looks very fresh when it's combined with cherry wood, black and white pictures, and brushed nickel lamps or tables. If you want to use it on your walls, a soft grey or mauve is your best bet.