Decorate Like Anthropologie Without Buying A Thing

Listen up, Anthropologie fans: You can afford this store.

If you're like me, you swoon over Anthropologie's boho-chic aesthetic. I'm not talking about the flirty cardigans or the tea towels. It's the store's overall look, the kind you want to pack up and take home to your pad – but not for the asking prices.

Here's how you can achieve the same look – but without buying anything in the store. Whether you reside in a 1920s bungalow or a sleek urban townhouse, it will work. Trust us.

What we like: Storybook Romance Dishtowels, $42 (set of three)
How to copy it: Visit your local antiques mall and we're pretty sure a vintage dishtowel with colorful embroidery like this one will cost about 25 percent less. And it probably came from an authentic farm kitchen – as opposed to assimilating a romantic farmhouse scene...


What we like: Vintage-look apron (Lulea, $32; Cupcake Wrapper, $38)
How to copy it: Go back to the antique store where you scored the vintage dishtowels and look for an apron that dates back to the '60s or earlier. Look for a front pocket, a retro and colorful pattern, and straps that tie around your neck. Attach some ric-rac fabric trim, fringe or pom poms to the hem, arms or pockets. Or, even a simple sewer could whip up one of these with the right funky print on cotton fabric, easily available through eBay, Craigslist.org or a fun fabric shop.

What we like: Tocca Boxed Candle (10.6 ounces), $36
How to copy it: If you can't find a cabbage-rose or tiare-flowers scented candle, don't fret. Borrow from the other influences. Burn candles with scents like ocean-air, coconut and grapefruit. We suggest the Harry Slatkin's candle line (think: island margarita scent!) selling at Bath and Body Works for $19.95 a piece.

What we like: Casa Mila bed, $1,698
How to copy it: My jaw fell when the manager of a Midwestern Anthropologie store shared that she'd sourced the gorgeous, iron bed frame that overflowed with the retailer's fluffy, folksy linens and blankets out of – are you ready for this? – someone's curbside trash. Now you probably won't find this on your first dumpster dive but, yes, this is an old-style bed and can definitely be purchased used.

What we like: Flea-Market-Find table, $298
How to copy it: Doesn't the title say it all? Even if you don't live in Paris and have access to les puces (that's French for flea markets), hunt down a small table like this at a resale shop, paint it a chic color and you pretty much have this same table, probably for under-$25. Tip: Give the table just one coat of paint so that you have that distressed look that made Rachel Ashwell famous.

What we like: Iris Quilt, $228
How to copy it: The homespun pattern and stitches in this quilt could be the perfect project for a beginning sewer. If you're feeling crafty, roll a shopping cart through a local resale shop and procure some vintage fabrics to stitch up your own. Or, ask a crafty friend or relative to whip up a quilt using recycled fabrics, and with patterns and patches in primary colors and contrasting patterns.

What we like: Monogrammed Mug, $6; and Flares and Fountains fabric letter, $14
How to copy it: In lieu of purchasing a new product, take an item already in your house – toothbrush holder, hand towel or coffee mug – and add your initials to it using a paint and a paintbrush, iron-on letters or a needle and thread. As for the fabric-covered letters, we think that's a sweet weekend project that won't take more than an hour. Outline the letters you want to display on a sheet of cardboard, cut them out and then wrap with your fabric choice. It doesn't even have to be dimensional. A simple hook on the back will still allow it to hang on the wall.