Anthropologie never disappoints with its incredibly stylish furniture offering. The Fern Ash Wood Storage Cabinet is arguably one of Anthropologie’s most well-known and popular designs – and also one of my favourite styles. But given its £2498 price point, it’s not within my budget. That’s why I was so excited to find the Habitat Collins Arched Display Cabinet, a Habitat budget alternative for the Anthropologie arched display cabinet in the brand’s new-in section.
Curves, arches and more organic shapes have been among the biggest home decor trends for the last couple of years – and it’s clear they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. The look of both the Anthropologie and Habitat cabinets comes across as timeless with vintage inspiration, whether that’s midcentury modern or Art Deco, which is set to be a major interior trend for the upcoming season, according to Pinterest.
On the OG Anthropologie version, the glass doors cover the entire front of the design. Meanwhile, Habitat's take has glass doors down to about two thirds of the way where it switches to more concealing doors instead.
At first glance, the thing that stood out to me the most was the absence of the decorative, antique-style legs of the Anthropologie cabinet. Habitat's version has more streamlined legs instead.
But the biggest major difference between the two cabinets is the price – as mentioned, the Anthropologie costs nearly £2500, while the Habitat design is only £350 which is more than £2000 difference. How crazy is that?! As I’m typing this, I’m still utterly shocked at that price difference.
Of course, there are other design differences as well. And I’m not alone in my love for the design Anthropologie display cabinet. Of course, there are thousands of fans out there, including the nearly 300 people that actually invested in this spectacular piece of design and have left a review on the site. But even on the Ideal Home team, our Digital Deputy Editor, Rebecca Knight is just as smitten.
‘I've been obsessed with the Anthropologie arched cabinet for years and have been keeping an eye out for a more affordable option,’ she says. ‘Curved cabinets are a great way to add a little architectural interest to a room (especially if you're a renter).
'They work a treat for blending decorative display and storage, especially the versions with hidden drawers or wooden doors on the bottom half. I'm considering investing in one to fill a dead space in my bedroom to make a smart storage feature of my favourite shoes and handbags.'
For one, the Anthropologie display cabinet is available in several colourways - six to be exact - while the Habitat one comes only in the natural oak veneer. Which brings me to the other main difference between the two – the material.
Anthropologie makes its Fern cabinet from solid ash wood. But Habitat’s is made with veneer which is a cheaper material and is partly the reason why Habitat was able to price the cabinet so well.
Some more alternatives
Dunelm's take on the arched display cabinet is the closest to the Anthropologie design down to the solid wood material, glass doors covering the whole front design and the three bottom drawers behind the glass.
If you'd like an arched display cabinet for even less than the Habitat design, this Beliani style available at B&Q is the perfect option with its price point close to £300. But the design is quite different to the Anthropologie one, though.
If you're after a design that's a little more substantial then the Hamar cabinet from Cox & Cox ticks that box. Made with solid oak and plywood, the dark painted interior paired with the brass hardware looks moody and sophisticated.
Are you a fan of arched display cabinets like these? And if so, where would you put yours?
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.