How to Decorate Anthropologie Style

Play with patterns. Decorate a bedroom with a patterned bedspread and chair. Frame eye-catching fabrics to hang on the wall. Mix colors or stick to one color family for a subtler look. Offset these patterns with solid-colored walls, pillows and other furniture. Use your judgment when balancing patterns; if it seems overwhelming, it probably is.

Personalize things. Keith Johnson, buyer-at-large for Anthropologie, says that decorative letters are among the company's top-selling products. Make your own wooden or even metal letters or recreate Anthropologie's many monogrammed items. Paint initials onto mugs, embroider or sew them onto bathroom towels or iron them onto your potholders.

Pull in some vintage items. Create an end table from a stack of old books or vintage suitcases. Hang vintage maps on the wall. Look for an antique chandelier to serve as a gorgeous statement piece that will be the highlight of your room.

Take on a few do-it-yourself projects for display in your home. Anthropologie's aesthetic is largely down to earth; homemade items will fit in perfectly. Model these after actual Anthropologie items, such as a suitcase end table, or come up with your own ideas.

Add lots of textiles. Layer several small throw rugs in a living room for an effortless look. Hang mixed fabrics on your walls or string twine for hanging.

Add something earthy. Plants bring a soothing, natural element to any room, even those that are less conducive to heavy decorating, such as kitchens and bathrooms. Turn a seashell-framed mirror or a driftwood candlestick holder into an afternoon project.

Display a varied collection of a particular item. Cover one wall of an entryway with antique mirrors of different sizes or line a narrow console table with an assortment of candles.

Add contrast. If you have a lot of lush fabrics, incorporate a rough element such as untreated wood. Use a wood-framed picture frame or a raw wooden end table to break up the luxuriant aspects.

Experiment and make it your own. Find items at thrift stores or rummage sales and incorporate them into an Anthropologie-inspired room. Integrate some personal items into the design, since Anthropologie's aesthetic is eclectic and seems to tell a story; yours can be authentic and personal. Keep in mind the purpose of the room and its livability.