Best buys: Budget design in Ross, Kohl’s, JCPenney ...
JCPenney also has a playful new Royal Doulton collection that includes stainless steel serving bowls with pops of color inside. The 9-inch-diameter orange bowl shown here was $40. The same collection includes ceramic plates and bowls with punchy graphics, including the 4.25-inch-diameter “Every Dog Has Its Day” and “Right As Rain” candy bowls pictured here, $25 for a set of two. JCPenney also has a Museum of Modern Art mini shop, where we found an owl kitchen timer from hip housewares designer Kikkerland, $15, as well as an old-school fingerprint art set so we can channel Ed Emberley, $12. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
At Cost Plus World Market, a 12-piece plate set with stand was just $24.99 -- an inexpensive and easy-to-store solution for holiday entertaining. The food-safe tree-slice serving piece, used here as a charger, was $19.99. Inexpensive tumblers did have visible seams common to inexpensive glassware, but the colors felt festive without screaming “Holiday!” Plus the price, $2.99 apiece, was hard to beat. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
These 18-inch boiled wool toss pillows with stitched detailing were just $24.99 each at Cost Plus World Market. Whereas a lot of budget throw pillows are sewn shut to save on construction cost, these had a zipper, giving the option of swapping out the thin polyester insert with a plumper down fill. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
For those who like holiday decor where the cute factor is kept in check, Kohl’s has this 19-inch-tall St. Nicholas Square deer, smartly dressed in a herringbone coat and coordinating scarf. Regular price: $19.99. We bought ours on sale for $13.49. Another surprise at Kohl’s: Elle Decor-branded decorative accessories that interpret trends for budget buyers. A set of three ceramic vases -- coordinated in color but contrasting in pattern -- are regularly priced at $29.99. We bought ours on sale for $11.69. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
Our pick at Kohl’s: small accent rugs, which frequently go on sale. This 24-by-40-inch jute and chenille accent rug with an exaggerated chevron pattern had a nice texture and a finished look. Regular price: $39.99. We bought ours for $15.99. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
The clearance inventory at Ross is ever changing, but baskets remain a consistent good buy. A 14-inch tall banana leaf basket good for trash or dog toys, perhaps, was $9.99. Coordinating nesting desk trays were just $4.99 and $6.99. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)
We spent most of our time picking through the shelves of Wal-mart in Duarte but still came up with few things that reflected decorating trends. We ultimately settled on these microfiber kitchen towels with retro prints, $2.48 each, shown here with basic solid towels, just $1.48. (Gary Friedman / Los Angeles Times)