Top 7 spring furniture trends

Welcome, spring. We've anxiously awaited your return.

With your emerging colors, sense of renewal and sunny days, you have inspired us to bring some of your luster into our homes. We are ready to add a splash of color, mix up our materials and rearrange our spaces to herald your arrival.

For guidance on how to achieve the best looks for the season, we talked to up-and-coming St. Louis interior designers Marci Marsh, Julie Abner and Kim Taylor about their favorite decorating and design trends.

Here are seven fresh ideas we love to add a touch of spring to your home décor.

Reclaimed wood. The ultimate green choice in furniture involves reusing a discarded piece and re-creating its aesthetic and function. Distressed wood from old barns can be remade into wood counter tops. Antique wood flooring is highly coveted and old barn beams can be remade into fireplace mantels. The wood can be left unfinished for a rustic look or treated to create a more polished finish. Mixing distressed wood pieces in a more contemporary or eclectic space will warm the room and create a more interesting, layered style.

Jaca Table, reclaimed beachwood. It can be ordered through a designer, special order only. No pricing available.

French gray. Unlike the cooler, blue-grays of the past, French gray is a warmer, richer shade of neutral that adds depth to a room. It is more nature-inspired and worn rather than sleek and new. With a taupe-like base, it's a deep color that can change dramatically with subtle changes in lighting. The slate color palate is a sophisticated and simple base off of which brighter colors pop.

Translucent furniture. Lucite furniture has been around for years, and its popularity is on the rise again. The classic clean, sparse chair can look either modern or retro depending on the surrounding furnishings. Clear, plastic furniture can, indeed, be more than a passing fad. The airy look, with its lightness of being, resonates in this age of downsizing. Translucent furniture will not compete with any other element but makes its own minimalist statement. Shape and structure become especially important in this stripped-down version of furnishings.

Bold, vibrant accessories. If not spring, then when is the right time to accent a room with bold accessories in playful hues of yellow, green, purple or orange? The eye-catching colors lift spirits and draw the elements of bright sunshine, growing grass and blooming flowers indoors. From textile pillows to glass-blown vases, a seasonal change of accessories is a quick and easy way to update and freshen a living space.

Fabric and nail head furniture. Upholstered furniture may seem like a classic and safe choice until you discover pieces such as this fabric console table or side table with nail head detailing. In neutrals and soft textiles, this can provide a romantic look in a bedroom, while choosing edgier color and fabric can make a much louder statement in a family room. Remember, the cleaner the lines of the piece, the more impact the detailing will have.

Brushed bronze. Faucet metal choices can seem so fickle and susceptible to fads. The popularity of chrome faded as brushed nickel gained favor. Eventually nickel was passed over for the ultra-traditional look of oil-rubbed bronze. Unlike the dark, oil-rubbed bronze fixtures that dominated bathroom and sink handles the past few years, this brushed bronze is a much lighter, contemporary look. The brushing creates a reflective, shiny effect, while the color is rich enough to work in either a contemporary or traditional setting.

Geometric mirrors. The reflective surface of a mirror instantly expands the space in a room, but a unique form will grab attention as a piece of art, as well. You can transform a mirror from an accessory into a focal point by choosing a geometric shape. The unexpected shape adds flair to function.