Designer Annie Selke's napkins, pottery, and pillows fill the window display at the Pine Cone Outlet Store in Lenox.
(necee regis for the boston globe)
LENOX -- Walking into the Pine Cone Hill Outlet Store, a tiny out-of-the-way shop in the Aspinwell Village, feels a bit like Dorothy landing in Oz: color, color everywhere!
Bedding, pottery, baby products, pillows, and sleepwear in lush lavenders, bright lime greens, a multitude of pinks, citrusy oranges and yellows, subdued blues, and vibrant reds all vie for attention on shelves and countertops.
Designer Annie Selke, who creates these product lines and more at her studio in the Berkshire hills, mainly sells through high-end specialty shops and catalogs such as Neiman Marcus . She has only one home store, and one outlet shop (almost adjacent to each other), located not in downtown Lenox, but on the bypass road that leads to Pittsfield. And though the former is wonderful in itself, the latter is worth a trip for the bargains.
Selke's art school background is evident in her use of color and whimsy in her designs. Since she started the business with a sewing machine on her dining room table in 1993, Selke's products have enlivened the sometimes dull world of bedding design.
Where else can you find duvet covers with names like "Fiesta Stripes," or "Bandana Blue," or sheets named "Bubbles"? The Pine Cone Hill cotton pajamas sport polka dots, swirls, floral patterns, and stripes in patterns with names such as "Malibu Wave," "Retro Swank," and the appealing "Bahama Pajamas."
Selke's website states: "Color is your friend. (And it wants you to come out and play.)" If you're playing near Lenox, make sure you include the Pine Cone Hill Outlet Store as part of your fun.
Pine Cone Hill Outlet Store, 55 Pittsfield Road, Lenox, 413-637-8962, Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday 12-5. 
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
