Celebrate the season with vintage bunnies, fuzzy chicks, sugared pastels and flea-market finds that turn every nook into a storybook home.
When Valentine’s Day comes and goes, most people are still brushing glitter off the table and tucking away hearts. Lisa Horton, (@homewithhorton) however, is already “springing forward.” Out come the minty pastels, the flocked bunnies, the fuzzy chicks and the candy-colored tins she’s spent decades collecting.
“I’ve been a vintage holiday décor collector for over 30 years,” she says. “My Easter collection is a mix of sweet graphics, minty pastels and fun, vibrant colors. My displays always have a mix of bunnies, chicks, ducks and lambs.” Her home becomes a charming celebration of all things spring, with every surface telling a little story of childhood memories, flea-market hunts and the simple joy of decorating for the season.
A Kitsch-Filled Candy Shop
Open the door and you’re greeted by what feels like a vintage candy shop dressed for Easter. Lisa’s beloved plastic Easter baskets, the ones we once saw stacked in five-and-dime stores, now fill a cubby cabinet in a cheerful rainbow of color. “These baskets come in an assortment of colors and are perfect for holding smaller collectibles,” she explains. “I fill mine with plastic bunny blow molds and bunny banks for more of a 1950s kitschy style.”
Around the room, vintage novelties and greeting cards lean against pastel pottery and floral china. Paper mâché bunnies, foil eggs and old foil candy boxes add sparkle and nostalgia to a dresser vignette. “I love using those pastel pottery pieces and floral dishes as a base,” Lisa says. “They help ground all the cute little characters and give everything a pretty, layered look.”
The Thrill of the Hunt
For Lisa, adding to her spring collection is an ongoing treasure hunt and one she enjoys all year long. “Each season I add pieces, but more often they’re happy little surprises,” she says. “The hunt is part of the fun. I’m drawn to pieces I remember having while growing up or seeing at my grandmother’s home.”
Those sentimental ties help guide what comes home with her: a tin that looks like one she remembers from childhood, or a bunny graphic that feels like a page torn from an old storybook. It’s not just about value, it’s about connection. “When something makes me smile and tugs at a memory, that’s when I know it belongs in my collection,” she says.
Sweet on Vintage Chocolate Boxes
Ask Lisa to choose a favorite, and she doesn’t hesitate at all, it is vintage chocolate boxes. “My very favorite spring décor find is vintage chocolate boxes in an assortment of sizes and styles,” she says. “My collection of foil-wrapped boxes, tied with velvet bows and millinery flowers, is perfect mixed in with floral china and foil-wrapped paper eggs.”
She uses the smaller candy boxes, which were once filled with chocolate eggs and other sweets, to tuck into her displays to add a playful, whimsical touch. “The graphics on those boxes are super cute,” she adds. “They look adorable stacked, leaned, or used as little risers for bunnies and chicks.”
Treasures, Not Tricks
Like any collecting niche, vintage Easter décor has its special treasures, and for a few reasons you will want to do your homework. “Vintage advertising is always fun to look for,” Lisa says. “Old store candy displays and tins are a few of my favorites to add into my displays. These pieces are getting harder to find, and they do increase in value over time. They’re definitely an investment. “She suggests paying attention to condition, graphics and authenticity and, when in doubt, asking questions or doing a quick bit of research before you splurge.
A Method to the (Charming) Madness
With so many sweet, small pieces, styling could easily feel overwhelming, but Lisa has a simple, thoughtful method that keeps things charming instead of cluttered. “I start with everyday décor pieces that coordinate with what I’m displaying like pottery, tins, candlesticks, linens and china,” she says. “Then I incorporate my seasonal décor around what I already have out.” From there, she focuses on storytelling. “I like my collections to tell a story, so I group like items together,” she explains. “Maybe it’s a family of lambs, or a little candy-shop scene. I usually add whimsical touches to bring those displays to life. “She plays with height using books, boxes and cake stands, and she’s careful not to crowd every surface.
“Getting creative with any new additions makes styling these collections year after year so much fun,” she says. “Enjoy the process of collecting and sharing. It’s about making new memories.”
And that, perhaps, is the true heart of Lisa’s spring décor: it’s less about having the “perfect” display and more about filling her home with pieces that make her smile, connect her to her past and help her celebrate the season in a way that feels uniquely her.
How to Start Your Own Storybook Collection
If you are inspired to start a spring collection of your own, Lisa recommends beginning with a plan rather than trying to recreate everything at once.
- “Whenever I start a collection, I usually start with a color palette and a theme,” she says. “Collections take time, and your personal spaces for displaying and storing them will usually determine how big they get.”
- She likes her collections to coordinate with her everyday décor, which makes it easier to transition from season to season. “If your holiday pieces work with what you already have out, you can blend them in instead of packing everything away,” she explains. “And if you’re going to have large holiday collections, find a way to enjoy some of those pieces throughout the year.”
- Some of her favorite items; vases, certain tins, pretty china, stay out long after the bunnies hop back into storage. “There are many pieces in my holiday collections that I use beyond the season,” she says. “Enjoying them year-round is a win-win.”
To see more of Lisa’s home and styling ideas visit @athomewithhorton on Instagram.
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