Unless you live in a state that shows off year-round sunshine, the month of February tends to be a little drab and dreary. The cold winter weather lingers while the spring rain tests its waters. It’d be easy to acquire a gloomy state of mind until the grass is green again. This year, fight the gloominess by incorporating color and brightness into your home! The perk of a personal living space is that it can be as bright and cheerful as you want it to be, without any regard to what the world looks like outside.

Aside from the fact that bright attributes in your home will brighten your mood, they will also grab the attention of those passing by or visiting and could create an interest in potential buyers, if you are or soon will be selling your home.

Here are some ideas on how to brighten up a drab day in your colorful confines:

• Visit a flea market or a local antique shop and purchase some affordable and unique table lamps, floor lamps or sconces to add literal brightness to any room.

• Trade in your thick window curtains with Roman shades or lacy curtains that allow light to seep through. Choose deep red tones or floral prints that will emphasize sunshine and sunsets.

• Purchase white or light wood furniture, and outline the drawers or legs in a bright color of paint. With stencils, paint a design all over the piece.

• Add colored panels to flank your outside windows. Opt for royal blue, maroon, deep red or off-white, depending on the tone of your exterior.

• Switch your front porch lights with colored bulbs. Opt for purple, pink, bright yellow or some other pastel that reminds you of the upcoming spring.

• Add some plants or flowers to your front porch or a visible garden. Research what types of plants will grow in your area in February, such as skunk cabbage, Russian sage, white fir or winter honeysuckle.

• Hang a wallpaper border in your kitchen or bathroom, displaying bright sunflowers or ruby red apples. It will brighten a room without changing the paint color. If you grow tired of it, you can remove it with minimal work.

• Cozy up by a fire or the television with a bright-colored blanket. When not in use, throw the blanket across the back of the couch. It can add a bright flare to any room.

If you have your own ideas on how to add color and cheerful brightness to a drab room, share your idea with other Buy Owner Blog readers. Warmer months are in our future!