Wow, did you see it? I did. I could not believe it - today I saw a bright ball of light in the sky that brightened up the world! It has been awhile, but I think in other areas of the country they call it the sun. I even had the patio door open with fresh air flowing throughout the house. That is the thing about spring, it is fresh. The air smells great, if you hang sheets outside they smell extra clean, fresh little buds form on the trees and little green sprouts of spring flowers pop out of the thawing ground.

Spring makes you want to clean (well, maybe some of us) and freshen things up. Pamela Bayer, a well-known local interior decorator, gave me the scoop on the latest ins and outs for this spring. You might have seen Pamela on WKYC's morning show, In Good Company. She had a hand in the decorating of the Rachael Ray Show and Inside Edition.

"Paint your interior and exterior," stated Bayer. She suggested using neutral colors and she did not mean white or off white. Today's robin egg blue, pale green and cocoa brown all fit in that category. Lighter looks or subtle tones are in. Paint freshens up a room without a lot of cost or trouble, anyone can do it - well almost anyone, I have this friend, well never mind that story is for another day.

Pamela says that stripes are big and that is exactly what she meant. The three, four and five inch wide stripes are in for painting, wallpaper, pillows, comforters, and anything else you can put a stripe on.

As the saying goes, what goes up must come down. Well what is "in" must go "out" and never fear it will be "in" again. Hey, bell-bottoms and mini skirts came back! Remember the shears we had as window treatments back a "few" years ago? Well, they're back! Shears instead of heavy draperies, not for privacy, but they look beautiful. The rods to hang the treatments on are now decorative metal poles in a rubbed color finish such as a rust, gold or silver.

Not only shears are back but shag! These are not your 70's shag carpets like the long stuff that got caught in the vacuum and fortunately hid the crumbs, but it is a short, twisted shag that is almost a combination of shag and pile carpet. My daughter has this carpet and it is thick, rich looking and easy to maintain.

"The trend is a modern, streamlined, geometric, crisp and clean look," explained Bayer. "Stainless steel, entertaining more in the kitchen, glass inserts in the tile and splashes of color throughout the kitchen," she added.

Pamela is an active gardener and that is the next step the outdoors, but my decorating tip to you is as follows; stay indoors and do the painting, cleaning and brightening before it is time to do the yard work, otherwise the yard becomes overwhelming and there is no time for the interior.

According to Lori West ASID, of Everyday Spaces, Inc., color is the key. Colors are turning to the softer side such as peach, melon and muted yellows and oranges. Blues, greens, aquas, purples, and pink will be used in brilliant and subtler hues.

So what does this mean? Put the mini skirt back in the cedar chest for another 30 years, drive to Home Depot and pick up a few cans of the "new" colors including sage green, the sea foam blues, or black and white and don't forget your free paint stick! Have fun and brighten up your spring.

Pamela Bayer Interiors specializes in consumer, corporate and industrial interior design and general contracting projects, from traditional to contemporary, sort of from the curb to the couch, the foundation to the faucets and inside and out.

Visit www.pamelabayer.com to view some of her work including information about the designing she did for the Rachel Ray Show and Inside Edition. Pamela is always available for questions and on the site there is a place to do so.