Little Things, Big Statements the best in spring home accesories

As I listen to the dreary tap-tap of a relentless March nor’easter pouring slosh on my windowpane, it’s hard to believe that spring is just a few weeks away.

But this misery will soon be forgotten in a flurry of bright tassels and embroidered throw pillows.

Traditionally a time of new beginnings, spring should be celebrated with careful home design accessorizing that combines sweet scents and vibrant colors to evoke unexpected awakenings.

Anthropologie is an international retail fashion destination, with a talented design team who carefully curates apparel and miscellaneous lifestyle treasures. Like the anthropologists they emulate, the team travels the world just to fill their store with the riches found off the beaten path. Their fashion line draws highly individualistic customers who exude sophistication and a je ne sais quoi sense of style, effortlessly keeping up with the trends and always staying ahead-of-the-curve.

Though not as well known, their home decor section is every bit as novel. This spring, these little finds will freshen up your home. Discover BWB’s favorite selections!

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Bold Color, Enchanting Designs

French decor and contemporary art are defining influences for the brand’s distinctive home collection.

According to Bernice Kelly, Home Decor’s Design Director, both are integral components in the design team’s creative process. Staff visits to art galleries and exhibitions are also routine. “Art and home decor go hand in hand. Oftentimes a particular artwork can spark a whole trend…. We travel the world to find exciting artists and products.”

Color, which Kelly calls “such an emotive element,” plays an important role in the process.

Their offerings include brightly-patterned quilts, shams, throw pillows and coasters, any combination of which can add vitality to a dull living room, bedroom or den:

• Euro sham and quilt sham
• Tufted desert throw
• Zellige and Gazola quilts
• Marisol and Magnolia pillows
• Velvet bedspreads
• Celestial coaster in bright turquoise

The Art of Dishes

Anthropologie’s dishes and glassware are done in palettes that speak to spring in mosaics of lilac, bright blue, sapphire, gold and grassy greens. Better yet, they are all designed in-house by an amazing design team.

•  Gold-accented dessert plate
•  Tisanne painted glassware
•  Sissinghurst Castle Dinnerware
•  Bellina Blooms bowl and mug
•  Grenada tumblers
•  Old Havana dinnerware
•  Strata dinnerware

Organization

If organization’s not really your talent, these little planners may help:

•  The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
•  The 52-Lists Project
•  Big Plans Planner

Daily Affirmations

These tasteful books inspire positive thinking and keep you centered:

•  52 Lists for Happiness
•  The Happiness Planners
•  Get Happy!
•  I Want To Be Calm
•  The 52 Lists Project
•  I Want To Be Organized

(you get the idea!)

Simple and Sweet

Scented candles can stimulate the senses and soften the home. At Anthropologie, they come in a variety of lively colors and pleasing perfumed scents like French Cade Lavender, Olive Leaf & Lemon, Wild Honeysuckle, Matcha Magnolia, and Bergamot & Rose.

Literary Longings

Pull up a chair: the books here are wonderful. My favorites include Michael Phillips’ Chelsea Market Cookbook, a collection of gourmet recipes inspired by stores and restaurants at Manhattan’s Chelsea Market, and Paris by Ladurée, a detailed city guide with a wealth of tips on where to shop, to dine, to live, what to see and what makes this city impossibly chic. It’s as close to being in Paris as you can get.

The New Bohemians by Justina Blarney is chock-full of great interior design ideas and features a menu of unconventional home design ideas, from Folksy Bohemian to Boho Chic.

Finally, no home office is complete without a writer’s journal. Anthropologie’s collection of journals will help you find your own inspirations. From the “Je Ne Sais Quoi” to “Keep it Simple” to “It’s Your Story: Write it Down,” they are artful pieces.