Spring Decorating Ideas: Where to Find Them, Where to Buy Them

Spring has sprung a penchant for purchasing and with the weather turning to sunshine everyone is itching to see colorful flowers again and freshen up the look of their homes. Here are some places to help you get started. These will not only help you find ideas, but allow you to purchase your treasures at a fraction of the cost of retail stores. Choose from the most colorful, unique and reasonably priced online decor stores around.

Before you begin, it is always helpful to have in mind the look you want and to make sure it will incorporate into your existing furniture and decor. Deep red Chinese or orange Mandarin motifs may look great in the catalog, but do not exactly jive with Southwest, French Provincial or second-hand store early Americana. Second, decide in advance on how much you want to spend and can afford to spend reasonably. Perhaps you can make a goal of buying one piece each month and be sure to look for distinct stores with a sense of style that offer free shipping and other deep discounts. Finally, be flexible and patient. Know exactly what you are looking for, do not settle for what everybody else has, and be patient until just the right thing comes along. However, don't be surprised if you stumble upon something in a collection that looks better than what you had even envisioned. Also , be prepared for the inevitable "build it yourself" requirements (usually simple tools will suffice) when items are shipped or come in parts in the box.

COLLECTIONS, ETC.
2521 Busse Road
PO Box 7985
Elk Grove Village, IL 60009-7985
1-620-584-8000
www.collectionsetc.com

This is the catalog every grandma in our neighborhood subscribes to because they offer roughly over 140 new products each issue and there is NOTHING over $20. The best part of Collections is that they group their offerings into themes such as holiday, rose victorian, southwest mesa, maritime and nautical, baby, pets, garden, and finally kitchen and bath. I recently purchased a set of window screens (mahogany look with white lace inserts) at a fraction of what hardware and home decor retail stores would have charged and theirs would have needed sanding, painting and not have the delightful embroidered embellishments. This was a short two-piece set of three panel wood screens for setting on a window ledge or mantel. Since I have an open bar sink that faces into the dining area, I placed these along the island as kitchen shutters or little room dividers. They add warmth and charm to my dark mahogany furniture and help hide any splatter from the sink.

Collections does all the work for you by putting together wall shelves, rugs and curtains that all contain the same color combinations and designs. Many homes on our block have at least one of Collections' garden ornaments in their yard, but my favorite is the "Grandparents Couple" (grandma smiles curiously as grandpa gives her a surprise gift of roses) made of resin which costs only $14.99. Several items are as low as $9.99 especially in the kitchen helper area where you can get everything from towels to teapots in matching spring styles. Some of their floral garlands are LED lighted to give them extra excitement and Collections offers the most unique and handy craft kits such as a needlework frame, adjustable stand and magnifier set all in one for only $19.99. They usually offer a complimentary flat-rate shipping of only $4.95 if you order $40 or more of merchandise which helps if you are ordering heavier items.

SEVENTH AVENUE
1112 Seventh Avenue
Monroe, Wisconsin 53566-1364
1-800-356-9090
www.SeventhAvenue.com

This store offers high quality and unusual merchandise with easy payment plans. They take all major credit cards and offer their own easy Choose 'N Charge credit where you can order now and pay later. This little catalog offers clothing, bedding, bath ensembles and even large furniture pieces like computer armoires, pine taborets, and cherry carved secretaries. My picks for best quick makeovers are the floral Aubusson rugs (room size rugs include a FREE matching 21" x 34" accent rug); log cabin outdoor furniture of solid pine which includes rocking chair and rocker loveseat; and the wingback recliner with curving solid wood legs and floral upholstery for only $299. Be sure to read the fine print, some pieces may require assembly when they arrive. The best bargain: a three-piece Brasilia table set made of steel frame scrolls with beveled-glass tops, all three pieces for $99.

TERRY'S VILLAGE
P.O. Box 2309
Omaha, NE 68103-2309
1-800-200-4400
www.terrysvillage.com

This is a perfect place to find gifts and fun accents for your home. Forget dust collectors, these are truly one-of-kind collectible treasures. I recently picked out the blue stained-glass sailboat set for $14.95. These include two wire and glass boats measuring roughly 5 to 6" that you can set in a window ledge to catch the sunshine, a different twist on the standard suncatchers. I also bought the little recreational vehicle caravan set that includes a vintage woody station wagon, retro RV and little fishing boat on a trailer to inspire my vacation plans this summer. Made of resin connected with little metal links they measure 18" long for only $17.95 for the set. The shipping here starts at $6.95 when ordering up to $25 of merchandise plus they do offer express service. Terry's Village also provides a fax number (800-723-9000) for your convenience.

Here are also two final fun offerings for the office as well. "Design Your Own KLEENEX@ Tissue Box." If you go to MyKleenexTissue.com the online tools will help you select your design, change colors, add text and even upload your own photos to put on the oval-shaped box.
Also, if candy lovers can go to the M&M's@ candy site before May 27, 2007, at mymms.com/giftbox9 and enter the promo code GIFTBOX9, you can get a free signature gift box along with your custom printed M&M's@ where you can personalize the message on the candy pieces and choose from over 17 colors.