April Is National Decorating Month

Here are 10 great ways to celebrate with tips for sprucing up your home.

By Diane Franklin

It’s an annual tradition! April is National Decorating Month, the perfect motivation for homeowners to spruce up their surroundings. Consumers have 30 days to celebrate by moving forward with decorating projects, both large and small. Here are 10 suggestions for commemorating April, the most tasteful month of the year.

1. Paint something! In every house, there is probably at least one surface that is due for a paint job. It could be an entire room or just a single wall. It could be your bedroom ceiling or your basement floor. It could be a door, a piece of furniture, the shutters or baseboard molding. Freshen up the surface with paint, taking into account the latest and most on-trend colors.
2. Replace a window treatment. Somewhere in the house, you may have an outdated or worn-out blind or shade. Contact your local paint and decorating store to see if you can arrange a shop-at-home appointment to select the perfect replacement.
3. Update accessories. If you have had the same-old accessories on your tables, dressers, shelves or other surfaces for quite some time, now may be the time to switch things up. Remember the rule of three—three accessories grouped on a surface look better than two or four.
4. Give wallpaper a second look. The next time you find yourself in a paint and decorating store, spend a few minutes looking through the sample books to familiarize yourself with the latest patterns, colorways, and substrates. You may be surprised at how fresh and up-to-date today’s wallpaper can be.
5. Make your old floor new again. This month may be the perfect time to consider new carpet in your living room, new hardwood in your foyer or new laminate in your family room. If switching out the flooring in an entire room is out of a budget, consider updating the space with an area rug.
6. Revisit your kids’ rooms. If your child is now in elementary school but still living with “nursery” walls, it might be time for a decorating redo. Say goodbye to the old wallpaper or mural that your child has outgrown and redecorate the room in a style that reflects his or her current interest.
7. Convert a room. If you’ve put off turning that spare bedroom into an office or the kids’ former playroom into a man cave, perhaps this spring you can get started. Head to the paint store, pick out a color scheme and start making that dream a reality.
8. Create a focal wall. You can create a focal wall with a dramatic paint color, decorative effect, wallpaper or mural. Make the wall a true showcase in your living room, dining room, great room or bedroom.
9. Do a dramatic faux treatment. If you’ve always wanted to try your hand at a Venetian plaster or leather effect, now may be the time. Your local paint store is the perfect spot for products, inspiration, and instruction.
10. Use peel-and-stick wall décor to make a statement. Peel-and-stick wall products allow you to add fun patterns and design elements to your walls or furniture. They are easily removable, so you can be bold and daring, knowing that you can change the décor any time you like.