'Fixer Upper' Star Joanna Gaines Reveals Her Genius Decorating Trick That "Costs Nothing"
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If you’ve ever swooned over a quintessential Joanna Gaines room — layers of neutrals, natural materials and cozy textures — you’re in for a treat. The author and founder of Magnolia is giving fans a unique opportunity to learn more about her signature home style with the launch of a Masterclass that takes you behind the scenes of her design process. The key, says Joanna, is to get creative with your furnishings and layout so that you have a "story instead of stuff."
In light of her new launch, we reached out to the design star for her best tips for refreshing your home for spring. Joanna tells Good Housekeeping: “Spring is when everything comes back to life. It’s when nature reawakens and light pours in again throughout the house. It’s such a fresh-feeling season and I always want my home to reflect the shifts that are happening out in nature, so for me, the ideal spring decor is always going to come from a place of embracing nature and bringing the outdoors in.”
Keep reading for Joanna’s best spring decorating advice.
Clear the clutter.
"Spring, more than any other season, feels like this fresh page, this blank slate—so I typically let that feeling inspire a bit of early spring cleaning around the house," she says. "For me, that looks like decluttering, getting rid of all the non-essentials we’ve accumulated in the last year, paring back the decor and cleaning out drawers. It can feel a bit daunting at first, but I love the result."
"Our home feels like it has space to breathe, and like we’ve made a way for fresh inspiration and creativity to move in. After that, I’ll light a candle and then head out to the garden to snip a few stems. If the only thing you do is edit a single room, you’ll love what happens to your perspective. With a little more breathing room, you’ll get to see the things you chose to keep and love with fresh, grateful eyes—and that’s a really beautiful place to start a new year."
Embrace nature.
"Whether it’s through new plants and florals, I swap out my blankets and throw pillows for lighter fabrics like cotton and linen in a softer color palette or delicate pattern," Joanna says. "Then I incorporate any natural elements, like woven baskets and ceramic pots, into different spaces. Texture that feels heirloom, like it was always there, has a way of warming up a space in a really natural, organic way."
Introduce “small, simple swaps.”
"Making seasonal changes in your home should never feel like this big overhaul. It’s more about small, simple swaps that will cue you and those you live with to the changes happening in nature, and then intentionally making space to celebrate those changes in your home," Joanna tells GH. "In our house, seasonal shifts look like swapping in seasonal stems and branches, bringing in colors and textures that reflect what’s happening in nature, and always a scent that defines the season we’re ushering in. For spring, it’s our Fresh Start and Linen candle at Magnolia."
Look to your yard.
"The simplest thing you can do, especially in spring, is go forage in your own yard for early blooms or branches and give them a place on your dining table or kitchen counter in a vase that you love. It costs nothing, and I promise you’ll have so much fun getting outside and letting yourself be curious and creative," she says.
Don’t feel the urge to try every spring decor trend.
"Like with most design and styling choices, balance is key. While I love the rhythm of swapping in a few new pieces each season, I never want my home to feel like this drastic shift is taking place," Joanna says. "That can get costly, and feel fleeting. For me, it’s about keeping the heart of my home timeless and choosing furnishings that I know will be long-lasting, and then when it’s time to usher in a new season it’s fun to look for those small moments around my home where I can sprinkle in seasonal flourishes—maybe a new vase with freshly snipped stems, a new tea towel in my kitchen or playing up a pattern that feels reflective of the season. In spring, I’m always looking forward to ways I can bring in hints of gingham, stripes or block-print florals."
And consider Joanna’s Masterclass, which has decorating gems like this...
Joanna Gaines: Designing a Home That Tells Your Story
"I really believe in this idea of creating "micro moments," which are small vignettes in your home—think the top of a console, corner of a countertop or a single shelf—that you curate with your favorite things to create this incredibly meaningful little moment in your home.
In my kitchen, I have this little micro moment by my sink. It’s a simple marble tray that I’ve styled with a few stems from the garden that I swap out seasonally, a tiny lamp and whatever "treasure" my son, Crew, has found that day. It’s so small that you might not even notice it at first glance, but when I’m standing there washing dishes, I can look over at that little slab of marble and my heart just swells. I just love the reminder that meaningful design doesn’t have to be grand or expensive. It’s those smaller moments of intention—a spring flower you love, art that speaks to you, a sentimental souvenir—that make all the difference."
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