Top tips on treating your windows to a spring fling!

"Blinds tend to take pole position when the weather perks up and the days get lighter and brighter," says Sarah Quilliam, head of product design at Hillarys.

"Heavier fabrics are great during chilly dark winter months when we want to cosy up but it’s generally curtains for curtains come spring when we want to let the sun shine in and make the most of the light. Changing your window dressing to a blind is also an easy and relatively inexpensive way to breathe fresh life into a room to update its look and help banish those post-winter blues.

"Here are some ideas and trends for making the most of the light in spring 2008."

Spring greens Hot on the heels of the catwalk, trend spotters predict a move towards earthy green in interiors, a colour that brings the outdoors inside and a fresh uplifting feel to any room. It’s also extremely versatile as colour schemes can be muted and subtle or strong and bold. So why not infuse your home with a dose of feel-good factor by adding a touch of green at the windows?

Light fantastic Encourage the light to flood in to your kitchen with a pastel coloured blind.

Shutters are also a great spring window dressing as they’re the definitive way to control light as well as being a style statement that gives a lovely focal point to the room. And depending on the type of shutter you go for, you can actually have the top half operating differently from the bottom half to give even better light control – as well as the look you want.

Bloomin marvelous

Make it spring all year round with lovely tulip adorned roman blinds.

Strike the right note for spring with an uplifting combination of vintage style floral blinds and country style wicker baskets – great for storing and hiding all that kitchen clutter.

Let there be less light?! Putting the clocks forward to herald the start of the great British Summertime, with the promise of longer, lighter evenings, sunny mornings and relaxed alfresco entertaining is a welcome thought. But for parents of small children, this can be tempered by the trials of getting them to sleep while it’s still light outside or having them bouncing about and ready for action at the crack of dawn. The perfect solution to make your child’s room a restful haven for sleep is to cut down the light is a roman or roller blind with a special dim or black out function.

Morning glory Gardens are seen as an extension of the home with more and more people eating, relaxing and entertaining outside. But when it comes to DIY projects and sprucing up your abode during spring, the exterior of your home often gets neglected.

An awning is a great way of revamping the outside of your home, transforming your patio into a welcoming and comfortable space, perfect for those family barbeques, and get-togethers during the sunnier months of summer. And with sun and wind sensors available, you’ll be able to dash inside from those March winds (and April showers!) whilst the awning takes care of itself!

Awnings are fully motorised and available in a choice of over 60 stylish yet durable fabrics.

Spatial awareness Think about how you use space indoors. Replace curtains with neat blinds and a bay window makes a great place for your bed and because a larger area of the floor is instantly visible it’ll make the room look bigger.