By C.R. Rae
Staff writer

Spring is a great time to brighten your surroundings. After being buried in snow and looking through the winter yuck on your windows to see the outside, how about adding a little brightness to your home? Interior designer Pamela Bayer, of Pamela Bayer Interiors (PBI), said that there are simple, cost effective things that you can do yourself to add great little touches to the interior of your home.

BRIGHTEN YOUR SPRING Pamela can help you brighten your surroundings.

Recently Bayer did just that for a client. A little pick me up for the home. She said start with your welcome mat. That's right, start at the front door. Bet your mat doesn't look that great after the winter, so find something that brightens the area - big flowers or beautiful colors.

According to Bayer, this year's colors for home and for dress are blues, reds, berries, yellow and metallic such as copper tones. Once you have the perfect welcome mat start at the interior entrance to your home and add a new area rug, a spray of berries over a mirror or new candle stick holders and candle sticks.

In the living room, throw caution to the wind and throw some new pillows and a new throw on the sofa. It is amazing how those simple tasks can give your room a fresh look. If you have a mantel, try some hurricane glass lamps with candles instead of the old dark wooden ones you have had there since the 70s.

In the dining room, if you have a chandelier with shades, change them. Add a new runner to your table using the new colors for this year. For about a yard of material per chair, you can reupholster your dining room chairs yourself in a short amount of time.

How about the powder room? Are your decorator towels dusty after all these years? Buy some new ones along with a new area rug. Bayer said that on several occasions, she has added a holder with colorful paper hand towels in powder rooms, and they are available at local stores such as Bed Bath and Beyond and Linens and Things.

In the bedroom add a new dust ruffle, pillow shams and comforter or duvet cover etc. Have a bench or table you would like to use but it is just out of fashion? Try painting it.

For the most important room of the house, the kitchen, try new placemats and napkins. They can spruce things up a bit. A new canister set can make a change. Bayer stated that in one home the client sewed a color trim on a basic white window treatment for her kitchen, and it was beautiful and cost under $20.

So simple things in life can make a difference. On a one-day trip to your local home store or Target you can find everything you need to spruce up for spring and accent your living space.

Pamela Bayer Interiors (PBI) specializes in consumer, corporate and industrial interior design, and general contracting projects, from traditional to contemporary, from the curb to the couch, and the foundation to the faucets, so to speak.

Pamela can be seen on NBC's Good Company Today (Cleveland WKYC channel 3) and has decorated sets for Rachael Ray, Inside Edition and the neighbor down the street. She can be reached at 330-653-9289 and the web site is www.pamelabayer.com.