How to refresh your home and garden for spring

Lighten up, says Adele Cardani. Now that warmer days are finally here, it’s time for flouncy fabrics, floral touches and a lick of green paint – and to set the scene for alfresco dining

Back to nature: Andrew Martin’s Secret Garden collection (Andrew Martin)

In London, the weather has progressed from a frigid, unbearable nightmare, to wet, droopy and now tolerable. The city’s parks have been enlivened by technicolour carpets of daffodils and tulips. It’s out with bulky outerwear and knits, and in with lighter layers, billowing sundresses, and a sense of sartorial freedom. As I write this, my balcony doors are flung open, letting in a respectfully hushed but still very rich symphony of birds chattering. I’m burning Malin+Goetz’s Bergamot candle, and the effervescent aroma of joy and possibility and citrus trees in bloom rushes into my nostrils – dare I say, spring is finally here!

Celebrity interior designer Naomi Astley Clarke tells me: “I find that the turn of the season brings with it a natural instinct to not only give the house a good polish but also to refresh and update my furnishings. Perhaps it’s the change in light or the smell of jasmine blooming in my garden, but I look to employ a fresh, clean palette as I design and reconfigure spaces this time of year.” She continues: “In the bedroom, for example, think a base of crisp white bedding with a floral headboard or throw cushions, and sheer linens for dressing windows. The key is to give your sanctuary a gentle uplift.” With this in mind, I’ve rounded up the season’s most prevailing decoration themes and expert tips for adding a breath of fresh air into your home.

When spring rolls around, textiles are bound to pay homage to the glorious outdoors. Equal parts grandeur and ease, the appeal of the English country house – and its vibrant, blossoming garden – is enduring. You may be donning your Miranda Priestly-esque sunglasses and uttering: “Florals? For spring? Groundbreaking.” But why reinvent the wheel concerning what makes a spring look so delightfully spring-y? This year, ditsy floral prints have been eschewed in favour of bold botanicals and large doses of colour.

Go wild: leaf green, duck egg and pumpkin shades all comine to evoke the outdoors (Andrew Martin)

Produced in the Lake District, the new Secret Garden collection by leading textile and furniture designer Andrew Martin is inspired by Britain’s love of outside spaces and green-fingered nature. Dashing wildflower sprigs and undulating vines in lush tones of leafy green, duck egg, and fiery pumpkin with piping in complementary ivory-based ticking stripes capture the essence of a garden in full bloom. The collection’s plump feather-filled cushions, for instance, uplift neutral furniture, creating a springtime scheme with minimal effort required. Continue your floral freshen-up with a dreamy bedscape, opting for lighter linens splashed with saturated botanicals – because what’s more dreamy than frolicking in a wildflower meadow? A restorative snooze on bedding covered in them. Look to bedlinen designer Sheridan for some splendid examples. I suggest the reversible Asmara Quilt Cover Set in Rosewater pink or Lichen, a soft key lime green with an olive undertone.

Full bloom: Sheridan’s Asmara duvet set in Rosewater (Hanes Australia)

Speaking of, “green is the new grey”, announces Martin Waller, founder of Andrew Martin. “The austerity of the grey, taupe age is over. This spring, it’s the age of Kermit, the Incredible Hulk, and all things emerald, lime, forest, pistachio, jade, and sage, from wall colours, fabrics and cushions to headboards, rugs and curtains. The colour green can transport you to the cool tiled floors of Marrakesh or to the traditional drawing room of a late 18th-century Georgian mansion, and it’s being used in interiors this spring from linen textiles on buttoned sofas to crackle-glazed tiles and painted shaker kitchens with brass handles.”

Heavenly greens: Tom Howley’s Devine Collection in Serpentine (Tom Howley)

Tom Howley, design director of the eponymous bespoke kitchen company echoes this, telling me: “Green kitchens are having something of a moment right now. Perfect for your culinary hub, it’s a fresh colour with earthiness and depth that leaves you feeling nourished and full of life. Mossy hues may pack a punch, but they create a scheme with undeniable appeal when combined with burnished brass hardware and sleek white worktops.” Howley continues: “Painting just your island can be a great way to incorporate colour in an otherwise neutral kitchen, providing a bold, captivating focal point without committing to a full-on green space.”

Fancy a splash of colour, but still hesitant to commit to an entire island or run of cabinets? Howley concludes: “Painting a single feature dresser, chimney breast, or selection of backboards in an elegant pastel can be a beautiful way to introduce spring colour, without overwhelming the space. Imagine a bi-fold pantry where you open the white doors to reveal a pale pink interior, or a glazed cabinet with soft rosy tones filtering through – an excellent backdrop for showcasing your favourite glassware and characterful seasonal crockery.”

Get the glow: the Aditi three-light natural rattan pendant (Lights & Lamps)

Revelling in the season’s longer days, I have less of an urge to flick on overhead lights as of late, instead reaching for ambient table and floor lamps. Co-founder of Lights & Lamps, an ever-evolving curation of trend-led lighting, Niki Wright, shares: “For spring, we are seeing a shift to grounding, natural textures – think rattan and linen lampshades, which soften a bulb’s brightness, casting a room in a warm and tranquil light.” Perhaps this textural lighting trend is an extension of last summer’s “coastal grandmother” (and granddaughter) craze with its Cornwall-meets-Cape-Cod nautical minimalism, characterised in part by rattan and wicker furniture, raffia sun hats, and an air of laid-back elegance. Get this lighting look with Lights & Lamps’s Ensia and Sanvirattan-based table lamps which pair perfectly with the brand’s Aditi three-light pendant fixture.

True blue: Burleigh crockery in contrasting patterns and shades (Burleigh Pottery)

All socialising for the foreseeable is being relocated to the garden. “At the heart of a well-considered, spring tablescape is the concept of layering, and especially the layering of cheerful florals. My favourite way to dress a table is to start with a linen tablecloth, then add placemats in a textural, contrasting material, such as jute or rattan for an on-trend look,” shares Alison Howell, design and development Manager at Burleigh Pottery. “From there, build your setting with a deep-hued, floral charger plate, opting for a style in a bold, large-scale pattern that will work as a border for you to layer up the next plate in a pastel dainty, ditsy print. If you’re new to mixing and matching, try picking one colour for your ceramicware, experimenting with different shades and pattern size.” Consider pairing Burleigh’s statement Ink Blue Hibiscus collection with the delicate Blue Felicity range which features subtle scrolling flowers in a soothing powder blue palette. Every piece of Burleigh is handcrafted in England (and has been since 1851).

Lightbulb moment: Matthew Williamson’s shade collection for Pooky (Pooky)

Lastly, a well-lit garden makes outdoor evening soirees an effortless prospect. In the past, rechargeable lights have been either eye-wateringly expensive or, well, ugly – and often both. Cue Phileas, Pooky Lighting’s first-ever rechargeable cordless lamp, designed in collaboration with award-winning British interior designer Matthew Williamson, and named after the iconic Mr P Fogg – the protagonist in Jules Verne’s novel, Around the World in Eighty Days – for its ability to travel anywhere. Illuminating al fresco dinner parties with a full charge that lasts 10 hours, the antiqued brass table lamp has an array of new sorbet-hued empire shade options. An enchanting alternative to taper candles, Phileas is thoughtfully sized to ensure you can comfortably see over it whilst dining. Complete your spring tablescape with a ceramic jug or large glass bottle of blowsy, sweetly scented peonies or a frothy bunch of hydrangeas.