One of the great things about spring is that every year it offers us a chance to take a step back and look at what we’ve accumulated in the past year. So, when you’re tackling those projects, be sure to add a surprise or two that will distinguish your style and surprise your guests this spring. Here are a few tips to get you inspired to finish those projects and get the creative ideas flowing.

• Extend the beauty that’s outside the home inside. Dust off your window treatments and let in the sunlight. Incorporate nature’s energy by painting your walls with an earthy and fresh color such as Farrow & Ball Cook’s Blue. If blue is not your color, go for calm and fluid colors that will help transition guests from the outside into your home.

• Don’t be predictable in your designs, add some flair or color to your home. Paint a wall a bold color like fire-engine red for a surprise that makes your guests go wow! Before completing your project be sure to ask yourself how you can spice it up.

• Take risks and don’t be ashamed of them. Push the limits of design and style. Put an object in a room it normally doesn’t belong in and showcase your sense of humor in the process. It’s not the object that adds a surprise, but how you use it. For example, add a tabletop lamp to your kitchen countertop and it’ll be perfect for low-light entertaining with guests.