Bring a Bit of Spring into Winter-Weary Home Decor

Longing for warmer weather? Why not try to work a little sunny sentiment into your winter waning décor? Here are five spots to hit in our three towns for finds that fit any budget from $5 to $50 on up.

South Orange:

Ultimate Upholstery & Drapery- Tucked behind a small storefront on Valley, you’ll find a great resource for breathing new life into old furnishings and witnessing the transformative powers of fabrics and prints firsthand on the pieces being worked on in shop.

It’s also a perfect place to give your old throw pillows a spring facelift by creating custom covers that could be as affordable as $25 (For a basic zip cover up to 20 x 20 if you have your own fabric or about $40 if you pick from their remnants). One of the partners, Cino, also points out you’ll be buying something you can take off, maintain and dry clean—as opposed to tossing—with the seasons.

Little Candle Shop – This quaint little South Orange Avenue shop sits on the farther end of town and sports somewhat elusive hours (Fri-Sun, noon – 6pm) but still attracts a loyal clientele with its sumptuous selections of aromatic candles, fragrance mists and skin care.

Featuring an enticing array of scents like Bamboo Sugar Cane, Moroccan Fig and Lemongrass Verbena, this is just the place to ignite your home and your senses with some warmth. Prices start at $5 for a 2oz. Trapp votive, which makes for a very affordable way to sneak some spring into your winter.

Millburn:

Shala – A Millburn Avenue mainstay, Shala maintains a following with a colorful assortment of unique gifts and décor that are nearly all American made and, adds the selective namesake owner Shala, “Made to last!”

Big sellers here are bold patterned buckets and bins sure to brighten any room and keep clutter cleverly contained. The six section organizational bins will set you back $40. Inviting guest soaps are another way to wash away winter doldrums with a cute and colorful array of springy motifs like ladybugs and butterflies to choose from for $9.

Suburban Paint & Wallpaper Co.- Ah, behold the power of paint to give you the most bang for your decorating buck! From spray painting a side table to transforming the foyer or bathroom with a fresh coat of color, a little paint goes a long way, and this small shop is just the place to set your color cravings free.

Oscar, Steve or Maura are primed to point you in your perfect paint direction, but Oscar says you also can’t go wrong with Benjamin Moore’s environmentally conscious Aura paint Affinity line—which is entirely color coordinated. Yes, each shade in this line matches with every other shade and you can take away a sample-sized container for $3.99 just to make sure you’ve met your match.

“Paint’s a wonderful way to transform any space without making a huge investment,” says sales associate Oscar. 

Maplewood:

Lotus Petals Floral Design – This truly is a destination location for springing into serenity and a sunny mindset. Owner Peggy Excell-Stone has created a calm, comforting world of beauty within the walls of her Baker Street "holistic florist." The shop features floral design, fresh-cut flowers and potted plants, a full line of holistic products and complimentary accessories and décor.

“Fresh flowers or plants can change the energy in any room,” says Peggy. “There have been studies that show that they have beneficial effects on people's mindsets and can make them more productive, social and healthier.” Sounds like a reasonable reason to leave with an exotic potted succulent garden ($45) or a bouquet of exquisite flowers to me.

She also suggests therapeutic oils and incense for ushering some sunnier sentiment into your environment. “Fragrance is the strongest memory trigger that exists,” explains Excell-Stone, who showcases a fragrance of the day at Lotus.

Now go on out and get yourself a little piece of sunshine!