Now that spring is here, it's time to start thinking about making the inside of your home as vibrant as the flowers, birds and trees outside. Incorporating lots of color into your space doesn't necessarily mean you have to opt for neons or other in-your-face hues, though. By working with pastel shades, you can achieve a cheery vibe that's a bit more subtle than the stronger, bolder versions of those colors. 

Consider some of these ideas for decorating with pastels:

Go all out – You may have a specific shade in mind that you're just itching to use in the interior of your house. If this is the case, interior design experts recommend sticking with the same color and bringing it all together in a certain section of your home. Pale yellow is a popular choice for 2013. "As the world gradually turns the corner out of recessionary times, yellow represents a positive outlook," says Sonu Mathew, an interior designer with Benjamin Moore.

Mix them with bright shades – If you do love the idea of decorating with trendy neon hues but you don't want it to be too overwhelming, a great way to tone them down a bit is to combine them with pastels. You can paint the walls pale blue, for example, and then add some bright orange accent pillows. At Bazaar Home Decorating, a Milwaukee fabric store, we make custom pillows, allowing our customers to choose their own unique materials from our wide selection.

Use them on the outside of the house – Recently, we shared tips on painting the exterior part of a property with bright colors. With this in mind, you may want to consider splashing some pastelb paint on your shutters, front door or flower pots.