Switching it up for spring

The grass is turning green, our living space is expanding outdoors and our barbecue has come out of hibernation - all signs it's time to freshen up my home's interior too!

In addition to giving everything a good cleaning (check out some of my best tips in Make Life Easier March, and our full spring cleaning guide for more), I also like to rearrange my decor come springtime. All those long nights trapped inside during the winter months can blind you to how much you love that photo or vase in its current position!

I started off with my mantel, giving my large picture frame a summer update with a great graphic hit, courtesy one of Ikea's new fabrics.

Here it is before (though I promise, those stockings and presents have been long gone since January!):

And after:

I also swapped out the items on the mantel for the seasons, just to change things up a little bit more.

The candlesticks that were there previously ended up on my dining room table (which, I pray, won't be host to mismatched chairs much longer):

And the glass vase, which had been filled with ornaments, is now home to whatever lemons and limes we can keep in stock:

Even the pictures on the shelves beside my faux mantel got a bit of a re-jigging to make them feel new again:

Small changes, for sure, but they help make my home feel a little bit fresher, just in time to throw open all the windows and let the sunshine and fresh air in!