Ahhhh, springtime! It’s almost time to sweep the cobwebs from our corners, say “au revoir” to the long dark nights, toss open the windows and let the light and fresh air in. Winter in Maine isn’t easy on our souls or on our homes and after a long, hard winter our homes can look a little worse for wear and tear. With a little energy and thought, jumpstarting springtime in your home is easy to do, even before the snow is gone and the robins return.

A great place to start is with a new coat of paint. Michelle Barbay, at Sherwin-Williams on Lisbon Street in Lewiston, has her finger on the pulse of what is stylish this year and can help you choose colors that will freshen up your home. Barbay offers color choices from a range of pallets including “brights, pastels and subdued” shades. The current trend is to choose multiple colors from one of these pallets for use in a single room. Color charts that Barbay shared describe the bright grouping as “expressive” and “high-energy,” and the pastel and subdued groupings as “fresh” and “airy,” “subtle” and “organic.”

Sometimes our color choices begin with a new piece of furniture. Michael Bonneau, at FX Marcotte in Lewiston, explained that casual furnishings are more popular this year than traditional styles. With new entertainment technology, the home has become the place to go for family fun and Bonneau sees a definite trend toward functional and comfortable home furnishings. Attractive and comfortable home office furnishings and cozy hardwood dining sets for the game room are also in demand.

Although leather is very popular, especially during the cooler months, furnishings can be upholstered with fabrics of any color, texture and pattern to match your chosen pallet. From pastels to pinstripes, it’s easy to select a fabric that will add a bit of spring freshness to your living spaces. According to Bonneau, “Grays are the new neutral,” and a look at popular home decor websites such as crateandbarrel.com and potterybarn.com will inspire you with shades of gray that are indeed versatile and fun.

Wooden, cottage-style furnishings, available in many sunny colors, remind us of lazy summer days at the seaside and bring that warm weather feeling indoors. FX Marcotte carries a line of cottage furniture, made locally in Saco by Maine WoodWorks. L.L.Bean, in Freeport, also has a large selection of sturdy and attractive cottage-style furnishings. Set a bookshelf or sofa table beneath a series of framed photographs of spring flowers or watercolor paintings with nautical themes to create a room where family will want to linger with a good book and glass of iced tea.

If the budget does not allow for new furniture, sometimes simply adding accent pieces such as new throw pillows in spring colors will do the trick. Coordinating these with new window treatments, especially sheers that let the light shine in, and soft area rugs that invite you to kick off your shoes is a relatively inexpensive way to add the freshness of springtime to the look of any room.

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