It is a wonderful idea to subtly evolve and restyle your living environment with the seasons, reflecting  changing thoughts and moods throughout the year.

 Restyling a space – moving artwork, furniture and mixing in new accent colours in accessories, plants, cushions and throws – can totally transform your home’s dynamic and create a space that feels ‘new’ and inspiring, without necessarily changing very much at all.

Restyling a dining room is very straightforward, simply add a new accent colour in your placemats, china and candles; I recently added teal blue accents to mine. The Conran Shop does a fabulous selection of coloured candles, I love Nina Campbell’s coloured glassware while Mrs Alice is amazing for fun original placemats.

Changing  art around makes a tremendous difference too when tweaking an interior for Spring, and is my absolute top tip when restyling. I added a turquoise painting by Nancy Cadogan above the bar in my living room and it created a whole new dynamic. . I also recently added a   metallic abstract work by British artist Emily Swift-Jones to the dining room which is heavily textured but also  light and fresh for spring:  one change has totally refreshed the room.

The addition of one unusual antique will revive your interior instantly. Antique furniture anchors the space and creates a unique talking point. In the corner of the room I have placed an antique, turquoise, chinoiserie bureau piece that I found at the Battersea Arts Fair. I love it because the colour is so unusual and eye-catching. Also, I can close its doors and hide all my stationery when not in use; not every day can be a tidy day!

Instead of changing out curtains, consider adding a new leading edge or border detail to  spruce up existing curtains. I recently added this beautiful geometric embroidery by Holland & Sherry. Their ‘Adorned Trim’ collection is superb, I use it for so many of my projects.

This spring I have installed a beautiful new kitchen by specialist joiner Humphrey Munson. I chose tones of soft grey for a peaceful and fresh feel. To add subtle colour to a kitchen, consider  paintings, chinaware and seasonal cut flowers. They lift the mood and soften what can often be a colder space. Pride of place in my kitchen are a pair of ceramic chickens I bought at Sotheby’s from the late Duchess of Devonshire’s estate.

My top design tip for spring is to create a chic outdoor dining area: The simplest of outdoor tables will immediately look fabulous if you add a colourful tablecloth and cushions. I have dressed up a plain picnic bench in my garden, transforming it into a really special spot for relaxing. Add flowers and fun colourful plates and you immediately have an impactful and inviting backdrop for lunch with the children or visiting friends.

Sign Up To Our Newsletter

Katharine Pooley's top tips, design, ideas, trends and more...


Architect Registration Board | Katharine Pooley
Butterfly Conservation - Sustainability | Katharine Pooley
SBID | Katharine Pooley
BIID | Katharine Pooley
RIBA - Royal Institute of British Architects | Katharine Pooley
PCI DSS Compliant Validated by Security Metrics | Katharine Pooley