Eddie Maestri and Janelle Burns, Maestri Studio
My biggest cost-effective tip for a spring refresh is seasonal florals. Place new wreaths and seasonal botanicals at the front door and bud vases around the house — desk, vanity, bedside, even kitchen sink. In the spring, I always put fresh flowers on my weekly Whole Foods run. Just divide up a single bouquet, and it really goes far. In addition to florals, it’s time for all the heavy duvets and wool/cashmere throws to go into storage and for lighter-weight knits and linens to come back out! (Hint: I store linens with dryer sheets in muslin bags, and they stay fresh until they come out again for next season.)

Local designers offer their tips for budget-conscious ways to refresh the look and feel of your home for spring

ARNOLD WAYNE JONES | Executive Editor
jones@dallasvoice.com

It’s spring, the traditional season for sweeping away last year’s (or last decade’s) décor with some smart, attractive ideas. You can always hire a talented interior designer, write a check and let them handle it. But if you don’t have that kind of disposable income, we have the next-best thing.

Thrift Studio is a month-long pop-up shop featuring luxury home furnishings and original artwork displayed in stunning vignettes created by eight of the city’s top interior designers. The items on display are available for shoppers to purchase at a fraction of the cost you’d pay at tony ateliers. And best of all, 100 percent of proceeds benefit Dwell with Dignity, a charity that helps families escape poverty and homelessness through quality living conditions … one household at a time.

You can purchase incredibly well-priced items at the Thrift Studio showroom in the Design District through April 27, but we also tapped some of those very designers to share their tips on how to spruce up your own living space.

Dwell with Dignity’s Thrift Studio, located at Dallas Design Center, 1250 Slocum St. ste. 550, is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Admission is free. Follow Dwell with Dignity’s Instagram, @DwellwithDignity, for special promotions and additional markdowns on individual items. For more information, visit www.ThriftStudio.com.

Alice Cottrell + Russell Brightwell
Start over with accessories and books — the ones you already have, we mean. It’s a free and easy way to revive your space. (Your accessories don’t have to be set in aspic!) Start by removing everything from all coffee and side tables, bookshelves and nooks, then rethink each surface. Just swapping objects and books from one surface to the next, or one room to another, can make both rooms feel surprisingly new and different. If there’s money budgeted, purchase some new books or objects to liven things up — a bold but inexpensive artist-designed vase from MoMA Design Store, for instance. Buy what you like over time and create a collection of meaningful things that you can deploy at will.

 

Russ Peters and Bill Cates, Peters Cates Design
Go green! Indoor plants are the rage…again! Folks who remember the ’70s know that plants can beautifully alter a space and are completely legal mood elevators! Potted or plated, hanging, large or small — they are budget-friendly and, well, calming. Green is the new black. Hit up World Market for cool, boho containers and inspirations. Our vignette for Dwell with Dignity’s Thrift Studio featured a spectacular potted arrangement from Dallas’ own Urban Spikes. Check out their Instagram
@urbanspikes for instant inspiration.

 

Holly Hickey Moore
A new coat of paint can freshen up any space, even if it’s just touching up your existing paint color from scuffs, gouges, stains and oily fingerprints. Don’t forget to include touching up your baseboards and the trim around your doors and windows!

Brant McFarlain, R Brant Design
Hang a new mirror, add a stylish floor lamp, keep vases filled with fresh flowers, or change out your throw pillows for something more colorful — small statements can give your home a fresh face for spring.

Alison Gross Dale, Harbinger Design
I love using the same printed fabric in multiple applications in one room — for example, the drapery fabric in your bedroom window treatments is also the headboard fabric. It gives the room a sense of completeness.

Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry, Pulp Design Studios
Try swapping out the darker fall/winter tone textiles for fresh, crisp, brightly-colored ones. A room can easily be transformed by switching out darker pillows and throws for bright ones that scream, “spring is here!” Fresh flowers are also a great way to liven up a space.

Judy Aldridge
My advice for budget-minded shoppers is: shop secondhand! Local thrift stores and consignment stores offer endless opportunities for treasure hunters. There are also great online sites, like Chairish and eBay. Finding a secondhand sofa and having it reupholstered is a great and economical way to have your own custom piece.