Archive for the 'Artificial Flowers' Category
Flowers represent the true embodiment of a multipurpose gift. They might be sent as a token of thanks, a message of love or a sign of condolence. Florists stay in business thanks to the preponderance of people who come back to them time and again for specific floral arrangements. But what happens just a few days or weeks after the flowers are received? A vase full of wilted, decrepit blossoms is a pathetic sight indeed.
Artificial flowers of old carried an unwarranted stigma – that they didn’t look realistic enough. The style and craftsmanship in today’s selection of artificial blooms makes the old stuff pale in comparison. They’re lifelike and colorful, and cleaning them is as simple as bringing out a feather duster or a dry rag. There’s no reason to settle for flowers whose construction and color are fleeting when you could give a gift that lasts a lifetime instead.
It’s always nice to have fresh flowers in the home, as they are bright, cheerful and inviting. However, it’s not always practical to buy and display them weekly. Fresh arrangements can be expensive after a while, and they must be watered, trimmed and cleaned up when they’re no longer attractive. This is fine if you have a lot of money to spare or a maid to do the dirty work for you, but others may be attracted to a more practical option for displaying flowers.
You can achieve the same look with artificial flowers, which never die and need little maintenance aside from a light dusting every once in a while. They’re especially great to use for large, dramatic arrangements, which would be completely impractical to put together with real flowers. Some artificial flowers are made with wood, which can be carved and crafted into very lifelike flowers. Be sure to choose eco-friendly flowers that are made from sustainable materials.
Spring finally arrived; one of its greatest gifts to us is COLOR. Spring is the perfect time to bring a color into your home that you’ve never used there before: A teacup the tender golden yellow of an egg yolk, curtains the eye-opening chartreuse of new leaves, a hyacinth-mauve toss-pillow, a scatter rug the intense blue of a bluebirds wings. Every time your eyes rest on one of these fresh, bright, hopeful new colors, your whole self will feel refreshed.
And finally, what better way to bring color into your home than with fresh flowers. Stuck them in a couple of simple glass vases. It is a quick way to bring in some color. Artificial flowers can help you do the same thing and, obviously, last longer. These are a few ideas of how to add some color into your home.
(ARA) – More and more Americans today are looking at their homes as a place of refuge in a stressful world of challenges and economic instability. Instead of going out to dinner or social events, they’re cocooning with their families. Now, more than ever, their homes need to be restful and soothing, yet stylish at the same time.
Interior designers and industry experts across the country have noted this trend as well, along with an increased focus on cost-consciousness as homeowners become more selective about how their money is spent.
Here are their top 10 home decor trends for 2009:
1. Color Your World
Colors will literally be across the spectrum next year. On their Web site, the Pantone Color Institute forecasts lively colors and sophisticated, grounded hues with Fuchsia Red, Salmon Rose, Palace Blue, Lavender, Rose Dust and Vibrant Green predicted to be popular.
Andrea Vollf, American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), believes strongly in “transforming an ordinary home into a living oasis” using neutrals, especially warm and cool grays, along with bold accent pieces. Deep shades of blue are in demand by customers of Jan Hubbard, ASID, and Candice Mathers, Allied Member of ASID, with Hubbard also noting a draw to spice, bisque, toast and green/gold tones to create a warm ambiance. On a brighter note, both Mathers and Susan Pantaleo, ASID, see yellow emerging as a very versatile color. Popping up in every shade from Sunlight to Dijon Mustard, Pantaleo lauds yellow’s attention-getting appeal and ability to add life to any room.
2. Light up Your Life
Because residential interiors are incorporating more intense paint colors — not only as accent walls, but throughout an entire room — more light is needed to properly illuminate a room. According to Jeff Dross, senior product manager of Kichler Lighting, lighting manufacturers will introduce chandeliers with more arms or multiple lights per arm, as well as pendants and wall-mounted fixtures that accept higher-wattage bulbs.
3. We’ve Got You Covered
Wall murals will continue to be in high demand in 2009, according to Todd Imholte, president of www.MuralsYourWay.com a leader in the production of decorative wall murals for more than 35 years. “Wall murals are a very cost-effective way to completely transform the look of a room,” says Imholte. “We recently introduced 90 new mural designs including bold graphic patterns, contemporary designs and murals inspired by nature such as birch trees and bamboo.” Murals Your Way offers a gallery of more than 5,000 images, as well as the ability to personalize an existing gallery image or create a custom mural from a personal photo or artwork.
4. Establishing a Pattern
In a press release distributed earlier this year, Michelle Lamb — co-founder and chairman of Marketing Directions, Inc. and senior editor of “The Trend Curve” — stated that patterns are being constantly updated and reinvented. Some ways to keep them fresh include combining classic and contemporary styles in one piece; utilizing tiny, country patterns that include calico or patchwork; and trying distinctive materials, like foil, or embellishments that cluster and layer upon each other.
5. Comfort is Key
Vollf sees 2009 as being the year of comfort, with furniture that is comfortable and functional, yet still elegant. More and more people are interested in creating a personal refuge that is chic, peaceful, inviting and easy to maintain so that they can relax and unwind at the end of a busy day in an aesthetically pleasing environment.
6. Wood is Good
According to Kathy Peterson — celebrity design expert and co-host of Lifetime TV’s “The Balancing Act” — wood flooring is blending into an eclectic mix of wood tones. She also forecasts hardwood wall coverings (wood, resin, metals) with seamless panels of custom designs becoming focal points of a room. Dross echoes the popularity of wood throughout the home, seeing floors, walls, ceilings (bead board) and furniture incorporating wood at their center.
7. Shining Stars
Metals will continue to shine next year, according to Lamb. She envisions them being translated into modern metallic finishes and textures that create a sense of visual excitement and high energy. Particularly noteworthy are platinum, dark silver, rose golds and copper, and colorful metallics.
8. Hooray for Hollywood
Carmen Natschke — editor of “The Decorating Diva” — sees a revival of “Hollywood Regency.” According to her Web site, this style is “glamorous, classy and elegant; composed of an eclectic mix of styles like Neo-Classic, Asian, Baroque and Art Deco; sumptuous and luxury fabrics, shimmering finishes, mirrored furniture, chinoiserie, bamboo and lacquered furniture; bold color; clean lines and beautiful symmetry.”
9. Embrace the Outdoors
Seamless transitions from indoor to outdoor space are envisioned by Pantaleo, who says the most successful outdoor spaces will be an extension of the home’s interior style and color scheme. Using nature as a backdrop, she suggests pulling colors from adjacent rooms to maintain a visual connection. She also recommends accessorizing gourmet cook centers and plasma televisions with weather-resistant chandeliers, rugs and artwork to create a cozy, appealing and relaxed ambiance.
10. Go Green
Eco-friendly products will continue to be in demand by today’s energy-conscious and environmentally-aware consumers. McKinley Adams, Allied member of ASID, predicts consumers will be interested in sustainable building materials that may cost a bit more up front, but will save money in the long run. He also sees a surge of interest in vintage furnishings for inside the home, while Mathers anticipates increased use of grass cloth and natural Sisal finishes.
Please visit homedecorbylulu.com for great ideas in home decor items such as modern decorative pillows, mohair and cotton throws, a variety of Romanian handblown art glass products and much more.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
(ARA) – In the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping and travel, it can be easy to lose track of the traditions you loved as a child. A great way to make new memories is to bring back old world holiday traditions with friends and family.
Whether it’s buying a new ornament each year or gathering for a large family feast, drawing on old world holiday traditions is a great way to bring people together to celebrate all the season has to offer. A good way to start, and a great family activity, is to research your heritage and the holiday traditions that your ancestors practiced.
A few traditions you may wish to draw on include:
Austria
On December 24, presents are placed under the tree for the children. Kids wait in another room until they hear a bell then enter to see the tree decorated with candles, ornaments and candies. Everyone sings carols while wishing each other happy holidays.
Denmark
Each family has a special plate, used only during the holidays, that becomes a family heirloom. Families take pride in making their own decorations with bright paper and natural objects.
Italy
During holiday week, children go from house to house playing pipes, singing and reciting holiday poems. Their delighted listeners give them small amounts of money so the children can purchase gifts.
Scandinavia
Many people in Scandinavian countries celebrate Lucia Day on December 13. At dawn, the youngest child dons a white robe and a crown of (battery operated) candles. The other children accompany “Lucia” dressed as “star boys” and “hand maidens”. The children wake their parents and serve coffee and special Lucia buns.
USA
Modern holiday decorations can be just about anything. Get back to basics with traditional holly, mistletoe, Poinsettia flowers and evergreen boughs. Hang strings of popcorn, bells and candy canes from the tree. Start a new tradition and purchase a collectible ornament each year to pass down through generations.
The Glitteratzzi Gemstone Elite Collection from Jewelry Television (www.JTV.com) incorporates sparkling gemstones on luxurious, durable glass ornaments handmade in Europe. Each piece is created by artisans and takes seven days to make. Choose one featuring a loved one’s birthstone for a gift that will endure.
This holiday season, take some time to create a new tradition taking cues from the old world. The memories will make you smile all year round.
At homedecorbylulu.com you can find a variety of holiday gift ideas for your friends and family. Beautiful hand painted glassware, kids decorative pillows, scented candles, unique collectables such as pewter fairies and a variety of mango wood vases and candle holders.
Courtesy of ARAcontent
When you attend a wedding do you admire the flowers? Well, if you stopped to take a minute to think about where they came from you may not. Often times fresh flowers that are used in weddings take a serious toll on the environment. Many flowers take a long time to grow and use up precious nutrients in the soil, spoiling it for future use. In weddings for example, these flowers are only used for a few hours before they are disposed of, creating a horrible waste.
Eco-savvy wedding planners will be happy to know they have another option when ordering flowers for a wedding. There are now wood flowers that are life-like replicas of their real cousins. Wood flowers are hand-crafted from wood that occurs naturally in the environment.
Having flowers around the house is a welcome presence. It is an instant greeting for anyone who walks into a room. Flowers have the affect of creating a color pocket in the area where it is placed.
The familiar beauty of flowers has a great affect on the ambience of individual rooms and they are a popular decor tool because of this. Artificial flowers can do the same thing without the mess and fuss.
The human body can be very odd at times. This hypothesis is supported by the fact that with no given indication, our bodies can become allergic to certain substances as time wears on. Allergens are very common in aggravating the body’s defenses in Spring and Fall seasons- and we can thank the plant for that. But the beauty of flowers can be enjoyed from afar, as artificial flowers that are non-allergenic can be purchased as a supplement for nature lovers.
Artificial flowers tend to cost less, on average, since they should last indefinitely with perfect conditions. Of course repotting and growing new shoots of flowers and shrubs can save the cost associated with real flowers, but this arduous task can be stressful and time consuming. Certainly, artificial flowers are best for the on the go lifestyle more and more people seem to possess.