Spring Decor: How to Use Accessories to Add Color to a Neutral Home

In this post: One of the simplest, easiest and least expensive ways to add seasonal color to your neutral home is by adding spring decor accessories to your rooms.

Are you just about ready for some color now?

It seems I alternate my time between stripping the color away in my rooms and adding it back shortly thereafter.

But there’s a method to my madness! I promise.

In my heart of hearts, my preferred style is a pared back look of aged and textured surfaces in muted neutral tones. In that environment, a touch of gilding or a bit of rustic iron serves as enough contrast to add plenty of interest.

But even for me, a person who scans a room for the smallest bit of obtrusive color to remove when I’m going for the purest state of neutral, there are times when nothing but a lovely color story will do.

And spring is one of those times.

Why You Should Start with a Neutral Base

This is by no means an argument against neutrals. Quite the contrary.

Without a doubt, an underpinning of white, greige or beige walls, with neutral rugs and furniture is the simplest and most effective way to host a range of varied palettes that can adapt with your taste and outlook.

And that is exactly the point. While I do enjoy my neutral rooms in their elegant neutral glory, I still enjoy playing with color. It’s far easier to bring a fresh color story into a neutral room for seasonal flavor, or even on a whim, than to try to force a room with a specific palette into a different color direction that could potentially clash.

The same room can easily go from soft pastels in spring, to sunbaked brights in summer, and rich jewel tones in fall, to classic holiday hues in December.

A neutral base allows you to explore alternative visual themes as the mood strikes, rather than constraining you to a predetermined look.

How to Use Accessories to Add Color

So, if the big pieces are entirely neutral, where is the color going to come from?

If you keep a library of accessories in an array of hues, this is the best place to start. Combine them in different ways to create a variety of different looks for your preferred theme at any given time. Pair blush pink with red for Valentine’s Day, then bring it back for spring mixed with other soft pastels. Shop your home for the basics, then add a few new pieces to add a bit of freshness.

In this post, I’ve brought a lovely spring ambiance into my home, inspired by the budding colors of nature. The look utilizes sophisticated pastels, timeless florals and botanical prints to bring a touch of the outdoors into the home. 

Easy Spring Decor Accents

Following are some of my favorite home accessories to use to bring color into your spaces. These accents tend to be less expensive than changing your major pieces and they’re easy to move around and to store.

Flowers and Branches

These can be fresh flowers or faux options and can include anything from blooms to seasonal branches. Try a lush but simple arrangement of a single type of flower in a pretty floral vase, or mix several spring classics in a more complex bouquet.

Try forsythia branches, cherry blossoms, dogwood stems or a cluster of pussy willows. I also enjoy bringing hyacinths into my home as soon as they are available to enjoy their intoxicating smell.

Other spring favorites include tulips, daffodils and lilies of the valley, which work great with my pastel color feeling.

Pillows

A little color goes a long way and in a living room or den a strong statement can be made using primarily pillows and other textiles. Much like styling a table or really any room, the key to communicating a concept is to find a pivotal piece that embodies the theme, and then surround it with items that complement that look.

In this case, the botanical appliqué pillow is the central piece, bolstered thematically by the blush crochet pillow and mint mohair throw. 

Select a palette you are happy with and then choose a mix of patterns and solids that tell the story of your seasonal theme.

Throw Blankets

Like pillows, throw blankets are super simple way to add a pop of color to any corner of a room that needs it. Toss one on a sofa, over a chair, on the bed or even in a basket on the floor, to provide a much welcome accent.

During a season that brings with it changeable weather, they can also supply some warmth on a chilly day, so they’re functional as well as pretty.

Use both patterns and solids and include textures, as well, and blend them in with the textiles around them.

Tableware

You can always set a pretty table that makes wonderful use of your color palette. But you can also pull pieces from the table to scatter around your rooms for extra color. Think particularly of glassware and pottery, such a ginger jars, ceramic bowls and vases. Create a vignette on the kitchen island or on a console table, or really anywhere in need of a hint of color.

Below are some favorite spring accessories in my palette, in addition to the ones you see styled in the post. (Find the rest in the resource list at the bottom of the post.)

Cherry Blossoms | Blue Bird Pillow | Green and White Ginger Jar | White Floral Pillow | Mint Green Throw Blanket | Blush Pink Quatrefoil Ottoman | Etched Peony Glasses | Green Ceramic Bird | Blue and White Check Pillow | Nubby Blush Pink Pillow | Pale Blue Hexagon Ginger Jars | Floral Oversized Easter Egg

I’m absolutely delighted to have my home decorated in a way that’s easy to refresh for each season. I still have some rooms left to go that will also be moving toward a neutral underpinning. I love being able to add color and style without spending a fortune on new furniture, simply by layering in beautiful accessories!

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