Glitzy lighting, velvet and more is in for spring

Glamping cabana or sexy velvet chaise?

These are some of the choices design shops are offering this spring. Retailers look forward to clearing out their shelves after the winter holidays and bringing out fresh collections just as daffodils start to bloom. Overscale hurricane lamps, chunky straw place mats, wooden cake stands and Easter egg-pastel curtains are of part of the new look.

We checked out what's starring in some of the home catalogs that are starting to hit mailboxes and inboxes. Here are some trends that caught my eye.

Velvet: Yes, retailers are crushing on velvet for spring. The boho fashion staple is showing up in living rooms and bedrooms.

"There is something about velvet that has a big appeal for all seasons," says Ann Haagenson, Anthropologie's merchandise manager for home decor. "It looks rich and gives a sense of texture."

Crate & Barrel is also showing velvet for hot weather. "We think velvet is seasonless," says Raymond Arenson, a Crate & Barrel executive vice president. "It's a luxurious texture, and luxury is trending in a big way."

Arenson likes velvet pillows layered in several hues, and so do I.

Daybeds and chaises: The romantic daybed and its cousin the chaise are more often found in vintage and antiques shops, but Anthropologie and other stores have modernized them with clean-lined shapes and fabrics such as leather, rattan and linen.

"We see them in larger bedrooms, dens and reading rooms," Haagenson says. "These pieces represent relaxation, casualness and ease."

They can also serve as a stylish guest bed as needed. A tailored model called the Victoria is part of the Ballard Designs spring collection.

Bold prints and patterns: A dramatic new upholstered bed, the Paradise Found Ainsworth, shows off one of the new bold print textiles at Anthropologie. This fabric design evokes a lush New Orleans landscape, brimming with oversize leaves and water birds in blues and greens.

"These Pucci-esque print fabrics are sort of like what you'd see in fashion on palazzo pants and pajamas," Haagenson says.

At Crate & Barrel, the vivid Petula collection features stoneware plates hand-stamped and painted with one large flower in the middle.

Glam lighting: Glitzy fixtures are turning up all over the house, in interesting combinations of materials.

"We have so many more hanging light fixtures now, and people are using them not just over dining room tables but over nightstands, conversation areas and in kitchens," Arenson says.

The Crate & Barrel Lure chandelier has rows of giant glass drops that catch light from all sides. You'll see glass, brass and lots of beads, such as on the Abalorio chandelier at Anthropologie, which reflects the designs of traditional jewelry from Jalisco, Mexico.

"Glamping"-inspired entertaining: At Ballard Designs, a new outdoor collection celebrates glamping, that glamorous trend of exotic safari tents and folding furniture.

"You can set up your cabana and put a sofa and rug in there. Throw up a string of lights and have a dinner party," says Karen Mooney, senior vice president at Ballard Designs. You'll find folding cafe chairs in fun colors such as orange, pale blue and green.

"We all have a little bit of bohemian in us. As buttoned up as we are all day, at home we want to be a little more relaxed, and enjoy," Mooney says.