Decorate with Crafts

Danelle Harvey and Deborah McCoy know a little something about risk versus reward: When the house flippers bought their first project property in 2008, it was against the better judgement of their loved ones. "We did our first flip against our friends' and family's advice," Danelle says. "And it ended up selling in three days!"

That initial success set them up for many more noteworthy rehab projects -- one of the most impressive being a brick Colonial in Decatur, Indiana, built in the 1940s. Bought at a sheriff's sale in late 2015, the house was "in really, really, really bad shape," Danelle recalls. "It hadn't been touched since the 1980s. We updated everything except the bricks, inside and out." In addition to opening up the floor plan, the team installed pineboard floors with square nails and put in new windows and doors.

All that hard work paid off, resulting in a cozy home just waiting to be filled with distinctive country decor -- and what better time of year to honor a refreshing renovation than spring? Country Sampler stylists Debbie Plantery and René Haines relished the thought of filling the house with cheery seasonal touches. "Spring is all about renewal, whether in the greater sense or even just around your home," René says. "This home's new look really works well with the flowers and lighter colors that are the hallmarks of this time of year." Read on for 19 bright and cheery ways to spread spring style throughout your home!

Island of Enchantment
1. Sweeten the deal. "I just love spring, especially decorating for Easter," Debbie says. "To greet the season right, set up a sweet centerpiece on a table or a kitchen island." Here, a mother-and-baby rabbit figure rests alongside a battery taper inside a colorful wreath. Debbie also layered an egg, clay pot and spatterware cup for effect.
2. Come around. Look through your garage, attic or basement to find a unique base for a vignette. This grouping rests on a cast-iron firepan borrowed from an off-duty outdoor fire pit. A lace runner contrasts the pan's workaday character.
3. Take it to a new level. Fill out your display with an accessory that peeks up from behind the main elements, such as this painted block boosted on a weathered drawer.

Compare and Contrast
4. Put it in neutral. Debbie brought in black-and-cream ticking textiles to repeat the kitchen's neutral features, which also balance dark and light. From black hardware installed on the lower cabinets to the gray-and-cream quartz countertop, the monochromatic furnishings set the stage for colorful spring touches.
5. Insert here. A napkin inserted into the handle of a petite watering can brings in some garden-inspired fun.
6. Go at a good clip. Nearby, a galvanized salt and pepper shaker caddy gets a new purpose as a host for pansy seedlings -- as indicated by the seed packet clipped on with a clothespin.
7. Wash up well. At the sink, a lidded canning jar soap dispenser makes cleaning up a stylish task.
8. Get on a roll. Enhance a vintage collection with a newer, related item -- here, a decorative rolling pin hung on a chain is a fitting companion for older examples.

Stairway to Heaven
9. Create a winning entry. "If you have room in your entryway, it's the perfect place to put a furniture grouping that welcomes guests and sets the tone for your home," René says. "This rug, comfy checked chair and turn-of-the-century buffet really invite people in."
10. Accessorize appropriately. Being in the foyer, this armchair might not serve as seating very often -- which makes it an ideal spot for an adorable oversize bunny that heralds the upcoming Easter holiday.
11. Crock and roll. Always be open to incorporating your favorite collectibles into seasonal scenes. Even though these crocks don't exactly scream "spring," they fill out the area nicely, whether overflowing with wood spools or left empty and boosted on a stool to adorn an empty corner.
12. Have it both ways. "I love using decorative boxes, such as this stacked set, in entryways," René says. "You can stash keys and other odds and ends inside, and their graphics add an extra element of interest." Layered table runners also amplify this display's visual charm.
13. Be eggscellent. If the change of seasons awakens your creative energy, go with it! René crafted a too-cute garland by alternating faux eggs and artificial daisies on a string, and she looped it over the buffet's knobs to brighten the front of the piece. A similarly fresh accessory tops the buffet, where an old lamp that Danelle converted into a night-light boasts a ring of daisy-dotted greenery.

Fresh as a Daisy
14. Let your style bloom. Although this vintage funeral flower basket has not-so-sunny origins, René turned it into a charming centerpiece by tucking in seasonal fare and fashioning a length of twiggy garland into a handle.
15. Stick with it. "I love these painted blocks, so I wanted to do something creative with them," René notes. She adhered wire skewers to the back of each letter block and inserted them into floral foam cut to fit in the basket.
16. Scatter your thoughts. Complementary daisy blocks join a sweet bunny figure to enhance the arrangement. Underneath, a checked runner layered atop burlap provides a one-two punch of texture.
17. Make a counter offer. A stepback hutch, a married piece or any other cabinet with a counter or tabletop makes for a top-notch display spot. Here, an old tool caddy hosts a variety of items, including graphic textiles, a metal scoop and a few canning jars.
18. Get wound up. Rework a plain grapevine wreath into a breath of fresh air by winding daisy-inspired ribbon around it and gluing on small coordinating blooms. Hang it from white rickrack for an extra dash of sweetness.
19. Renew your furniture. If your everyday tables and chairs aren't inspiring you the way they used to, consider giving them a makeover with chalky-finish paint and new upholstery in a light hue.

CRAFTER PRODUCTS
For more information, visit our Craft Fair online.

ISLAND OF ENCHANTMENT
Resin Momma Rabbit and Baby figure, The Unique Black Sheep
Spring Hare on Green vintage bunny battery-operated taper candle, Glory Days Mercantile
Spring wood block and wreath with spring eggs and berries, Valley Flowers and Gifts

COMPARE AND CONTRAST
Mason's Jars salt and pepper caddy and print mason jar soap dispenser, Heart-N-Hand
Dover napkins and place mats, Country Gatherings
Rolling pin, The Faded Clover
Spring words sign, Freed Souls Design

STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN
Mr. Nicholas Bunny and handmade basket, Homespun Blessings
Joseph's Coat rug, Colonial Braided Rug Company
Primitive Gatherings stacking boxes, Gainers Creek Crafts
Dresden Plate table runner, Choices Quilts

FRESH AS A DAISY
Bloom and daisy wood blocks, The Basket Shoppe
Heart appliquéd table runner, Country Fair
Terra-cotta sitting rabbit, Valley Flowers and Gifts
Prim ditty bag and prim pillow shell, Blue Cupboard Primitives, LLC